The inaugural Silber-Obrecht Lecture, the first endowed lectureship in the emerging field of Interreligious and Interfaith studies, was held in Baltimore, April 25-28, 2023. The lectureship aims to advance the field of study by presenting new and creative work by a senior scholar and interreligious practitioner.
The inaugural Silber-Obrecht Lecture was delivered by Francis X. Clooney, S.J., a theologian at the Harvard Divinity School and a leader in the field of interreligious studies.
Held in July 2023
Baltimore, Maryland
This seminar brought together scholars and practitioners to examine approaches to Christian nationalism from outside the U.S. context—or at least the usual and established locations of “best practice” in the U.S.—to consider possible new approaches, including through interracial and interreligious coalitions, to address religious nationalism and to strengthen democratic institutions and systems. Instead of perpetuating claims of American exceptionalism, this seminar (and eventual book) aimed to look squarely at the American crisis through other lenses and other models, inviting scholars and activists working together on the front line of democratic crises globally to offer important insights.