�鶹��

The Tuohy Endowment has been facilitating interfaith conversations and Interreligious understanding at �鶹�� with the Tuohy Chair in Interreligious Studies since 1966 and the Tuohy Center for Interreligious Understanding since August 2023.

View our past events at the Tuohy Center Archive.

The Tuohy Center for Interreligious Understanding at �鶹�� was established in June 2023 with the funding provided by the Walter and Mary Tuohy Chair in Interreligious Studies at the Department of Theology & Religious Studies.��

The Walter and Mary Tuohy Chair of Interreligious Studies was founded by Mr. Walter Tuohy, former vice chairman and chief executive of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. He was a dedicated Catholic layman, and active member of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and a zealous promoter of religious understanding. When established in 1966, it was the first endowed chair at �鶹�� and the first chair of ecumenism at the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. For over fifty years, the chair has operated under the auspices of the Department of Theology & Religious Studies, whose philosophy in overseeing the chair has been to offer both students and the greater Cleveland community thoughtful discussions of religious life and practice that would be of ecumenical interest. This goal has been pursued through a variety of initiatives, including bringing to campus a distinguished scholar of religion to offer a series of public lectures and to teach a seminar on his or her area of expertise; sponsoring academic conferences on interreligious themes; supporting the interreligious research of John Carroll faculty; developing undergraduate and graduate courses on interreligious topics; and funding visiting positions that, over time, led to the establishment of two additional endowed chairs: the Bediüzzaman Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies (2003)��and the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Chair in Jewish Studies (2022).��

The Tuohy Center continues this legacy by drawing the interreligious efforts of the Department of Theology & Religious Studies together under a single umbrella, and providing a point of collaboration with partners across campus who seek to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive sense of belonging at �鶹��.

Vision: The Tuohy Center for Interreligious Understanding at �鶹�� embraces the Second Vatican Council's call to "acknowledge, preserve, and encourage the spiritual and moral truths" (Nostra Aetate, 2) found in all religious traditions by bringing a diversity of religious voices into mutually illuminating conversation.

Mission: By supporting academic programs and initiatives in Interreligious understanding at �鶹�� and beyond, the Tuohy Center seeks to promote appreciation for and understanding of the diverse religious traditions that shape our world.

Core Values:

- Academic Excellence: Understanding overcomes prejudice, builds relationships, and contributes to greater good (magis) that is the hallmark of Jesuit education. We believe that understanding religious diversity demands the highest level of scholarly inquiry that attends to both commonalities and distinctive particularities among religious traditions.��

- The Whole Person: Religious commitment engages not only the mind, but also body and spirit through various forms of ritual, service, prayer, meditation, and other practices. We welcome opportunities to collaborate with partners across campus who serve the diverse religious lives of our students, faculty, and staff.

- For and With Others: We value opportunities to engage the diverse religious communities both in our region and beyond. We cultivate the kind of encounters that help all participants grow more "respectful of their own culture and that of others; aware of interdependence of all humanity; and sensitive to the need for social justice in response to current social pressures and problems" (JCU Mission Statement).��

Our Executive Committee is formed by the Director of the Tuohy Center, the Program Manager, and the Breen Chair in Catholic Studies, ��the Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies, and the Mandel Chair in Jewish Studies, as well as the Chair of the Theology and Religious Studies Department.

Edward Hahnenberg,Ph.D., Semiha Topal, Ph.D., Zeki Saritoprak, Ph.D., Noah Bickart, Ph.D.

��

The Tuohy Center publishes semesterly bulletins and annual reviews at the end of each academic year.

The Tuohy Center for Interreligious Understanding is pleased to support campus student organizations in hosting events that foster dialogue, community, and inclusivity. We welcome sponsorship requests for programs such as:

• Celebrations of religious holidays beyond the Catholic tradition

• Interfaith panels, seminars, and conferences open to all faiths

• Community-building events for religious and spiritual communities across traditions

Through this initiative, the Tuohy Center seeks to cultivate interreligious understanding and promote a culture of pluralism on campus.

Click to access the