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| The King Speaks of Peace | |
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“It has never been more important that we understand — and live by — the common word of our faiths,” said King Abdullah. “It is a bond that can unite us in mutual respect and shield us against religious incitement.” King Abdullah was invited to campus at the initiative of the law school’s Interdisciplinary Program in Law and Religion, which was established to provide a forum for the study and public discussion of issues at the nexus of law and religion. The CUA program has been at the forefront of “Abrahamic dialogue,” which seeks to promote communication among the children of Abraham — Christians, Jews and Muslims. For years, the program has sponsored meetings and lectures that further interfaith understanding. The king’s speech was an interreligious event, drawing members of many faith communities as well as Jordanian and U.S. government officials. CUA alumnus and Board of Trustees Vice Chairman David Donohoe, who was seated between an Episcopalian priest and a Jewish rabbi, said he heard only praise for the king’s remarks. “He wasn’t wearing rose-colored glasses — he admitted that there are problems — but he also pointed to core beliefs in Christianity and Islam that are so identical,” said Donohoe about the speech. The address at the law school bore the hallmarks of a high-profile Washington event — tight security, teleprompters positioned on either side of the podium, a gaggle of journalists and cameramen and a highly attentive audience. Though the king’s remarks were brief — under 15 minutes — attendees had an opportunity to mingle with him at a reception following the speech. The 43-year-old King Abdullah II, who became monarch in 1999 upon the death of his father, King Hussein, is a direct descendant of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Abdullah has made religious The ultimate goal “is to take back our religion from the vocal, violent and ignorant extremists who have tried to hijack Islam over the last hundred years,” King Abdullah said. “They do not speak for Islam any more than a Christian terrorist speaks for Christianity. And the real voices of our faiths will be, must be, heard.” The speech was “an amazing sight because you were watching a very high-level conversation in the dialogue of cultures,” said law Professor Robert Destro, director of CUA’s law and religion program. The king’s visit to campus marked the second red-letter event of the semester for the law school. On Aug. 29, Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele delivered the annual Pope John XXIII lecture, which was broadcast several times on C-Span. He spoke about the role lawyers can play in service to society. – A.C. |
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An overflow crowd in the Columbus School of Law greeted His Majesty King Abdullah II, monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and his wife, Queen Rania, on Sept. 13, 2005. The king had come to the law school to deliver an address on “Traditional Islam: The Path to Peace.” 