The Oxford (UP) Centre for Religion, Public Life, and Security in Africa was honoured to host Rabbi Gavin Michal to our Faculty on Tuesday, 3 October to open up discussions on inter-religious dialogue between Christians and Jewish communities. Rabbi Michal himself is a PhD student at the Faculty of Theology and Religion under Prof Dirk Human in the Department of Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures. He studied extensively in the US and Canada and has been serving his community and Synagogue for many years in Johannesburg.

Rabbi Michal outlined historical and current debates on inter-religious dialogue and suggested his own approach to creating an inclusive and welcoming society through relationships and focussing on commonalities rather than differences. Lively discussions ensued on the ecumenical components of inter-religious dialogue, the value of inviting people that are different from us into our spaces, and how academics can be a bridge that can gap religious and cultural divides.

We at the Oxford Centre are dedicated to developing more spaces where inter-religious dialogue can contribute to social cohesion fostering new relationships and is thankful for Rabbi Michal’s input and contributions. Please follow the faculty’s social media pages or contact the Centre’s project manager: Charel du Toit ([email protected]) should you want more information or would like to attend one of our future events.