From June 3-5, the Center for Arab-West Understanding cosponsored a second round of the “Journey of Learning” interfaith program with the Center for Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership (Anglican/Episcopal) in Cairo. The program offers the opportunity for Christians and Muslims to listen and learn from one another about their respective faiths. With the assistance of Anglican Archbishop Emeritus, Dr. Mouneer Anis, and al-Azhar University professor, Dr. Ismāʿīl ʿAbdallāh, we were able to assemble a diverse group of lecturers and participants with an active interest in theology and interfaith relations from Al-Azhar University, the Islamic Research Academy, the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, St. Leo the Great Coptic Catholic Seminary, the Alexandria School of Theology (Anglican/Episcopal), the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (IDEO), and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Egypt. In our experience, the program is somewhat unique in modern Egypt in its aim to facilitate learning and dialogue around explicitly theological and doctrinal topics. 

Participants heard senior Muslim and Christian scholars speak on the following topics: 

- The Collection of the Qurʾān

- The Collection of the New Testament

- Essentials of Islamic Theology

- Essentials of Christian Theology

- The Relationship between the Qurʾān and Sunna

- The Relationship between Scripture and Tradition in Christianity

- The Role of Philosophy in the Middle Ages (Thomas Aquinas)

- The Role of Philosophy in the Middle Ages (Ibn Rushd)

- Christian and Muslim contributions to society

- Christian and Muslim perspectives on loving our neighbors

(Conversations continued over lunch.)

(Archbishop Mouneer introduces Dr. Naẓīr ʿAyyād, Secretary General of the Islamic Research Academy, who lectured on Ibn Rushd [d.1198])

(Dr. Bishoy Helmy speaks about the Coptic Orthodox perspective on the relationship between Scripture and tradition.)

The Center for Arab-West Understanding would like to express our profound gratitude to Archbishop Mounir at the Center of Christian-Muslim Understanding and Partnership, Dr. Naẓīr ʿAyyād at the Islamic Research Academy, Dr. Ismāʿīl ʿAbdallāh at Al-Azhar University, and SGP International in the Netherlands for their partnership in this important initiative. We believe the program helped participants to formulate new and constructive perspectives on the relationship between these two religious traditions and that it opened new pathways for understanding and cooperation.

We are already working on editing and translating several of these valuable lectures for inclusion on Dialogue Across Borders, as well as planning for another session in August or September this year. 

With best wishes,