On the 15ᵗʰ of June, the general assembly of the association Friends of IDEO took place. Much more than a mere administrative formality, it represented the moment where dedication and support for IDEO’s unique mission were reaffirmed. By sharing the achievements of the past year, we have compiled a rich and impressive assessment of the conducted research, held seminars, animated conferences, and fruitful encounters. This General Assembly, far from being a mere retrospective or a presentation of accounts, also provided an opportune stage for contemplating the future and the challenges that lie ahead, notably within the framework of the Anawati Chair project.
As we embark upon this summer season, I, on behalf of the members of Idéo, express our unwavering gratitude for the invaluable support and unwavering commitment of our friends. Their contribution, whether through generous donations, awareness-raising actions, or active presence at events, is truly beyond measure. May our words of gratitude resonate in the hearts of all, as a sincere testament of a scholarly community united by a shared mission, “understanding the other and living together without being afraid of difference” (Pope Francis).
Lectures
On June 21ˢᵗ, Dennis Halft, OP gave a talk entitled “Intra-Muslim tensions and resentments: a challenge for interfaith learning. Remarks from a Catholic perspective”. The lecture took place at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Munich, organized in collaboration with the Friends of Abraham association.
Library
On June 23ʳᵈ, Ms. Laurence Engel, the president of the BnF visited and met the IDEO library team. During this visit we were able to discuss our current collaborations: Web Portal of Libraries of the Orient, development of the Diamond application and the personal library of Maxime Rodinson.
Friends of IDEO
On June 15ᵗʰ, the general assembly of the association the Friends of IDEO was held at the Saint Jacques convent and Emmanuel Pisani, OP was attending.
Nomination
On June 28ᵗʰ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP was appointed Director of the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (IDEO) for a second three-year term.
Juries
On June 2ⁿᵈ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP participated in the jury for Mr. Younes Boutaribach’s master’s degree, entitled “The naṣârâ, the Qurʾān and the question of God-Three”, under the supervision of Mr. Michel Younès, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Faculty of Religious Sciences, Institute of Islamic-Christian Studies.
On June 12ᵗʰ, Adrien Candiard, OP and Emmanuel Pisani, OP participated in the jury for the IFI/IDEO/IFAO pre-doctoral scholarship awarded to Mr. Francesco Antonini.
On June 22ⁿᵈ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP participated in the jury of the Higher University Diploma of Mr. Fayez Alexis Okdeh on the topic of “The inclusivist pluralist theology of Jacques Dupuis. Sources, confluences and magisterial foundations”, Catholic Institute of Paris.
Visits
From May 31ˢᵗ to July 30ᵗʰ, we are hosting Aquinas Beale, OP, PhD student in World Religions at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, USA.
On June 13ᵗʰ, we welcomed Jean Toussaint, a priest of the French mission in Tlemcen.
Scholars’ House
During the month of June, we had the pleasure to receive Mr. Walid Saleh, a member of IDEO and specialist in the Qurʾān and the history of its interpretation (tafsīr); Mr. François Jolys, student at Paris Institute of Political Studies and on a study visit to deepen his knowledge of literary Arabic; Mr. Matthew Crippen, researcher at the Pusan National University, Korea, and at the “Mind and Brain” school at the Humboldt University of Berlin and student of theology at the University of Toronto; and Ms. Maria Luisa Cipolla, PhD student in archeology at La Sapienza University, Roma.
Upcoming activities
From July 17ᵗʰ to August 11ᵗʰ, IDEO is organizing an introductory course in Arabic language and Islamic studies for Dominican brothers in philosophical or theological formation.