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The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue is dedicated to facilitating respectful understanding of faith traditions through dialogue. We currently focus our conversations on the three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

We hold monthly Dialogue meetings at houses of worship throughout Albuquerque, usually on the third Thursday afternoon/evening of each month. Check our blog or calendar for details about upcoming NM Interfaith Dialogue meetings and other interfaith events of interest.

We also hold an annual Spring Colloquium to explore specific issues in-depth, comparing the similarities and differences among Jews, Christians and Muslims. We also welcome other faith traditions into the dialogue to further create interfaith understanding.

Guidelines for Inter-religious Dialogue

1. The primary purpose of dialogue is to change and grow in perception and understanding of the other's belief or religious experience.

2. The dialogue is a two-sided project, both within each religious community and between religious communities.

3. Each participant comes to the dialogue with complete honesty and sincerity.

4. Each participant assumes the same honesty and sincerity of the other partners.

5. Each participant defines his or her religious perspective and is prepared to recognize himself or herself in the interpretation.

6. Each participant comes to the dialogue free of assumptions about points of disagreement.

7. Dialogue can only take place between equals.

8. Dialogue can only be fruitful in an atmosphere of mutual trust.

9. Persons entering into inter-religious dialogue are at least minimally self-critical of both themselves and their own religious traditions.

10.Each participant eventually attempts to experience the partner's religion from within, for religion is not merely something of the head, but also of the spirit, heart, and the whole being, individual and communal.

Upcoming Monthly Dialogue Meetings

21
Nov

November Monthly meeting 2024

The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue will be having an in-person dialogue on Thursday November 21st, 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Congregation Albert, located at 3800 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. Our speaker will be Linda Spitz Sandstrom.  We look forward to an engaging dialogue about the Jewish organization Hadassah.

Annual Spring Colloquium

The 29th Annual Spring Colloquium

The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue invites you to attend our 2024 Spring Colloquium: Religion in the Modern World
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.       Doors open at 12:45         Light snacks provided

Location: Congregation Albert, 3800 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110

We look forward to our speakers helping us to share Religion in the Modern World as we consider questions such as:

  1. Why is religion still relevant in the lives of modern people when there are more logical and provable explanations for the mysteries of the universe?
  2. In a civilized and religious society, how are social, psychological, and emotional benefits indispensable to people?
  3. Will people abandon religion in modern society for a suitable substitute for social, psychological, and emotional benefits of religion?
  4. Do religious communities have a responsibility to evolve with the modern world? If so, how?

 

Speakers:

Rabbi Paul Citrin

Speaker Rabbi Citrin

Paul J. Citrin was ordained by the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 1973. He graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1968. The focus of his rabbinate has always been in congregational life. His passions are education, Israel, and social justice. He is the author of several books, the co-editor of Gates of Repentance for Young People, published by CCAR Press in 2002, and the editor of Lights in the Forest: Rabbis Respond to Twelve Essential Jewish Questions, published by CCAR Press in 2014.

Rabbi Citrin is married to Susan Morrison Citrin. They have four children and eight grandchildren.

 

Reverend Seth Finch

Speaker Seth Finch

Seth Finch has been a pastoral leader at Covenant Presbyterian Church since 2008. He grew up in small churches as a double PK (Pastor’s Kid), and has always seen the kind of relational ministry of the small church as what we should be striving for, even as a larger church, and that is the tone he tries to set at Covenant.

Seth received his Master’s of Divinity from McCormick Seminary and a Master’s of Interfaith Action from Claremont Lincoln University. His extensive travels have led him to value different traditions, cultures, religions, and practices and as a result works a great deal to create connections between Covenant and other religious and community organizations across the city. At the core of his call to ministry is a sense that we are better working together–whether that be within the local church, the community, the larger church, or even beyond religious boundaries.

Seth is married to Tiffany Lo-Finch, who is the Administrator for the Presbytery of Santa Fe, and their kids Grace and Rowan are part of the lively children’s ministry at Covenant.

 

Leslie Naji

Speaker Leslie Naji

Leslie Naji is a Historic Preservation Planner for the City of Albuquerque. She is actively working to build stronger, resilient communities through embracing and restoring existing buildings that make up communities.

Raised as a Presbyterian, Leslie, upon hearing the principals of Islam, felt it better suited her beliefs. Through a time of hardship, she began praying for guidance and solution and struck a deal with God, to never question His existence. This has provided unending comfort.

Leslie is the mother of 5 ranging in ages from 42-22. She also has two grandchildren and several grand cats.

 

 

Moderator Gail Rubin

Moderator Gail Rubin

Gail Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist – that’s a death educator – who “knocked ‘em dead” with her Albuquerque TED talk “A Good Goodbye” in September 2015. She’s an author, speaker, and advocate for planning ahead for end-of-life issues. She is a past officer and board member of the New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue, helping start conversations across religions. She is also a member of the Albuquerque Chevrah Kaddisha and the cemetery committee for Congregation Albert synagogue.

 

You can also download a high-resolution PDF of a full-page flyer to print and post at your house of worship: CLICK HERE.

 

 

Registration fee: $30.00/students $15.00        Walk-ins welcome (cash only)

 

 

Join the NM Interfaith Dialogue’s email list to be kept apprised of Colloquium news and monthly Dialogue meetings!

 

Register for the Colloquium at the bottom of our Spring Colloquium page.

Dialogue History

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The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue began in 1982 as an interpersonal dialogue between Albuquerque-area priest, Father Ernest Falardo, and Rabbi Paul Citrin of Congregation Albert, in response to the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate.

The conversation soon expanded to include educators within both faith traditions. During the early years, from 1984 to 1993, the Dialogue held educational programs and joint prayer services.

During those years as the Jewish-Catholic Dialogue, the purposes were: “to promote understanding and goodwill among the peoples of the Jewish and Catholic religions; to conduct religious, social and educational programs designed to increase community awareness and sensitivity toward issues relating to Christians and Jews; to engage in various forms of ecumenical dialogue and interaction; and to engage in such other similar activities permissible under law to nonprofit corporations of this nature and character.”

The first Jewish-Catholic Dialogue Colloquium was held in 1994. A colloquium is an hours-long gathering with knowledgeable speakers providing thought-provoking presentations on religious topics, followed by discussion among audience participants.

By 2012, the Dialogue and Colloquium included enough Christian non-Catholic participants that changing to a more inclusive name was determined to be appropriate. The organization changed its name to the Jewish-Christian Dialogue.

During Colloquia held 2006 to 2009, the presentations included all three Abrahamic faith perspectives: Jews, Christians and Muslims. In post-event evaluations, many attendees requested continuing and increased Muslim engagement. In 2015, the organization’s name was changed once again to the New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue, expanding the conversation to become more inclusive.

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