Judeo-Christian Studies

Lectures and Videos

Past Events

The Consummation The Course of the Empire 1836, By Thomas Cole

Tulane University Judeo-Christian Studies Chair
Martin M. Kelly Memorial Lecture

Ariel Helfer
“The Philosopher as Political Advisor: Rediscovering Plato’s Letters”
January 31, 2025, 1:45-3:45 pm, Rogers Chapel Seminar Room

Ariel Helfer is Associate Professor of Political Science at Wayne State University. He joined that department in 2017, having previously taught at Michigan State after receiving his PhD in Government from the University of Texas at Austin in 2015. His courses cover a broad range of texts and thinkers, from ancient to modern political philosophy, as well as American political thought. Helfer’s first book, Socrates and Alcibiades: Plato’s Drama of Political Ambition and Philosophy (University of Pennsylvania, 2017) traces the development of this relation and its significance portrayed in three Platonic dialogues. His recent book, Plato’s Letters: the Political Challenges of Philosophic Life (Cornell, 2023), includes an interpretative essay along with a new English translation of the letters. The authenticity of this material, which describes Plato’s involvement in the tyrannical regime at Syracuse in the 4th century BCE, has long been debated. Helfer’s study has attracted attention for its well-argued but controversial reading of the Letters as a unified work, a philosophic epistolary novel containing Plato's teachings on the philosopher's responsibility to turn his political wisdom into practical counsel.

