Tag: paul morris

Public Seminar: Why do bad things happen to good people?

Dave Moskovitz

All welcome.

WhenTuesday 7 May 2024, 7:00 pm
WhereNOTE NEW LOCATION
St Joseph’s Church
152 Brougham Street
Wellington
Speakers
Paul Morris (Jewish)
Paul is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at Victoria University / Te Herenga Waka. He is the author of the National Statement on Religious Diversity. He is a member of the Wellington Jewish Community Centre.
Neil Vaney (Christian)
Neil is a Catholic priest of the Marist order, ordained in 1969. He has been a university chaplain, lecturer, writer and spiritual director. His doctorate was in environmental ethics and the theology of nature.
Tahir Nawaz (Muslim)
Tahir is a senior analyst of Muslim affairs. He has been involved in community service as the President of the International Muslim Associations of New Zealand (IMAN), and he is the Chairperson of Deen Welfare Trust, which provides social services to migrant communities.
ChairJenny Dawson
Jenny is an Anglican priest who has served in various pastoral roles in the Waipu and Wellington dioceses. Her doctoral thesis was about the future of the church as community in this country. She is an Ignatian spiritual director.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

This question, and the answers given in our religious traditions, have framed what is often referred to the problem of evil, or theodicy, and of the meaning of justice. These religious and spiritual responses have generated profound reflections concerning the uncertainties of religious experience and human existence.

In modern times, for some, the answer to this question has been the gateway out of religious belief, for others it has served to reinforce belief and religious commitment. It remains one of the significant questions facing us as human beings.

Tickets are mandatory to attend. Get your (free or koha) ticket at:
https://events.humanitix.com/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people

You can download a poster for this event – we’d appreciate you posting it in your church, mosque, or synagogue.

Image credit: Imjustwalkin on Flickr CC BY-NC-SA

Public Seminar: Pilgrimages in our Abrahamic religions

Dave Moskovitz

The Wellington Abrahamic Council is pleased to invite you to a discussion on pilgrimages in our three Abrahamic religions.

WhenWednesday 30 August 2023, 7pm – 9pm
WhereGarden Room, St Peter’s Church
211 Willis St, Wellington
SpeakersProfessor Paul Morris (Jewish)
Joe Green (Christian)
Rehanna Ali (Muslim)

All welcome. Entry by koha.

Pilgrimages are spiritual and religious journeys to sacred places, that serve to renew faith and commitment. For Muslims, one of the five pillars of faith is the Haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, and Jerusalem and the Holy Land is a place of pilgrimage for all three Abrahamic faiths.

Come along to this seminar to hear speakers from each of our traditions sharing from their personal experience and exploring the significance of pilgrimage in their respective traditions.

We’re interested in your personal perspectives of your journeys and experiences and pilgrims too. There will be an opportunity for everyone to share their views.

If you’d like to help us publicise this event you can download our attractive poster and put it up in your synagogue, church, or mosque.

Climate Emergency Workshop

Dave Moskovitz

Jews, Christians, and Muslims working together for sustainability

When: Sunday, 20 June 2021, 1:30-5:30pm
Where: Victoria University, Rutherford House, Room RHMZ03 (next to the Railway Station)
Admission: Koha, but tickets are essential as space is limited

KeynoteHon James Shaw, Minister of Climate Change
FacilitatorsDr Jonathan Boston, Dave Moskovitz
Jewish SpeakersSarah Livschitz, Dr Paul Blaschke
Christian SpeakersDr Geoff Troughton, Amy Ross
Muslim SpeakersWaseema Ahmed, TBC
SummationProf Paul Morris, Estelle Henrys

At this workshop, we’ll listen to some inspirational speakers about our religious traditions and their approach to sustainability, both in the historical and current context. We’ll then break into groups within our own religious groups to discuss how we can integrate these learnings into our own lives, and identify themes of action. We’ll then meet in mixed groups aligned with specific actions to discuss how we can work together to achieve our goals. We’ll conclude with an action plan we can all commit to.

If you’re concerned about the future of our planet, do come along and contribute to our interfaith efforts to work together for a sustainable future.

Tickets are strictly limited by the size of our venue, do get a ticket if you’d like to come. You can help publicise this event by downloading the poster and posting it at your synagogue, church, or masjid.


Tickets at: https://q5.nz/abrahamic-climate

Public Discourse – the Abrahamic approach

Dave Moskovitz

Update: You can download or listen to audio from the event:

Public Meeting
Wednesday 11 November 2020, 7pm
At Parliament House
(We recommend you arrive at least 15 minutes early to go through security)

Does it matter if public figures are rude and untruthful in interviews?

ModeratorHon Golriz Ghahrahman
JewishProf Paul Morris
ChristianCharles Waldegrave
MuslimDavid Blocksidge
Māori SpiritualTe Awa Puketapu

Admission is free, but due to parliamentary requirements, a ticket is essential. You must get your ticket before midday on Monday 9 November.

