Major religious holidays converge this spring as Muslims observe Ramadan, Christians mark Lent and Easter, and Jews observe Passover. This convergence doesn’t happen every year, as these holidays follow different calendars. But it offers us a golden opportunity for interreligious learning about religious traditions and rituals, an opportunity the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS) takes with its original video, Lived Diversity: How We Observe and Celebrate Passover, Easter, and Ramadan.
But these observances also remind us that throughout history into the present day, some of our brothers and sisters have been the targets of hate because of their religious identities. In this environment of political polarization, exacerbated by violence in the Middle East, incidents of both antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise. Dismantling religious bias and bigotry lies at the heart of ICJS’ mission.
This month, ICJS offer several events and resources that address religious bias and hate, including:
- A February 24, 2025 Event (noon-1 p.m. online) about multifaith coalitions opposing Islamophobia: Shoulder to Shoulder: Building Coalitions to Challenge Islamophobia. Join Nina M. Fernando, Executive Director of Shoulder to Shoulder, as she speaks with ICJS Muslim Scholar Zeyneb Sayilgan about her organization's efforts to challenge Islamophobia and its shared commitment with ICJS to foster greater interreligious understanding. Register Now.
- A Presentation by Matthew D. Taylor about addressing anti-Judaism in Christian ritual and tradition entitled Journeying Through Lent with an Interreligious Lens: A Workshop. Taylor examines the passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark, reading it in its proper Jewish context that has too often been stripped away. “The consequence of that [reading] is ‘the Jews’ have become this abstracted, monolithic community that is treated as guilty, or at least complicit, in killing the Jewish Messiah. Watch video.
- A February 26, 2025 Panel (7 p.m. online), that includes Heather Miller Rubens and Celene Ibrahim, marking the 60th anniversary of the Vatican document, Nostra Aetate, that advanced interfaith relations: Nostra Aetate at 60: Imagining Muslim-Christian Relations for the Next 60 Years. Nostra Aetate is often cited as a landmark document in Catholic-Jewish relations, but it also commented on other non-Christian religions, including Islam. Nostra Aetate expressed respect for Muslims, called for dialogue and cooperation between Christians and Muslims, and condemned discrimination and hatred based on religion.
Please join us as we redouble our commitment to counter religious bias and bigotry. And whatever holiday you are celebrating or observing this season, may it be meaningful and joyous.
Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies
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410.494.7161 / info@icjs.org