  • Teresa Bejan, “Hobbes on Acknowledging Equality,” September 13, 2024.
  • Zena Hitz, “God and the Search for Happiness”, January 18, 2024
  • Yehuda Halper, “Averroes’ Epistle Dedicatory,” November 6, 2023.
  • Yehuda Halper, “Medieval Jewish Philosophy,” November 6, 2023.
  • Dana Gioia, A Poetry Reading, March 29, 2023.
  • Catherine & Henry J. Gaisman Conference, “Jerusalem and Athens: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Reflections,” June 3, 2023
    • Session I: “The Gods of the Poets and the God of the Philosopher in Ancient Thought”
    • Session II: “The Medieval Confrontation with Bible and Philosophy”
    • Session III: “Revelation and Reason in Modern Philosophy”
  • Dana Gioia: A Poetry Reading, March 29, 2023.
  • Martin Sitte, “Man and Soul: Plato’s Alcibiades,” April 10, 2023.
  • Alexander Orwin, “The Heterodox Teachings of the Falasifa,” January 28, 2023 .
  • James Stoner, “How Eric Voegelin Read Plato,” November 19, 2022.
  • Daniel Schneider, “The Emendation and the Instrauration: Bacon and Spinoza,” October 23, 2022.
  • Watch Jacob Howland, “Shields of the Gods: Reflections on Homer and the Bible,” October 13, 2022.
  • Watch Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, “Why did God Tell Abraham to sacrifice his son? The surprising truth of the Akeidah,” September 20, 2022
  • Neil Rogachevsky, “Israel’s Declaration of Independence,” April 5, 2022
  • Watch Paul Cantor, “Shakespeare’s Henry V and Biblical Kingship,” November 4, 2021
  • Watch Wilfred M. McClay, "The Hebraic Strain in American Thought," October 24, 2019
  • Watch Diana Schaub, "Lincoln on Science, Slavery & Sin," March 28, 2019
  • Alexander Orwin, “Updating Plato: How Averroes Inserts Alfarabi, Just War, and Andalusian Cities into the Republic,” December 8, 2018
  • Watch Jonathan Silver, "What Can the Hebrew Bible Teach America?" November 15, 2018
  • Stuart Warner, “The Theologico-Political Problem in Descartes’ Discourse on Method,” April 7, 2018
  • Khalil Habib, "Ibn Khaldun and the Rise and Fall of Empire," February 19, 2018
  • Watch Jon Levenson, “The Binding of the Son in the Three ‘Abrahamic Traditions’: the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Debate,” March 14, 2017
  • Watch George Weigel “Modernity, Biblical Faith, and the Crisis of the West,” October 19, 2016
  • James Stoner, "Leo Strauss and Eric Voegelin on Humanism and the Human Human Sciences," September 9, 2016
  • Watch Christine Hayes, “What’s So Divine About Divine Law?” December 3, 2015
  • Watch Roslyn Weiss, “The Transcendent God of Goodness,” October 22, 2015
  • Watch Joshua Parens, Douglas Kries, and Joseph MacFarland, "Prophet, King and Philosopher in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Thought,” April 15, 2015
  • Steven Berg, "Dante's Inferno: Biblical Tradition and Greek Philosophy," March 3, 2015
  • Stephen Palmquist, "Kant on Obedience and Resistance to Authority," November 14, 2014
  • Watch Jacob Howland, “Kierkegaard on Theodicy, Law, and Love,” October 22, 2014
  • Watch Clifford Orwin, “Will Not the Judge of All the World Act Justly: Abraham’s Plea to God on Behalf of Sodom,” April 24, 2014
  • Watch James Carey, “Spinoza’s Response to Christian Scholasticism,” March 20, 2014
  • Watch Ronna Burger, “In the Court of an Oriental Despot: The Book of Esther,” March 12, 2014
  • Watch Wilfred McClay, “The Persistence of Guilt in a Post-Religious Age,” October 24, 2013
  • Watch Thomas Hibbs, “Divine Irony: Pascal on Faith and Reason,” April 4, 2013
  • Watch Leora Batnitsky, “Private Faith, Public Religion: Tensions in Modern Jewish Thought,” October 16, 2012
  • Watch Calum Carmichael, “Judging Joseph in Light of Biblical Law,” March 22, 2012
  • Watch Luke Timothy Johnson, “Early Christians and Gentile Religion: A New Approach,” October 27, 2011
  • Rosemary Radford Ruether, “Christology and Anti-Semitism,” April 14, 2011
  • March 24, 2011 – Douglas Brinkley, “The Great American Outdoors from Theodore Roosevelt to Barack Obama: An Environmental History”
  • Dr. Gary Macy, John Nobili, “Can They Do That? The Historical Justification of Women’s Ordinations,” October 21, 2010.
  • Rev. Dr. Paul J. Philibert, O.P., “Balancing Authority and Autonomy: Issues for a New Generation of Believers,” March 18, 2010.
  • Rev. Dr. Anthony J. Pogorelc, S.S., “Spiritual Hungers of Young Adults; How Hungry Are They?,” February 18, 2010.
  • Professor/Rabbi David Dalin, “The Myth of Hitler’s Pope - A Jewish Response to the Integrity of Pope Pius XII’s Dealings with the Nazis,” November 5, 2009.
  • Professor Robert Schreiter, “The Philosophical and Theologian Relevance of Professor Edward Schillebeeckx, O.P., for the 21st Century,” October 8, 2009.
  • Rev. Dr. C.K. Robertson, “Leadership in a Time of Conflict: What does the Future Hold for the Episcopal Church in the U.S.?,” March 26, 2009.
  • Mr. Hank Dittmar, “Sustainability, Tradition and Harmony: Building Beautifully and for the Long Term,” January 22, 2009.
  • Professor John F. Haught, “Evolution and Faith - A Proposal for the Future - The 200th Anniversary of Darwin’s Birth,” December 4, 2008.
  • Very Rev. Dr. Lee Martin Martiny, “The Future of the Church in Africa - Tribalism and Racism - The Challenge to Church Unity,” November 13, 2008.
  • The Bestowal of the 2nd St. Thomas Aquinas Environmental Award-HRH the Prince of Wales at Clarence House in London, September 10, 2008.
  • Professor Roger Haight, “Rethinking the Church and the Churches,” March 13, 2008.
  • Dr. Julian Wheatley, “The Lady and the General” - Questions of Religious Freedom and Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), February 28, 2008.
  • Asher Yarden, “On the Road to Reconciling the Israeli-Palestinian Conflicts in the Light of Recent Historical Developments,” November 8, 2007.
