Mary & Muslims: Bridge or Barrier?

The 1965 Vatican II document Nostra Aetate encouraged Catholics and Muslims to “forget the past” and focus on a more positive future together, one based on dialogue and cooperation. Since then, Catholics at all levels, from popes to parishioners, have heeded this call. However, the complicated, centuries-long history of Christian-Muslim relations demands attention. Instead of “forgetting the past,” Catholics need to revisit this history, both on their own and with their Muslim partners. Join us this summer for a webinar series on the history of encounter between Catholics and Muslims. In this series, we will examine Nicholas of Cusa’s approach to the Qur’an; the history of Mary as a bridge or barrier in Christian relations with Muslims; and St. Francis and Pope Francis as models of fraternal encounter. No preparation is necessary, and participants can attend according to their availability. Click the links below for more information and to register for each session. Part I: July 21, 6pm CST: “Nicholas of Cusa & Qur’anic Exegesis” Dr. Wilhelmus (Pim) Valkenberg (Catholic University) Part II: August 18, 6 pm CST: “Mary & Muslims: Bridge or Barrier?” Dr. Rita George-Tvrtković (Benedictine University), with a response by Dr. Zeki Saritoprak (John Carroll University) In 1965, Nostra Aetate acknowledged that Christian and Muslims share a devotion to Mary. But did Christians always view Mary as a bridge? A few medieval Latins stressed concord between the two Marys, but others raised the Virgin on military standards in battles against Muslims. This talk will consider the myriad ways in which Mary’s role in Christian-Muslim relations has shifted back and forth from bridge to barrier and back again. The lecture will be followed by a response from a Muslim scholar, and further dialogue. Dr. Rita George-Tvrtković (PhD, University of Notre Dame), is Professor of Theology at Benedictine University in suburban Chicago, where she specializes in medieval Christian-Muslim relations and the contemporary theology and praxis of interreligious dialogue. Her books include A Christian Pilgrim in Medieval Iraq: Riccoldo da Montecroce’s Encounter with Islam; a co-edited volume, Nicholas of Cusa and Islam; and Christians, Muslims, and Mary: A History. Her articles have appeared in Theological Studies, Catholic Historical Review, Journal of Jesuit Studies, Medieval Encounters, and America. A former associate director of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, she was recently appointed by Pope Francis to be a consultor for the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Dr. Zeki Saritoprak is Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies and the Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, He received his PhD in Islamic Theology from the University of Marmara in Turkey. He has published widely in English, Turkish, and Arabic on a variety of topics related to Islam, Islamic Studies, and Interfaith Dialogue and is the author of over thirty academic articles and encyclopedia entries on topics in Islam. He is editor and translator of Fundamentals of Rumi’s Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective and the editor of a critical edition of al-Sarakhsi’s Sifat Ashrat al-Sa’a. He has two books in English: Islam’s Jesus (University Press of Florida, 2014) and Islamic Spirituality: Theology and Practice for the Modern World (Bloomsbury Academic, 2017). He is currently working on the manuscript for a book on Islamic Eschatology. Dr. George Tvrtković and Dr. Saritoprak collaborated in writing a chapter about Islam (insider/outsider views) in a comparative theology textbook, and since 2017 have participated together in a semi-annual Catholic-Muslim Scholars Dialogue. Part III: September 8, 6 pm CST: “Francis & Francis: Encountering Muslims, Past & Present” Dr. Jason Welle, OFM (Pontifical Institute of Arabic & Islamic Studies, Rome) Sponsored and Organized by: Lumen Christi Institute (Chicago) American Cusanus Society Promotional Cosponsors: Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (New York) Nova Forum for Catholic Thought (University of Southern California) Saint Benedict Institute (Holland, MI) St. Paul\u27s Catholic Student Center (Madison, WI) The Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University (Chicago) Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies and the Encountering Islam Initiative at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota