October 23, 2024 By Glastonbury Abbey
26 years ago, “Listening to Other Voices” was born when a dedicated group of volunteers at Glastonbury Abbey conceived of a free lecture series where people of all faiths would be welcome to come and learn about each other.
That a small community of Benedictine monks in Hingham was deeply interested in interreligious dialogue was remarkable at that time. This open-mindedness was why so many well-known speakers — Sister Helen Prejean, Liz Walker, Rabbi Arthur Green, Congressman Barney Frank, Fr. Greg Boyle, Swami Tyagananda, Rabbi Peter Rubinstein, Bernard Glassman,
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, James Carroll, Fr. James Martin — agreed to be a part of this program over the past 25 years.
The inaugural lecture of the “Listening to Other Voices” series was Sept. 16, 1999. 75 people braved a raging hurricane to hear Professor Ewert Cousins, world-renown theologian, discuss “Global Spirituality on the Eve of a New Millennium.” Professor Cousins spoke of his work on the Rosebud Reservation where he was drawn to the vibrancy and depth of Native American spirituality. This experience ignited a yearning in him to explore the religious experiences of diverse cultural traditions.
According to Father Timothy Joyce of Glastonbury Abbey, the audience at that very first lecture was profoundly moved by Professor Cousins’ message to listen with your heart and learn from the religions of others – and integrate what you learn and appreciate into your own faith and understanding.
Father Albrecht of Glastonbury was then a physics professor at Eastern Nazarene College. He says: “I was one of those crazy 75 people to attend that first lecture in 1999. In some ways, I have traveled far since that time: I been living here as a monk now for 14 years! Ewert was a pioneer in inter-religious dialogue and set the tone for the character of the ‘Listening to Other Voices’ series.”
“That the LOV series is still thriving after 26 years is a noteworthy achievement — a testament that people desire to understand and accept each other, despite our differences, especially during turbulent times,” says Father Timothy.
The theme of this season’s “Listening to Other Voices” series is “Does Prayer Matter? Faith Perspectives.” Six speakers of various faiths will address how their own tradition looks at prayer:
November 21, 2024 – Swami Tyagananda, Hindu chaplain at MIT and Harvard, head of Vedanta Society, Boston: “Prayer as a Spiritual Discipline.” Swami Tyagananda will speak on the subject of prayer, which he says is the most powerful practice in our lives.
January 16, 2025 – Rev. Dr. Kirk Bryon Jones, retired pastor, writer, teacher: "Prayer as Soul Talk: An Enriching Practice for Spiritual Engagement". We look forward to hearing about practices to enable us to engage, enliven, and embrace the conversations we can have with our souls.
February 20, 2025 – Chaplain Omer Bajwa, Director of Muslim Life at Yale University, Lecturer at Yale Divinity School: “Conversing with God: An Islamic Approach to Ritual Prayer.” Join us as we learn how Chaplain Bajwa helps facilitate conversations with God.
March 20, 2025 – Sr. Kathleen Noone Deignan, CND, PhD, Professor of Religious & Environmental Studies Iona College: “Prayer Matters in the Dark Night of Creation: The Ecological Wisdom of Thomas Merton.” Join us for an in-depth look at prayer and Thomas Merton with this renowned Merton scholar.
April 24, 2025 – Cantors Rosalie Will and Ellen Dreskin, Leaders of Communal Worship & Ritual, “Heart of the Matter: A Jewish Musical Perspective on the Significance of Prayer. What is happening in me when I pray, and how can a variety of musical prayer experiences be of assistance to me on my journey?” Two women, two cantors will share their voices and hearts. Come sing with us!
All are welcome to attend these free lectures at Glastonbury Abbey in the Morcone Conference Center at 7:15 PM. The lectures will also be available via Zoom. After each talk, there is a discussion period followed by refreshments. Please register online at www.glastonburyabbey.org, then Programs.