  • Professor Marcel Sigrist, “Why a New Translation of the Bible? - ‘The Bible in Its Traditions Project’,” October 11, 2007.
  • Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl, “The Enduring Challenge of Faith - What the Church Brings to Today’s Youth,” March 29, 2007.
  • Sir John Houghton, “Climatic Changes: Challenges to Scientists, Politicians, and Religionists Alike,” January 25, 2007.
  • Robert Blare Kaiser, “A Case for an American Catholic Church,” November 16, 2006.
  • Professor Richard Ryscavage, “Immigration and Globalization: The New Face of Christianity,” November 9, 2006.
  • Professor Dennis Doyle, “Pope Benedict XVI, What Impact Might his Augustinian Philosophy Have?,” March 16, 2006.
  • Professor Emeritus John Dominic Crossan, “What does St. Paul have to say to the Church Today?,” March 2, 2006.
  • Dr. Martin E. Marty, “Fundamentalisms and World Religions - What They Have in Common and How They All Demonize ‘the Other’,” April 7, 2005.
  • Dr. Antje Jakelen, “Challenges of Science and Religion in the New Millennium,” March 3, 2005.
  • Professor Wesley J. Wildman, “A Review and Critique of the ‘Divine Action Project’ - A dialogue among Scientists and Theologians,” sponsored by Pope John Paul II, October 28, 2004.
  • HE Dr. Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, “Judaism and Christianity: New Perspectives in the New Millennium,” October 7, 2004.
  • Professor William B. Hurlbut, “Patenting Human Life: Clones, Chimera, and Biological Artifacts,” March 25, 2004.
  • Rev. Dr. Marcel Sigrist, “In Today’s Secularized World, Is it Possible to Believe in God?,” March 18, 2004.
  • Mr. George Weigel, “Moral Leadership and World Politics in the 21st Century,” November 6, 2003.
  • Rev. Dr. Robert E. Barron, “Contemporary Moral and Spiritual Formation through the Eucharistic Liturgy,” October 23, 2003.
  • William Cardinal Keeler, “The New Movement in Christian-Jewish Relations,” September 11, 2003.
  • Rabbi Jack Bemporad, “A Jewish Perspective on the Recent Pontifical Biblical Document, ‘On the Jewish People and Their Scriptures in the New Testament’,” March 27, 2003.
  • Most Reserved Joseph A. Galante, “Renewing the Hope and the Trust of the Faithful in the Institutional Church,” March 13, 2003.
  • Kirk O. Hanson, “Corporate Ethics and Responsibility - Enron and Beyond: Ethical Lessons for American Society,” October 24, 2002.
  • Richard R. Gaillardetz, “What We Can Now See: Ecclesial Reflections on the Current Crisis in the American Catholic Church,” October 10, 2002.
  • Dr. Frank T. Birtel, “Evolving Thoughts on Taking Science and Religion Seriously,” April 11, 2002.
  • Dr. Herbert Benson, “Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief,” March 7, 2002.
  • Dr. Mahmound M. Ayoub, “Religion and Violence: The Case of Islam,” February 7, 2002.
  • Professor Philip Hefner, “Technology, Theology and New Images of Being Human,” November, 8, 2001.
  • Mark Guscin, “Reputed Burial Cloths of Jesus Christ - How to Determine their Authenticity or Fraud?,” October 22, 2001.
  • Phyllis Zagano, “Women Deacons? Past, Present and Future - An Exploration of the Tradition and History of Diaconal Ordination,” October 4, 2001.
  • HE Dr. Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, “Judaism and Christianity: New Perspectives After the Holy Year,” May 24, 2001.
  • Professor Philip D. Clayton, “Reading the Past, Projecting the Future - Science and Theology on the Emergence of Spirit,” April 5, 2001.
  • Professor Dr. Wolfhart Pannenberg, “God the Spirit and Natural Science,” March 12, 2001.
  • Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkrantz, “Strengthening Jewish-Christian Relations - A Jewish Perspective on the Recent Papal Visit to Israel,” October 26, 2000.
  • Most Rev. John R. Quinn, “Possibilities of a New Papal Primacy,” October 12, 2000.
  • Dr. Anthony M. Matteo, “The Promise and Perils of Evolutionary Ethics,” April 13, 2000.
  • Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, “Where Are We Going? Christian Faith in the Face of an Unknown Future,” March 27, 2000.
  • Rev. Dr. Peter Storey, “Resistance and Reconciliation - The Church’s Ecumenical Role in Ending Apartheid,” March 16, 2000.
  • Professor Brennan R. Hill, “Images of God from the Earth and its People: An Environmental Theology,” November 11, 1999.
  • Professor Steven T. Katz, “Jewish Images of God in the Post-Holocaust Era,” November 3, 1999.
  • Professor Benedict M. Ashley, “Gender Images and the Mystery of God,” October 7, 1999.
  • Archbishop Francis Cardinal George, “Images of God in the Writings of Pope John Paul II; A Spirituality for the New Millennium,” April 12, 1999.
  • Fr. Andrew Greeley, “Images of God and Religious Imagination,” March 25, 1999.
  • Professor Gary Macy, “The Church in the Middle Ages,” February 25, 1999.
  • Dr. Patrick Henry, “Images of God in Space and Time,” November 12, 1998.
  • Professor Gordon D. Kaufman, “Re-Imaging God in Light of Today’s Evolutionary/Ecological Consciousness,” October 29, 1998.
  • Professor Daniel Holcomb, “Images of God and Contemporary Literature - Impact and Significance,” April 16, 1998.
  • Professor Vernon Gregson, Jr., “Images of God and the Unconscious - Origins and Transformations,” March 5, 1998.
  • Professor Sondra Ely Wheeler, “The Impact of Cloning on Family Values - Making Sexual Reproduction Obsolete?,” November 13, 1997.
  • Rev. Dr. Albert Moraczewski, “What are the Ethical and Religious Implications of Human Cloning? - A Judeo-Christian Perspective,” October 23, 1997.
  • Dr. Robert J. Collier, “Science and Technology in Cloning, from Sheep to Humans - What are the Real Possibilities of Human Cloning?,” October 16, 1997.

