In an era marked by rising polarization, climate anxiety, and rapid technological change, the question of what it means to be human has never felt more urgent. The 2025 Silber-Obrecht Lecture explored that question from Islamic, Christian, and Jewish perspectives—and offered a vision of hope, dignity, and dialogue.
At an April 22nd Conversation Event at Goucher College’s Athenaeum, the Silber-Obrecht lecturer Rabbi Dr. Rachel Mikva and respondent Dr. Younus Mirza elaborated on their pre-recorded lecture videos, engaging in a rich, nuanced dialogue that tackled profound theological, ethical, and social questions shaping our shared civic life. The conversation was moderated by Dr. Heather Miller Rubens, ICJS executive director and Roman Catholic scholar.
Theology Meets the Public Square
At the heart of Rabbi Dr. Mikva’s lecture stood the concept of theological anthropology—the religious study of what it means to be human. “We can’t help but do this work in public,” she explained, pointing to the deep ways religious convictions—whether acknowledged or not—shape public discourse and policy.
She cited pressing cultural and political debates, such as the legal status of embryos and the denial of Native American spiritual claims to sacred lands, to show how narrow religious interpretations often pose as universal truths. She argued that these interpretations threaten both religious liberty and pluralistic democracy.
A Pluralism That Includes Conflict
Both Rabbi Dr. Mikva and Dr. Mirza emphasized that pluralism does not mean the absence of conflict, but rather the commitment to engage differences humanely. “You can be a pluralist and still treat someone in a dehumanizing way. We can absolutize pluralism too, just as well as we can absolutize exclusivism,” Rabbi Dr. Mikva warned, underscoring the need for a humanizing set of principles in dialogue.
Dr. Mirza contributed a powerful Qur’anic perspective: when God declared the creation of humanity, the angels objected, citing the potential for human violence. God replied, “I know what you do not know.” This story, Dr. Mirza explained, affirms humanity’s capacity for both harm and goodness—and God’s hopeful vision for what humans can become.
Are We Good?
One of the central questions raised in the conversation was both simple and profound: Are we good?
Rabbi Dr. Mikva explored how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam offer divergent but intersecting views of human nature. Judaism emphasizes the constant negotiation between good and bad inclinations. Christianity grapples with original sin, an inherent sinful nature that is transmitted to all humanity for all time. And Islam upholds an innate disposition in each person to recognize goodness and act morally. Each tradition views humanity as a blend of divine potential and earthly struggle.
Dr. Mirza returned to the Qur’anic creation narrative, noting that there is an interpretation gaining favor among scholars that portrays humans, not as those who would dominate and subdue creation, but as trusted stewards who are to care for the earth. He stressed that this framing deeply informs conversations about justice, environmental responsibility, and coexistence.
Excavating Values and Texts
A recurring theme of the evening urged participants to excavate—to dig deep into traditions, communities, and personal convictions to uncover the sources of our values. The speakers stressed that this work remains necessary not just in theological study, but in civic life.
The discussion also addressed contemporary challenges such as artificial intelligence, the climate crisis, and religious nationalism. Rabbi Dr. Mikva cautioned against human exceptionalism, especially when it leads to environmental exploitation. At the same time, she emphasized religion’s power to provide resilience, meaning, and hope.
Interreligious Literacy for a Pluralistic World
In their closing reflections, the panelists turned to the future of religious education. Both Rabbi Rabbi Dr. Mikva and Dr. Mirza advocated for interreligious literacy, urging educational models that go beyond comparative religion to foster genuine relationships across differences.
Rabbi Dr. Mikva described how her seminary welcomes students from many life stances, including Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans, and secular humanists. These students form a diverse learning community and enrich one another through dialogue and shared formation.
Dr. Mirza echoed this call and highlighted the need to rethink how colleges and high schools teach religion. The typical course takes a world religions approach and focuses on facts, but offers little experience of religious traditions. “You don’t get the opportunity to meet someone who actually believes in the ideas you study, he said. “The more we make our curricula human and relational, the better our religious literacy will be.”