Center for Civic Friendship: Discussing Faith and Friendship
Mary Jane Rein
Guest Writer
At a time when political differences often lead to extreme division and polarization, Assumption University is advancing a program of civic friendship—a concept rooted in Augustinian thought that sees friendship not only as a private bond but as the foundation of public life. Augustine believed that genuine friendship involves seeking the good together and that truth is discovered not in isolation, but in community. Civic friendship builds on this vision: it means engaging others with honesty, respect, and humility, not to avoid conflict or simply find common ground, but to strive for truth by listening deeply and taking one another seriously. When we cultivate habits of mind that prioritize seeing the good in people, disagreement need not be disagreeable—and can even become productive.
The work of building civic friendship at Assumption is advancing thanks to the involvement of the inaugural cohort of Civic Friendship students who are tasked with helping to develop the program. Learning about the principles of civic friendship, these students are called upon to incorporate respectful engagement into diverse aspects of their Assumption experience. They are participating in discussions that will equip them to address tough issues with courage and respect, skills that will prepare them to lead conversations that don’t shy away from differences. Through these practices, they will strengthen the culture of intellectual humility and mutual respect on campus.
What these students are learning echoes a larger challenge in today’s world: how to sustain friendship across lines of deep difference. Interfaith relations provide a vivid example of why civic friendship matters. The Jewish theologian Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote in his 1965 essay “No Religion Is an Island,” “We are all involved with one another. Spiritual betrayal on the part of one of us affects the faith of all of us.” Heschel’s observation reminds us that religious traditions cannot afford to live in isolation. Similarly, Augustine insisted that friendship is not a retreat from the world but the foundation of genuine community. By cultivating respect, humility, and curiosity, students are preparing for a world where religious, cultural, and political differences are not obstacles to avoid but realities to engage with courage and wisdom.
Interfaith friendship, like civic friendship, is not content with polite tolerance. It calls on us to encounter one another honestly, to learn across differences, and to recognize that our own search for truth is deepened when we take others seriously. The 60th anniversary of the Church teaching “Nostra Aetate,” issued during the Second Vatican Council, revolutionized Catholic Jewish relations by fostering dialogue, rejecting antisemitism, and affirming a shared spiritual heritage. The annual Rabbi Joseph Klein Lecture will consider this landmark declaration in a lecture, “Catholic–Jewish Friendship: 60 Years After Nostra Aetate,” that will take place on Tuesday, September 30 at 6:00 p.m. in Curtis Performance Hall. The evening will feature remarks by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in Manhattan and Director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University, and Dr. Matthew Tapie, Associate Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University in Florida. The speakers will reflect on the past six decades of Catholic–Jewish dialogue and Assumption alumnus Fr. Michael Hoye will provide concluding comments.
In keeping with the aims of Civic Friendship to value engagement across differences, the Jewish Federation of Central MA is a co-sponsor of the event. The hope is simple: that Assumption University becomes known as a place where brave conversations are part of daily life, and where students understand that genuine connection is the foundation for meaningful discussions. The annual Rabbi Klein Lecture has long brought Jewish voices into dialogue with the Assumption community in the spirit of faith and friendship. This year’s event will continue that tradition while also strengthening the university’s commitment to civic friendship—showing how faith and friendship together can deepen our common search for truth.
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