Religion, Youth, and Popular Culture: Life of Pi

by Anthony DiFlorio

Contrary to widespread modern-day belief, human beings are still vastly intrigued by the great unanswered questions: “What is the meaning of existence?”, “Is there life after death?”, “What is the origin of being and consciousness?”, among others.  These fundamental questions are often obscured by entertainment and mass media consumption, which generally cater to superficial emotions and rarely address the philosophical, religious or spiritual aspects of our reality. Yet, every now and again, there is released a film, a book, a song or an album which resonates profoundly through the hearts and minds of an impressionable, young audience; a work of art that poses profound questions and captures the human senses, rendering them more alive than ever. Continue reading

Religion and Art: Liz’s Journey

by Elizabeth Dunbar

Religion and art have played significant roles in my life from a young age. I was born into a newly converted, non-denominational Christian household, my father and mother having converted from Catholicism and Judaism, respectively. My first memories of religion are evangelical in nature, but this quickly changed when my family became Catholic (for most of them, this was merely a re-entrance into the Church). I was five when my little sister and I were baptized, and my family has remained Catholic since then. But through all of this, my mom clearly held onto her Jewish identity. Continue reading

Building Bridges: 60 Years of Jewish-Christian Dialogue at Seton Hall – Inaugural Event

The inaugural event of the year-long celebration “Building Bridges – 60 Years of Jewish-Christian Dialogue at Seton Hall” will take place on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, in Jubilee Hall Auditorium. Dr. Peter Schäfer, Perelman Professor of Jewish Studies at Princeton University, will lecture on “Two Powers in Heaven? The Emergence of Binitarian Ideas in Pre-Christian Judaism.”

From the invitation: “In 1953, Monsignor John M. Oesterreicher established the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall. His labors and those of his associates throughout subsequent decades have had a profound impact on the Church’s relationship with the Jewish community at the local, national and international levels. Throughout this year the University will hold a series of events to celebrate, advance and expand this legacy of interfaith dialogue.”

JC Inaugural Event_Page_2