November 5th 2013, Seton Hall University hosted the Peace Islands Institute in an Abrahamic Table themed “Presentations and Discussion of the Relatoinships among the Three Religions That Call Abraham Their Father”.
The three speakers that were present spoke from their own religious perspective.
Speakers:
Dr.Anthony Sciglitano – Seton Hall University
Rabbi Joshua Stanton –
Harun Alacadag – Peace Islands Institute
It was a wonderful event!! We thank Seton Hall University for making this event possible
Dr. Anthony Sciglitano touched up on the following
Nostra Aetate (1965):
The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God
Abraham (“the father is exalted”)
Rootedness in the faith of Israel; Abraham’s faith reckoned to him as righteousness by God (Gn. 15:6) prior to circumcision-this is an important point to Paul in Romans (4:9-12); For Paul, Abraham is the father of those circumcised and uncircumcised who are people of faith—promise not only to those of the law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (Both!); the model of faith!
Some ideas in between Scripture and Nostra Aetate
Irenaeus: (context: against Marcion and Gnostics who would sever Christianity from Judaism); “Supercessionist”
In Abraham the blessing given to Shem, one of Noah’s sons, flowers as God is pleased to be called “the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob”
Legitimation of secular learning: “Wisdom, who makes her home with a man of faith was barren and had not conceived a child of virtue; the man who had a suitable opportunity for progress should begin by going to bed with secular education (Hagar, or going off to Egypt, here as allegory of the secular world) and later come to her (Wisdom) to father Isaac in accordance with divine providence [Sarah is sovereign wisdom.
Rabbi Joshua Stanton
“One of the unique elements about the Jewish tradition is the presence of prophets who at once serve as a call to conscience and guides to our lives and also reveal their imperfections as human beings. Within rabbinic Judaism, Abraham is seen not merely as a strong an thoughtful leader and conveyer of wisdom, but also a troubled person and who at times shows a callous disregard even for his own family, and most especially his son Isaac. The tension between vision and insight and imperfection is one that many face, albeit in more ordinary proportions. As such, Abraham serves as a guide of transcendent importance within our tradition — as well as a link to other traditions that associate with him as a prophet and great thinker.
Harun Alacadag
Will be available soon!!
Pictures from the event:
