Buchanan, James P.

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epublications@Marquette

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 42 After 50 Years: The Living Spirit of VaticanII Article 149-1-2012Diversity in Action: Beyond Interfaith Dialogue:The Brueggeman Center at Xavier UniversityJames P. BuchananFollow this and additional works at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationBuchanan, James P. (2012) "Diversity in Action: Beyond Interfaith Dialogue: The Brueggeman Center at Xavier University,"Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 42 , Article 14.Available at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol42/iss1/14Conversations 31The idea that drives theBrueggeman Center forDialogue at Xavier is that inan age of globalization weneed to be in conversation with theworld. The challenge we set was toframe interfaith dialogue in a muchbroader and more inclusive context,engaging not only the other academicdisciplines but the business communi-ty, government, and civil societyincluding the global NGO community.Thus our programming ranges overeconomics, politics, human rights, theenvironment, healthcare, gender anddiversity, and foreign policy,which bring the religionsinto conversation withscholars from other disci-plines, economists, policy-makers, businessmen, andgovernment officials. For the religions, thisapproach poses new chal-lenges and opens newopportunities. The chal-lenges include the demandthat, if we want to be rele-vant to this broader, cross-sectoral discussion, wemust retool and begin tolearn the language andconcepts of economics, for-eign policy, science, and soon. We must do this in order to beable to listen and understand theother and to be listened to and under-stood. The struggle is to find bothcommon concerns and common lan-guage so that there is something totalk about and a means to do so. Theopportunity is the possibility that thevoice and values of the religionsmight be listened to by the others innew, more powerful ways. Dialogue and riskAt the center we believe that dialogueentails that we risk our presupposi-tions in order to experience possibletransformation. Dialogue must openlyengage the other. Thus we becomepartners in everything we do. Overthe last decade the BrueggemanCenter has partnered with over a hun-dred organizations or groups, inwhich we have engaged religiousscholars and leaders and a range ofexperts from diverse fields from over100 countries who have challengedour worldviews and our values. The Winter-Cohen BrueggemanStudent Fellows program has engagedstudents with a year of research whichincludes international immersion. Wehave sent students to over 40 differentcountries. It is high risk for all involvedbut transforms their lives and ours. In 2005, working with Rabbi AbieIngber and Dr. William Madges, wecreated “A Blessing to One Another:Pope John Paul II and the JewishPeople.” The exhibit hopes to edu-cate, commemorate and inspire thosewho visit it through photographs,videos, artifacts and text panels thattell the story of the Pope’s life fromhis childhood in Poland to hisPapacy. The narrative focuses uponthe Pope’s relationship with theJewish people beginning with hischildhood in Wadowice through allthe historic firsts of his papacy. It alsotells the story of his Jewish friendshipwith Jerzy Kluger from childhoodthrough his papacy. The exhibit con-cludes with a 20-foot replica ofJerusalem’s WesternWall into which visi-tors are invited toplace their ownprayers, all of whichare delivered to theactual Western Wall.The exhibit has nowbeen visited by over800,000 people in 17different venues. Webuilt the exhibit as atool to be used bycommunities tostrengthen interfaithrelations. The exhibithas been in an equalnumber of Catholicand Jewish institu-tions. In 2013 it will be the openingexhibit at the new Museum of theHistory of the Polish Jews in Warsawand will begin a European tour. James P. Buchanan is executivedirector, the Edward B. BrueggemanCenter for Dialogue at XavierUniversity, Cincinnati, OH. For moreinformation about the Center’s workvisit www.xavier.edu/dialogueBeyond Interfaith Dialogue The Brueggeman Center at Xavier UniversityBy James P. Buchanan1Buchanan: Diversity in Action: Beyond Interfaith Dialogue: The Brueggeman CPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2012

Diversity in Action: Beyond Interfaith Dialogue: The Brueggeman Center at Xavier University

https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1778&amp;context=conversations

Diversity in Action: Beyond Interfaith Dialogue: The Brueggeman Center at Xavier University

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