Approximately 150 people attended the New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue’s 24th annual Spring Colloquium. Our esteemed speakers from the three Abrahamic faiths tackled the topic, The Nature of Evil: What is Our Response?

Rabbi Deborah Brin, Rev. Dr. Frank Yates, and Dr. Reda Bedeir each addressed the topic with insights from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic texts. Each speaker’s talk was video recorded and will be available on YouTube soon.

The questions considered at the Colloquium were:

• How do we define evil: by results or intent?
• If evil brings suffering, death, destruction and broken relationships, why is it also attractive and tempting?
• Why is it that the Abrahamic Traditions – perhaps more so than other religious traditions – find the issue of evil and suffering to be so problematic for belief in a loving and just God?
• How can we find a way to speak with one voice about the evil and suffering attendant upon warfare and conflict, environmental degradation, and poverty in our world?

Here are some photos from the event. Attendees enjoyed wonderful food and fellowship over the course of the Colloquium.

Colloquium attendees enjoy a yummy breakfast before the speakers start.

Rabbi Deborah Brin speaking

Rev. Dr. Frank Yates speaking

Dr. Reda Bedeir speaking

Tags: Christian, colloquium, Islamic, Jewish