Monday February 26, 2007,

10 am: Interview with Cheri Mantz, Reporter, Catholic Herald, at the Jesuit Residence.

12-1 pm: “Soup with Substance” sponsored by the Manresa Project at Marquette. Topic: "Working with Muslims for Peace and Justice." Location: Alumni Memorial Union 223. Escort: Nicole Fastabend.

For Fr Michel’s handout outline, see the bottom of this page.

Afternoon: “Chai Q & A” with Marquette students sponsored by the Marquette Muslim Student Association and the Arab Student Association. Tea and cookies served.

Location:Henke Lounge (TBC)  2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.

Monday evening: 7 pm private dinner with event organizers

Tuesday February 27, 2007:

11-12:15: Meeting with students in Theology 164: Islamic Theological and Philosophical Thought, taught by Professors Irfan Omar (Theology) and Richard C. Taylor (Philosophy)

12:30-2 pm: Faculty Luncheon Discussion Session, "From Regensburg to Ankara: Benedict XVI and Muslims." For an outline of this presentation, see http://web.mac.com/mistertea/iWeb/Abrahamic%20Conference/Regensburg%20to%20Ankara.html

Location: Alumni Memorial Union, Ballroom D

3:30-5:30 "Teaching and Research on Muslim-Christian Dialogue: Issues for the Future." A meeting with graduate students organized by Rev. Philip Rossi, SJ, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Helen Way Klinger College of Arts and Sciences.

Location: Alumni Memorial Union  448

Wednesday February 28, 2007,

Morning: Program for clergy and Parish Leadership, Milwaukee Archdiocese, Cousins Center 10:00 - noon  (invitation only)

“Muslim-Catholic Relations-Local and Global Perspectives”

9 am pick up by Judi Longdin.

Afternoon: Conference

7:30-9:30 pm: large audience address, “Contemporary Muslim Peace Movements: A Dynamic Alternative to Violence”

Location: Alumni Memorial Union Ballrooms

Reception to follow.

For location, see https://www.marquette.edu/contact/finder/union.shtml.

For the complete version of this presentation, see http://web.mac.com/mistertea/iWeb/Abrahamic%20Conference/Full%20Text%20of%20Fr%20Michel%27s%20Presentation.html

Thursday March 1, 2007,

12:35-1:50: Meeting with students in Dr Naylor’s “Modern Middle East Since 1500.”

Evening dinner with Conference participants.

Other events will be added here when plans are firm.

Biographical Information

Thomas Michel, S.J.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., in 1941. After completing his studies in philosophy and theology in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., he was ordained a priest in 1967. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1969.

After Arabic and Islamic studies in Egypt and Lebanon, he completed a doctoral dissertation on the thought of the Muslim scholar Ibn Taymiyya and received a Ph.D. in Islamic thought from the University of Chicago in 1978 under the direction of the late Fazlur Rahman. In 1981, he was appointed to the Asia Desk of the Vatican Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and in 1988, he became Head of the Office for Islam in the same Vatican department. Since 1994, he has served as Executive Secretary of the Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC-OEIA), in Bangkok, Thailand. Since 1996, he is Director of the Jesuit Secretariat for Interreligious Dialogue in Rome, Italy, and Ecumenical Secretary for the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

Fr. Michel is a member of the Indonesian Province of the Jesuits.  He presently serves as Secretary for Interreligious Dialogue of the Society of Jesus, and Ecumenical Secretary of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.  He studied Arabic in Lebanon and Egypt and received a PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago.  His doctoral thesis, completed under the instruction of the late Fazlur Rahman, focused on the thought of Ibn Taymiyya.  Fr. Michel has taught for many years in Indonesia and the Philippines.  In Turkey, he has taught in the Theology faculties of universities in Ankara, Izmir, Konya, and Urfa.

Fr. Michel is on the Academic Council of the “Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding” of Georgetown University, Washington, USA.  He is on the International Advisory Board of the Khalidi Library, Jerusalem and the Editorial Board of the journal Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in Birmingham, UK.  He is on the International Advisory Panel of the International Movement for a Just World in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the International Advisory Committee of the Center for World Thanksgiving, Dallas, Texas, USA and on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Teaching experience:
1974-1975 Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., U.S.A., Islamic civilization.

1977-1978 Columbia University, New York, U.S.A., Islamic philosophy.

1978-1984 Wedabhakti Institut Teologi, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Islamic philosophy, theology.

1978-1981 I.K.I.P. Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Islamic history.

1980-1981 St. Paul’s Major Seminary, Davao, Philippines, Introduction to Islam.

1982 Pontifical Institute for Arabic/Islamic Studies, Rome, Islam in Asia.

1985 Dansalan College, Marawi City, Philippines, Islamic mysticism.

1986-1987 Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey, Introduction to Christian Theology.

1988 Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey, Introduction to Christian Theology.

1988 Pont. Institute for Arabic/Islamic Studies, Rome, Islamic theology and mysticism.

1989 STF Driyarkara, Jakarta, Indonesia, Islamic theology and mysticism.

1989 Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey, Introduction to Christian theology.