Get your ticket at:
https://abrahamic-public-discourse.lilregie.com

These days, politicians globally are becoming more and more offensive about their opponents. Some even tell lies. And it’s not confined to politicians – all of us could improve our interactions with others.

Uncivil behaviour matters because it undermines democracy, incites people to violence, deepens divisions in society, and has other harmful effects.

You can help to resist this by coming along to hear insights from the three Abrahamic faiths – Christianity, Judaism and Islam – and perspectives from Tangata Whenua about how we conduct public discussions.

It promises to be a lively evening full of insights and good manners. Just what you’d expect of a civilised city like Wellington.

You can download our attractive flyer if you’d like to help promote the event.

For more information, contact Dave Moskovitz, mob 027 220 2202.


Religious attitudes to racism

Dave Moskovitz

Public Meeting Online
Tuesday 30 June 2020, 7:30pm on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87012063664

Video from the event:

We need to talk.

In the wake of Black Lives Matter, we need to talk about racism. Each of the three Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – has a chequered history of how we treat “the other”, and all three religions have also been on the receiving end of hatred.

But what do our prophets, our history, our traditions, and our lived experience in the contemporary world tell us about racism in the twenty-first century?

Come join our Zoom meeting, where we’ll discuss how our three Abrahamic religions approach racism.

ChairProf Paul Morris, Victoria University
ModeratorMeng Foon, Race Relations Commissioner
JewishJuliet Moses, NZ Jewish Council
ChristianCharles Waldegrave, Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit
MuslimAnjum Rahman, Inclusive Aotearoa Collective

There will be time for questions and answers immediately following the panel discussion.

We hope to see you there.

For further information, contact the meeting host, Dave Moskovitz, dave@abrahamic.nz or phone 027 220 2202.

Homeless in our community: what can we do together?

Dave Moskovitz

Public Meeting Announcement

Homeless in our community: what can we do together?

Update: Listen to the audio from the event – see below

Wellington Islamic Centre
9 Queens Drive, Kilbirnie
Wednesday 20 February, 7pm

All Welcome. Food and beverage will be provided.

Speakers:

Jewish Prof Paul Morris
Christian Rev Brian Dawson
Muslim
Dr Faried Fachruddin

Audio from the event:

Paul Morris

 

Brian Dawson

 

Faried Fachruddin

 

The Abrahamic traditions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – have insights about homelessness and of ways of mobilising support and energies to address this growing concern.

The aim of this forum is twofold. First, to explore the insights and understandings of the significance of a having and not having a home in our religious traditions, focussing on our responsibilities for the homeless in our community. Secondly, to raise awareness about homelessness – why? who? and what can we do together to alleviate the plight of the homeless in our community?

You can help us publicise this event by sharing with your friends, or downloading, printing out, and putting up our attractive poster.

For more information, contact us.

Photo: RNZ

Should there be religious limits to freedom of expression?

Dave Moskovitz

Prof Paul Morris at Victoria University’s Religious Studies Department and the Robert Mackay from the World Parliament of Religions have organised the following seminar…

What: Should there be religious limits to absolute media freedom of expression?
When: Monday, 10 August 2015 6.15-8.15pm
Where: Victoria University Council Chambers, Level 2, Hunter Building, Kelburn campus

Paul Morris will provide a plenary, with a panel afterwards comprising Dave Moskovitz, Tayyaba Khan, Jenny Chalmers, Joris de Bres, Tom Scott, Selva Ramasami, and John Shaver, moderated by Ced Simpson.  David Zwartz will sum up.

You can download a flyer with more information.

Note that this is not an official function of the Wellington Abrahamic Council, but the topic will be of interest to our community.

National CCJ Conference: 3-4 July 2010

National Council of Christians and Jews Conference
Saturday July 3 and Sunday July 4, 2010
Wesley Hall, St Johns College, 202 St Johns Road, Meadowbank, Auckland

Theme: Christian-Jewish Dialogue: Encouraging Development, Emerging Challenges

Keynote speaker: Rev Dr John Pawlikowski OSM, Professor of Ethics and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies Programme at the University of Chicago, Past President of the ICCJ and for over forty years a leading figure in Jewish-Christian relations worldwide. With Dr Paul Morris, Professor of Religious Studies, Victoria University of Wellington.

Featuring also Mona Williams, New Zealand’s foremost professional story-teller, speaking after dinner on Saturday and after lunch on Sunday.

Programme

Saturday July 3
5pm Reception (mix, mingle, introduce yourself, meet others)
6pm Dinner in St Johns Dining Hall, followed by Mona Williams
Sunday July 4
10am Keynote speech: Rev Dr John Pawlikowski OSM
11am Morning tea
11.30-12.30pm Response: Professor Paul Morris
12.30pm Lunch, followed by Mona Williams
1.30-2.30pm Panel discussion
2.45-3.00pm Coffee break
3.00-3.45pm Final word: Rev Dr John Pawlikowski OSM

If you would like to come to the conference, please download, fill in, and return the registration form (Word) (PDF) with your registration payment of $20.