A City in Conflict: Religious Tensions in Jerusalem

The Ecumenical Institute at Assumption will present a lecture on religious tensions in Jerusalem featuring nationally renowned author and journalist James Carroll, that will provide a deep analysis of the city of Jerusalem and the conflicts that have arisen in response to the tensions between Christianity, Muslims, and the Jewish people over the centuries. The lecture will take place at 4 p.m. on February 7 in the Jeanne Y. Curtis Performance Hall of the Tsotsis Family Academic Center on Assumption’s Worcester Campus, 500 Salisbury St.

During his lecture, which is titled “Jerusalem Re-imagined: The Holy City in War & Peace,” Carroll will focus on how Jerusalem has been a conversation piece from ancient times until the modern day, specifically on the topic of violence between religions. But Jerusalem, the city in which sacred violence is a divine transgression, also contains and reveres a persistent hope for peace.

“This lecture is incredibly important for members of the community to attend because in today’s world, peace and conflict are central themes in every aspect of life and Carroll makes the compelling argument that interreligious dialogue is essential in attaining peace. In fact, the ecumenical movement is the peace movement,” said Assumption Philosophy Professor Christian Gobel. “It will give individuals a different view of Jerusalem and Israel itself, diverting from the current media and political view of the country.”

Carroll is an author, historian, and journalist with 12 published novels and eight works of non-fiction, many of which focus on his experiences in seminary and priesthood as well as religion and history. He is also the winner of a number of book awards, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction, and the National Jewish Book Award for American Jewish History.

This lecture serves as the Third Annual Grall-Neafsey Lecture—a series that promotes conversation about peace and conflict in the modern world—and the 2019 Rabbi Joseph Klein Lecture, which focuses on fostering interreligious dialogue, particularly Jewish and Christian.

This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, email cgobel@assumption.edu.