Abraham Conference 2011
The 9th Abraham Conference was held at Mary McKillop Place, North Sydney on the 10th of July 2011. The theme was Abraham for the 21st Century. The Conference was jointly arranged and co-hosted by Affinity Intercultural Foundation, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, the Columban Mission Institute, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Uniting Church of Australia.
The keynote speaker was Rev Dr Daniel Madigan SJ from Georgetown University. He is the leading Australian Catholic scholar in the field of Islam. His address was titled Abraham, His Family and the Baggage We Make Them Carry.
The respondents were Rabbi Paul Jacobson of the Emmanuel Synagogue, Woollahra and Professor Zeki Saritoprak, Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies, John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio.
After the talks there was a short break for tea and refreshments. All then participated in round-table conversations, where Jew, Christian and Muslim shared with each other their reflections on the talks they had heard. This was followed by a question and answer session with the panel of speakers. The event generated a very cordial atmosphere among the participants and was highly appreciated by them all. The only complaint was – why aren’t events such as this made known to the widest possible audience?
In an attempt to respond to that complaint, we offer here the three addresses that were delivered on the day for your information, reflection and action.
- Associate Professor - Daniel A Madigan SJ, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Rabbi Paul Jacobson, Emanuel Synagogue, Woollahra
- Professor Zeki Saritoprak, Mary MacKillop Place
