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In pre-recorded lecture videos and in a conversation event held at Goucher College, Rabbi Dr. Rachel S. Mikva will draw from scriptures and their interpretations to explore what diverse notions of “the human” mean for our daily lives, communities, and body politic.
In this online event, Kristyn Peck, the CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, will provide an overview of the evolving policies surrounding refugee services and explore the vital role of faith communities in this work. We will discuss how congregations can offer support at various levels and what it means to engage in this work through a religious lens.
This year’s ICJS Manekin-Clark Lecture featured Rabbi Sharon Brous, author of the national bestseller The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World, in conversation with Rabbi Jessy Dressin and Heather Miller Rubens, Ph.D.
Uncover the goals of the Christian movement that is a threat to the American values of democracy and pluralism. Through podcasts, articles, courses, and videos, Matthew D. Taylor shares his research and storytelling.
For the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS), fostering dialogue in these trying times remains crucial, and we remain committed to it.
BALTIMORE—The Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS) and Georgetown University Press have signed an exclusive series agreement to publish the Silber-Obrecht Lectures, the premier international lecture in the field of Interreligious/Interfaith Studies. The Silber-Obrecht Lecture, which aims to advance this developing field of academic inquiry, reflects that there are many modes of response…
Read the Catholic Review article: Maryland Center for History and Culture receives $2.5 million grant to explore religious tolerance in state BALTIMORE, Md. (January 7, 2025) – The Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) has received a $2.5M grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. The grant will support…
When I’ve told people about the work we have been doing this past year at ICJS, they have a lot of questions: How are you actually able to do dialogue right now? Has the violence in Israel and Gaza frayed interreligious relationships beyond repair? What are commonly held expectations and fears about interreligious dialogue, particularly…
Q&A with Melissa Zieve: Facilitated Dialogue on Israel and Gaza In the months after the devastating Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th, including the taking of hostages, and the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis that has killed over 40,000 Gazans, ICJS has received multiple requests from Baltimore-area high schools, organizations, government organizations, leadership programs,…
Dietrich Bonhoeffer has long been celebrated as a powerful symbol of moral resistance to the Nazi regime, with his legacy claimed by Christians across the religious spectrum, from liberal Protestants to Christian Nationalists. Historically, though, he was not a major figure. What do his writings mean in that context?
In this online conversation, Dr. Victoria Barnett discussed the historical complexities of Bonhoeffer’s life and legacy, warning against the dangers of reducing his life and work to simplistic, “momentary” lessons for contemporary Christian activism. Instead, Barnett argued for a deeper, more nuanced engagement with Bonhoeffer’s theology, emphasizing his unwavering commitment to faith and ethical action in the face of injustice and crisis.
Mary, the mother of Jesus—Maryam in Arabic—is venerated by Christians and Muslims around the world. This course examined the Islamic portrayal of Mary as described in the Qur’an and the holy narrations of Prophet Muhammad, both normative sources for Muslims, identifying similarities and differences that emerge in the Muslim depictions of Mary. By presenting examples of Islamic art and architecture, ICJS Muslim Scholar Zeyneb Sayilgan highlighted Mary’s ongoing importance in Muslim life. Finally, Sayilgan reflected on the possibilities of how Mary can serve as an important interreligious figure who can both divide and unite.
Read the most recent issue of ICJS Insights, our monthly newsletter featuring voices, essays, and perspectives.