The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue will be having an in-person dialogue on Thursday March 19th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm, at Community of Christ Church, located, 4701 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111. Our speaker will be Sam Salas, Jr. We look forward to an engaging dialogue about “I’m a member of the Native American […]
The 31st Annual Spring Colloquium
The New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue invites you to attend our 2026 Spring Colloquium: “Faith and Hope: Finding Common Ground in Challenging Times.”
Sunday, April 12, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Doors open at 12:45 Light snacks provided
Location: Raindrop Foundation, 7901 Mountain Rd NE, Albuquerque NM 87110
Stephen Holt Christiansen, DDS
Dr. Stephen Christiansen
Stephen Holt Christiansen, DDS, is an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon who has dedicated nearly three decades to serving the Albuquerque community.
Born in Provo, Utah, Dr. Christiansen earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University before attending Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. He completed a four-year Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at Yale New Haven Hospital and Saint Raphael’s Hospital.
A lifelong, active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dr. Christiansen served a two-year mission in Taipei, Taiwan, where he learned Mandarin Chinese. For the past 10½ years, he has served as a lay minister in the Church, and he currently serves as President of the Albuquerque North Stake, presiding over seven congregations.
Dr. Christiansen has been married to his wife, Jennifer Komadina Christiansen, for 36 years. Together they have raised four children—all fifth-generation New Mexicans—along with three beloved children-in-law and one granddaughter, with another grandchild expected soon. The family is rooted in New Mexico: a daughter and son-in-law also reside in Albuquerque, and Dr. Christiansen looks forward to welcoming his oldest son into the practice this summer.
For 29 years, Dr. Christiansen has maintained a private oral surgery practice on Albuquerque’s Westside. A proud resident of Corrales, he counts the people, the food, and the weather among his favorite things about New Mexico. In his leisure time, he enjoys an active lifestyle that includes scuba diving, surfing, skiing, and boating.
Guided by his favorite scripture, Proverbs 3:5–6—”Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”—Dr. Christiansen continues to serve his patients, family, faith, and community with dedication and warmth.
Sheikh Dr. Mahmoud Eldenawi
Dr. Mahmoud Eldenawi
Imam Eldenawi was born in Egypt and obtained his doctoral degree from the prestigious Durham University in the United Kingdom. With a passion for Islamic studies, he returned to Egypt to serve as an assistant professor at Al-Azhar University. He also served as an Imam at the Islamic Center of Little Rock, Arkansas, guiding and inspiring his community. Since 2021, he has served as Imam of the Islamic Center of NM, the largest mosque in the state. His work is guided by a deep sense of compassion, wisdom, and commitment to fostering harmony.
Rev. Ty Dillard
Ty Dillard was born in New York City, but raised on a farm in Virginia where his first religious devotion was to the Episcopal Church. In college, he became highly interested in the study of religion with an emphasis on the Eastern faiths. He studied Buddhism and Taoism, and found in those faiths the thinking and aspirations that most resonated with him. Ty majored in Religious Studies
Ty Dillard
at Columbia University, but was disappointed that his professors didn’t seem to actually believe any of the material they were teaching to be true for them, personally.
In 1968 Ty was introduced to Scientology and began doing some of the practices of this religion. Scientology’s applied religious philosophy and work satisfied what Ty was looking for, and he joined the staff of the Church of Scientology of New York. He dedicated the next five years to intensive study of the subject, much of it at the American Saint Hill Organization in Los Angeles.
Ty became an ordained minister of Scientology in 1974. His work has taken him to various places−Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, back to Southern California, and, for the last ten years, Santa Fe. His current practice is as a personal counselor to a group of more than 100 people, guiding them in their study and applications of the Church’s teachings.
Moderator Dr Gordon Brontisky
Dr. Gordon Brontisky
My family has been a member of Congregation Albert since 1955. I trained to be an archeologist and got my doctorate in anthropology from the University of Arizona in 1977. Since 1992, I have been the founder and president of Bronitsky and Associates, a firm which works with Indigenous peoples around the world in the performing arts.
You can also download a high-resolution PNG of a full-page flyer to print and post at your house of worship: CLICK HERE.
You can register and find details about the Colloquium at this QR code
Registration fee: $30.00/students $15.00 Walk-ins welcome (cash only)
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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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