1989, 2003, 2005 St. Peter's Major Seminary, Kuching, Malaysia, Introduction to Islam.

1990-1991 Pont. Institute for Arabic/Islamic Studies, Rome, Islam in Asia; Islamic theology.

1991 Selly Oak Colleges, University of Birmingham, England, Islam in Asia.

1993 Pont. Institute for Arabic/Islamic Studies, Rome, Islamic philosophy.

1995-1998 Wedabhakti Theology Faculty, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Islamic philosophy; theology.

1996 Regina Mundi, Yangon, Myanmar, Theology of Interreligious Dialogue

1996-1998 Euntes Asian Center, Zamboanga, Philippines, Introduction to Islam.

2000 Oxford University, Oxford, England, D’Arcy Lectures in Christian-Muslim relations.

2001, 2003 Harran University, Urfa, Turkey, Introduction to Christian theology.

2001-2003 Seminario S. Paolo, Shköder, Albania.

1999-2003 Arrupe Institute, Palermo, Italy

2003-2005 Ateneo de Manila University, East Asian Pastoral Institute, Manila, Philippines, Introduction to Islam.

In 2000, he delivered the D’Arcy Lectures at Oxford University in Oxford, England, on Christian-Muslim relations.

The following elected papers and presentations by Thomas Michel, S.J., Secretary for Interreligious Dialogue, can be found at this website:

http://www.sjweb.info/dialogo/

# Developments In Interreligious Dialogue With Muslims

# Creating A Culture Of Dialogue: Methodology Of Interreligious Dialogue

# Dialogue In The Context Of Consecrated Life: Working With Others For Justice And Peace

# Il Dialogo Nel Contesto Della Vita Consacrata: Lavorare Con Altri Per La Giustizia E La Pace

# La Pastoral Indígena En Asia

# Pastoral Approach To Indigenous Peoples In Asia

# Towards A Pedagogy Of Religious Encounter

# Ten steps to Peace

# The Trinity as radical monotheism

# The Prophets: A Blessing for humankind: Convergence between the Christian Understanding and the Risale-i Nur

# Muslim-Christian Dialogue and Cooperation in the Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

# Christian-Muslim relations: are we missing the real story?

# Christian-Muslim Relations after the Terrorist Attacks

# God’s People Amidst All of God’s People:

Ecumenism and the Challenge of Religious and Cultural Plurality

# The Contribution of Religious Believers to the Dialogue of Civilizations

# Introductory Notes on the Religion of Islam

# The Ethics of Pardon and Peace: a Dialogue of Ideas between the Thought of Pope John Paul II and the Risale-i-Nur

# War and Peace in the Thought of Said Nursi

# A Christian explains his faith to Muslims

# Inner peace

# Toward a Dialogue of Liberation with Muslims

# The D'Arcy Lectures. Paul of Antioch and Ibn Taymiyya:

the Modern Relevance of a Medieval Debate. Features of the Muslim-Christian POlemical Tradition

# New Forms of Colonization in the World Today

# Islamic Revival in Asia and Its Implications for Christian-Muslim Dialogue

# The Roots of Muslim Anger and Its Challenge for Christians

# Christian Communities' Response to Globalization

Additional resources and work by Fr Michel can be found at:

http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/dialogue/documents/documents_secretariat.html

Other Web Resources for the work of Fr Michel and interreligious dialogue:

http://www.islamicstudiesassociation.org/links.htm

http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/dialogue/documents/documents.html

www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=20635

http://www.usccb.org/seia/98newsislamic.shtml

http://www.monasticdialog.com/a.php?id=37

Some articles and other materials compiled from web resources are available for download at:

http://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileSharing.woa/66/wo/p4poZehx6q6EJliC.1/0.2.1.2.26.31.97.1.35.0.1.1.1?user=mistertea&fpath=Fr%20Tom%20Michel%20&%20Interreligious%20Dialogue&templatefn=FileSharing.html

Handout outline for Monday Feb. 26 “Soup with Substance”:

Soup with Substance

Monday, February 26, 12 noon - 1.00 pm

Location: AMU 227

Fr. Thomas Michel, S.J.

"Working with Muslims for Peace and Justice"

sponsored by Manresa Project, Campus Ministry and the Wade Chair Fund.

1. Peace course with AMAN.

2. MUCARD, Islamic-Christian Association for Urban Poor

3. Muslim-Christian Women’s projects

Rehabilitation of prostitutes, Jakarta

Shelters: Copenhagen, Bangkok

4. HIV/AIDS ministry

Malaysia, Myanmar, AMAN (Nasir newsletter)

Uganda, South Africa

5. Civil society study groups: Lebanon, Cairo, Singapore

6. “Frontrunners for Peace”: Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, U.S.A. (Houston)

7. Abrahamic fora: Sweden, France, Bosnia, Netherlands, Los Angeles, Germany, Turkey, Indonesia

8. Advocacy

Asian Religions for Human Rights

Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples

Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

http://www.ahrchk.net/index.php

Religious Groups for Human Rights (RGHR)

http://www.rghr.net/

(“This weekly e-newsletter is issued by the Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights initiated by the Asian Human Rights Commission.” )