Peace among the Religions: Catalyst for Renewal and Spirituality on the Sofa

We continue to explore our 2026 theme - Peace!

Our conversation Leaders are Professors Zuleyha Keskin, Anna Halafoff and Emmanuel Nathan.

Our three speakers are from the Islamic, Buddhist and Catholic faith traditions, and all have rich experience of inter-faith dialogue.

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Within our lifetimes, Catholics were taught that there was no salvation outside the Church. Then in 1965, the Second Vatican Council produced Nostre Aetate and irreversibly transformed the Catholic Church's relationship with non-Christian religions. We now recognise that God is at work in all the major faith traditions and we focus on what we have in common and what draws us together.

This month we are particularly excited to welcome Zuleyha, Anna and Emmanuel, each of whom have rich commitment and deep experience in this field.

Our Speakers

Zuleyha Keskin OAM is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation at Charles Sturt University and a leading voice in Islamic spirituality and wellbeing in Australia. Her research explores Islamic spirituality, psycho-spirituality, resilience, and contemporary Muslim experiences. She has over two decades of experience in teaching, community engagement, and interfaith dialogue, with a particular interest in how faith traditions can contribute to inner peace and social harmony. Dr Keskin is passionate about meaningful conversations across religious traditions and helping people better understand the spiritual foundations that connect humanity.

Anna Halafoff is a Professor of Sociology, coordinator of the Spirituality and Wellbeing (SWell) Research Network, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. She currently leads an Australian Research Council Discovery Project (ARC DP) on Spirituality in Australia: Wellness, Wellbeing and Risks, and was a Chief Investigator on two recent ARC DPs on the Worldviews of Generation Z Australians and on Religious Diversity in Australia. Her other research interests include interreligious relations, religion and education, preventing violent extremism, and Buddhism. Anna is the author of The Multifaith Movement: Global Risks and Cosmopolitan Solutions.

Emmanuel Nathan is an Associate Professor in Biblical Studies and Comparative Theology at the Australian Catholic University based in Sydney. He designed and teaches a yearly unit on Abrahamic sacred texts and traditions delivered nationally to undergraduates majoring in studies of religion. Through guest lectures from Jewish, Christian and Muslim speakers, students learn how to engage other points of view with empathy and respect. Emmanuel has been President of the Council of Christians and Jews, NSW (2023-2025) and is currently a member of the Expert Advisory Panel for Relations with Jews at the behest of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.