“The Rise of Interfaith Dialogue: Historical Highlights and Future Prospects.”
In the second half of the twentieth century, and then especially after 9/11, “interfaith” or “interreligious” dialogue went from a marginal phenomenon to become an explosive global movement. But what exactly is it? What accounts for its meteoric rise? What are its future prospects? Dr. Howard will explore these questions and others in this sixth annual lecture.
While many have theorized about and practiced interreligious dialogue, few have attended carefully to its past, connecting its emergence and spread with broader developments in modern history. Interreligious dialogue—grasped in light of careful, critical attention to its past—holds promise for helping people of diverse faith backgrounds to foster cooperation and knowledge of one another while contributing insight into contemporary, global religious pluralism.
About the Speaker
Thomas Albert (Tal) Howard (PhD, University of Virginia) is professor of humanities and history and holder of the Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Chair in Christian Ethics at Valparaiso University. He also serves as a Senior Fellow for the Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts. He is the author or editor of several books, including The Faiths of Others: A History of Interreligious Dialogue (Yale University Press, 2021), The Pope and the Professor: Pius IX, Ignaz von Döllinger, and the Quandary of the Modern Age (Oxford University Press, 2017), and Remembering the Reformation: An Inquiry into the Meanings of Protestantism (Oxford University Press, 2016). His writings have appeared in academic journals, such as the Journal of the History of Ideas and the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and in more general venues. Visit thomasalberthoward.info.
About the lecture
BYU’s annual World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) Lecture was created to coincide with, and celebrate, the United Nations resolution proclaiming the first week in February as World Interfaith Harmony Week. The lecture features prominent scholars and religious leaders who share their insights and experiences about cultivating close and effective relationships between people of different faiths. In an ever more diverse world, BYU’s annual WIHW Lecture provides a valuable source of both information and inspiration. The annual lecture is sponsored by the Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding at BYU.
Students in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences gain Experience Points for attending this lecture. Learn more about Experience Points.