Episode 96.
Have you lived in more than one country? Do you participate in interreligious dialogue or are you interested in it? Have you studied religion or theology? Not very many people can say yes to all of these questions. But my guest, Judith Pajo can. Born in Germany, she has nevertheless lived many years both there and in the U.S., shuttling back and forth since childhood. Raised Catholic, she has also studied theology and cultural anthropology in both countries. Judith now conducts interreligious research at Pace University in New York. With these elements as our focus, Judith and I explored her peripatetic upbringing, her current scholarship on interreligious and intra-religious dialogue, and the impact of that exploration on her Catholic faith.
While this conversation was recorded weeks ago, the recent death of Pope Francis makes it particularly timely.
Highlights:
- Diverse experiences of Catholicism.
- The impact of mobility on religious experience.
- Sound and light over words and other distractions.
- Language diversity in Catholic practice.
- Impact of October 7th attack on interfaith dialogue.
- Researcher risks and faith struggles.
- How interfaith dialogue reshapes religions.
- Research outcomes and future directions.
Bio:
Judith Pajo, PhD, grew up in both Germany and the United States. She studied Catholic theology and cultural anthropology on both sides of the Atlantic and has been teaching at Pace University in New York City for over fifteen years, with shorter stints at NYU and Fordham. Her new research on interfaith dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Europe and North America, conceived a little over a year ago, is transforming her Catholic faith as she integrates more elements from the other Abrahamic religions into her practice. She is also guiding undergraduate students in conducting interviews with individuals from diverse faith traditions. The research group itself is an interfaith initiative; no two members share the same faith, but they are discovering that they have much in common. She is currently working on an article about cultural transgressions in interfaith work. What does forgiveness look like in practice? How do we continue interfaith dialogue? Judith lives in Queens, NY.
References:
Suggested episode on Living Our Beliefs:
- Mookie Manalili episode – Catholic life
Social Media and other links for Judith:
- Profile at Pace University
- LinkedIn – Judith Pajo
Social Media and other links for Méli:
- Website – the Talking with God Project
- Meli’s email
- LinkedIn – Meli Solomon
- Facebook – Meli Solomon
Follow the podcast!
The Living Our Beliefs podcast is part of the Talking with God Project.
Popular Podcasts
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Betrayal: Season 4
Karoline Borega married a man of honor – a respected Colorado Springs Police officer. She knew there would be sacrifices to accommodate her husband’s career. But she had no idea that he was using his badge to fool everyone. This season, we expose a man who swore two sacred oaths—one to his badge, one to his bride—and broke them both. We follow Karoline as she questions everything she thought she knew about her partner of over 20 years. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-3 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.