A disturbing trend over the past couple of years has been the rise of antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League, which tracks antisemitic incidents, says 2021 was the worst year in decades and that 2022 will look similar once the numbers are tabulated. We’re in a five-year upswing overall.

Let’s not give any more oxygen to acts of hate. Instead, we are thrilled to be sharing this conversation host Mike Jordan Laskey recently had with Dr. Phil Cunningham and Dr. Adam Gregerman, two scholars who have devoted their careers to building bridges between Jews and Catholics. Phil and Adam lead the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. The institute was founded in 1967 in response to the Second Vatican Council.

Phil is Catholic and Adam is Jewish, and their shared leadership models the type of engagement the institute is all about. You’ll see this sort of collaboration on display throughout the episode. Mike asked them for a brief historical overview of the relationship between Catholics and Jews, and why the promulgation of the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate was such an important turning point. Adam and Phil also talked about the work they’re doing today, and how we can build relationships across religious divides without erasing each faith’s uniqueness.

Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations: https://www.sju.edu/college-arts-and-sciences/ijcr

Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations: https://ccjr.us/

AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.

www.jesuits.org/

www.beajesuit.org/

twitter.com/jesuitnews

facebook.com/Jesuits

instagram.com/wearethejesuits

youtube.com/societyofjesus