On July 4-6, 2022 in ESADE (Barcelona), we shall hold the Global Workshop, “Jesuit Student Formation and Religious Diversity”. Participants of the workshop shall reflect on our common Jesuit University Mission in the present global context, insofar as it is shaped by different human experiences: different religions, belief without religion, agnosticism, atheism, among others.
This Global Workshop is organized by the Project “Jesuit Higher Education and Religious Diversity” (JHE-RD), inscribed in the IAJU Task Force “Interreligious Dialogue and Understanding”.
JHE-RD started its activity in 2020, under the leadership of Dorian Llywelyn SJ (University of Southern California), and organized a Symposium in July 2020, with the online participation of 17 scholars from Jesuit Universities in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Participants adopted an interdisciplinary approach, in order to share insights and define a common vision for the Jesuit University Mission in a religiously diverse world. “Our universities and colleges have a Catholic commitment and yet carry out their mission for and with many students, faculty, and staff of different religious commitments or none. But how can we deepen and expand our role in this field?” (Dorian Llywelyn).
Between July 2020 and October 2021, a Steering Committee of JHE-RD met every month in order to share one’s national/university/college contexts and the pedagogical practices connected to religious diversity; namely:
· Catherine Cornille and Gustavo Morello SJ (Boston College, USA)
· Oscar Bulaong Jr. (Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines)
· Dorian Llywelyn (University of Southern California, USA)
· Vincent Sekhar SJ (Arul Anandar College, Madurai, India)
· Teo Mellén and Pep Mària SJ (ESADE, Barcelona)
Now the Steering Committee is organizing the Workshop of July 2022, with the active support of Fr. Michael Garanzini and Fr. Joseph Christie. Around 30 lay and Jesuit Professors and Administrators of Jesuit Universities from the 6 Jesuit Conferences (of Jesuit Provinces) (North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, Southern Asia and East Asia-Pacific) are expected to attend. Participants will share their educational practices where the issue of religious diversity and secularization are relevant. We are designing the program so that formal and informal dialogue may result in a permanent group to reflect on the JHE-RD challenges.
Attendance to the Workshop is by invitation. However, we shall share its outcomes in the IAJU Assembly at Boston College in August 2022.