In this episode of God Forbid –
Francis Clooney is a Harvard Professor and he’s been a Jesuit Priest for the last 50 years, but he’s also an expert on the Sanskrit and Tamil traditions of Hinduism. What was it about the Hindu tradition that fascinated him? What tensions exist between the two faith traditions, and how can they be overcome?
Professor Catherine Cornille is renowed for her work in comparative theology and interreligious dialogue. She was also the first ever female professor in the history of Belgium’s 600-year old Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. She says there are specific conditions necessary for successful interreligious dialogue to occur — empathy alone is insufficient.
Rabbi Zalman Kastel grew up in Brooklyn in an ultra-orthodox Chabad Jewish home and rarely spoke with his African-American and Christian neighbours. But today, he has worked with over 100,000 school students and teachers to foster interfaith and intercultural understanding. He also discusses the possible benefits of sending your child to a religious school.