The University of Notre Dame Australia’s Centre for the History of Philosophy is launching a new academic initiative focused on the study of Jewish philosophy.
The initiative includes a new public lecture series, the John and Anna Belfer Oration in the History of Jewish Philosophy, to be launched by New South Wales Governor Margaret Beazley on June 30.
The academic initiative will strengthen the centre’s specialisation in Philosophy in the Abrahamic Traditions (Jewish, Christian, and Islamic intellectual traditions) and will include research, teaching and public engagement activities.
“In our current climate of social tensions and fractured relationships between Abrahamic faiths, it’s really important and timely to promote a shared understanding of the Abrahamic intellectual traditions – not only for insight into the past, but also for finding ways to live together and think together today,” Centre Co-Director, Associate Professor Nathan Lyons, said.
The university has appointed distinguished scholar of medieval Jewish philosophy, Dr Raphael Dascalu, to lead the Jewish Philosophy initiative.
The initiative will focus on the Jewish philosophical tradition, which begins with Philo of Alexandria (born 25 BCE), runs through major medieval thinkers such as Maimonides (1138-1204), and continues into the present.
“Our Centre has a special interest in philosophy that is carried on in the Abrahamic religious traditions,” Centre Co-Director, Associate Professor David Bronstein, said.
“In the Middle Ages, there are amazing philosophical conversations that happen between the three traditions, often with Jews, Christians, and Muslims living and studying and translating texts alongside each other,” he said. “The Jewish philosophical tradition, which is part of that long Abrahamic intellectual story, is one of Judaism’s most important contributions to world culture and world history and we are excited to promote that tradition and explore its relevance for today.”
Notre Dame has also partnered with Sydney’s The Great Synagogue to establish a new annual public lecture series, The John and Anna Belfer Oration in the History of Jewish Philosophy.
The inaugural lecture will be held on June 30 and be delivered by Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton, chief minister and senior rabbi at The Great Synagogue.
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