Scholars of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism visited UNC Wilmington to share their enthusiasm for religious studies with students, faculty, and community members April 11 through 13. The Frank Hall-Megivern Interfaith Conference was arranged by UNCW’s Philosophy and Religion department.

The main event of the conference, “Abraham: One Man, Two Sons, Three Religions,” was a forum that took place in the Warwick Center Friday, April 12.  Six panelists discussed some of the differences and similarities between the three monotheistic faiths, while referencing Abraham, a prophet of the Old Testament and Hebrew Bible.

Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky opened the discussion with the story of Abraham’s sons, Isaac and Ishmael.  According to Genesis, the Hebrew people, ancestors of the Jewish and Christian faiths, are the descendants of Isaac, while Muslims identify Ishmael as their ancestor. 

“Abraham is a shared ancestor of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam,” Sidlofsky said.

The forum encompassed various topics about the three faiths, including religious violence and interpretations of sacred texts.  However, the topic that sparked the most controversy was America.

“America has become a safe haven for people of all religions,” said Imam Shareef, who represented the Islamic faith.  “We are one of the only countries with ‘In God We Trust’ on our money.”

Johanna van Wijk-Bos, a professor of Bible, disagreed.  “If we are a safe haven, why are we building a fence in Arizona to keep people out?  We are not a safe haven,” she said. “We turned away Jewish refugees during the Second World War, just as other nations did.”

The forum’s conclusion involved questions from audience members.  One person asked whether Christians and Muslims have the same God.

“We all look at God with different lenses, said Mark Siljander, a former congressman and Deputy U.N. Ambassador.  “Do you all have different Gods?  Of course not!  We all have different perspectives.”  

When the conversation shifted to the meaning of peace, Sidlofsky said it is more than just an absence of war and blamed extremists for using their religion as justification for their actions. Sidlofsky finds open-minded people of different religious groups more relatable than radical members of his own Jewish faith.

According to Sophia Fuller, a UNCW senior and president of the school’s PAR society, students can benefit from attending religious presentations.

“I think it helps students realize what philosophy and religion studies actually are. A lot of people think philosophers just toss around ideas,” Fuller said.  “One of the goals of philosophy is to be critical of everything.”