Jewish-Christian Relations Examined at Lecture at The University of Scranton
The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute of The University of Scranton will present a lecture by David Dalin, Ph.D., titled “Pope John Paul II and the Jews,” on Thursday, Oct. 25, in Brennan Hall.
Pope John Paul II was acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. A key goal of his papacy, which extended from 1978 to 2005, was to forge a new religious alliance that would bring together Christians, Jews and Muslims.
The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute of The University of Scranton will present a lecture titled “Pope John Paul II and the Jews” on Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall on campus. Delivered by David Dalin, Ph.D., professor of history and politics at Ave Maria University, Ana Maria, Fla., the lecture is free and open to the public.
A well-known scholar of American Jewish history and politics and Jewish-Christian relations, Dr. Dalin was a visiting fellow at Princeton University’s James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, as well as a visiting professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, George Washington University and Smith College.
Dr. Dalin is the author, co-author or editor of 10 books, including “The Presidents of the United States and the Jews.” His book “Religion and State in the American Jewish Experience,” co-authored with Professor Jonathan D. Sarna of Brandeis University, was selected by Choice as one of the Outstanding Academic Books of 1998.
Dr. Dalin has written extensively on Catholic-Jewish relations and the history of the relationship between the papacy and the Jews. His much-discussed article, “Pius XII and the Jews,” was published in The Weekly Standard and reprinted in Inside the Vatican, which is published in Rome. His book “The Myth of Hitler’s Pope: How Pope Pius XII Rescued Jews from the Nazis,” has been translated into French, Spanish and Italian. He is also the co-editor of the book “John Paul II and the Jewish People: A Jewish-Christian Dialogue.”
The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute was created in 1979 through an endowment funded by the local Jewish community. The institute fosters a better understanding and appreciation of Judaism, Israel and their histories. It supports visits to the University by Jewish scholars and writers, and supports library acquisitions, publications, faculty research travel and other scholarly endeavors. The work of the institute was further enhanced by a $1 million gift from Harry Weinberg in 1990.
For further information, contact Marc Shapiro, Ph.D., professor of theology/religious studies at The University of Scranton, at 941-7956.