  • A Judeo-Christian Dialogue in Three Parts

    Participants: Rabbi Edward P. Cohn, Temple Sinai
    Rev. Dr. Val A. Mclnnes, OP, Tulane University
    Ms. Jean A. Meade, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
    Rev. Steven Meriwether, St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church
    Moderator: Professor Frank T. Birtel, Tulane University

    • “Jesus as Messiah: Christian Yes; Jewish No - Messianic Expectations Today,” March 13, 1997.
    • “Transcending the Divisive - Removing Obstacles to Ecumenical Dialogue,” March 6, 1997.
    • “Post-Modern Concepts of God - The Problem of Worshipping the One God Today,” February 27, 1997.
  • Rev. Raymond E. Brown, “New Testament Treatment of the Jews,” November 25, 1996.
  • Rev. Dr. Philip Kennedy, “The God Question in Our Post-Modern Age,” October 31, 1996.
  • Professor J. Wentzel van Huyssteen, “Truth and Pluralism in Religion and Science Today - The Post-Modern Challenge,” March 14, 1996.
  • Professor David Novak, Rev. Dr. Richard John Neuhaus, “Messianic Expectations - A Jewish and Christian Point of View,” March 7, 1996.
  • Professor Marcus Borg, “The Work of the Jesus Seminar: What is Its Purpose and Does it Matter?,” November 16, 1995.
  • Professor Don Drowning, “Religion, Politics and the American Family Debate,” October 12, 1995.
  • George Weigel, Peter Ochs, “Religion and Moral Decline in Contemporary American Society - Disintegration or Rejuvenation?,” April 6, 1995.
  • Michael Novak, Professor Gilbert Meilaender, “Veritatis Splendor - Roman Catholic and Lutheran Perspectives in Dialogue,” March 9, 1995.
  • Professor David D. Friedman, Professor Alma H. Young, “Government and the Poor - Who Should be Providing Care for the Poor?,” November 17, 1994.
  • Fr. Fred Kammer, Professor William Barnett, “The Doctrine of Church and State - Should Religion be Involved in Politics?,” November 16, 1994.
  • Professor Jaroslav Pelikan, “Russian Roots in the American Spirit,” March 10, 1994.
  • Professor Elaine Pagels, “Satan and the New Testament, A Social History of Satan,” March 8, 1994.
  • Mr. Avi Granot, Fr. David-Maria A. Jaeger, “A Major Diplomatic Accomplishment - The Fundamental Agreement Between the Holy See and the State of Israel - A Catholic Perspective/An Israeli Perspective,” February 24, 1994.
  • Rt. Rev. John S. Spong, “The Gospels as Examples of Jewish Midrash,” November 18, 1993.
  • Professor Benedict M. Ashley, “A Theology of Intellectual Life,” November 11, 1993.
  • Jean C. Felts, John J. Kelly, Alden J. Laborde, Edward A. Lupberger, “Is Business Ethical? Case Discussions on Ethical Decisions in Business Practice,” October 27, 1993.
  • Professor Mary Jo Weaver, “Feminists and Patriarchs in the Catholic Church: Dysfunctional Discourse or a Common Language?,” October 14, 1993.
  • Rev. Dr. Charles O’Neill, “The Tulane-Archdiocese of New Orleans Bicentennial Lecture - The Church in the United States - 200 Years of Growth - Baltimore and New Orleans,” April 4, 1993.
  • Rev. Dr. Brian Davis, “God and Some American Philosophers,” March 22, 1993.
  • Professor Rabbi David R. Blumenthal, “The Holocaust as Paradigm of the 20th Century,” March 18, 1993.
  • Rev. Dr. Avery Dulles, “Interrelation of Faith and Culture,” March 4, 1993.
  • Helen Rand Parish, “Las Casas- The Untold Story,” November 16, 1992.
  • Gustavo Gutiérrez, “Bartolomé de Las Casas - the Theology of Las Casas, Father of Human Rights and International Law,” November 9, 1992.
  • Professor Richard F. Greenleaf, “Columbus and the Age of Discovery,” October 12, 1992.
  • Professor John J. Carey, “Sexuality Issues in the American Church,” April 9, 1992.
  • Professor Claude Geffre, “New Trends of French Theology Today,” March 26, 1992.
  • Professor William F. May, “The Split between Private and Public Life - Religion as Culprit and Solution,” March 19, 1992.
  • Professor Richard P. McBrien, “The Future of Catholicism in the Unites States,” November 7, 1991.
  • Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, “Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People,” October 24, 1991.
  • Professor Martin Marty, “Power Shift: Changes In and Around American Protestantism,” September 11, 1991.
  • Archbishop Francis B. Schulte, “Jewish-Christian Prayer Service,” March 21, 1991.
  • Rabbi Dr. Asher Finkel, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Frizzell, “Expectations for the Judeo-Christian Dialogue - The Year 2000,” March 20, 1991.
  • Rev. Dr. Lawrence Frizzell, Rabbi Dr. Asher Finkel, “Twenty-five Years of Progress - An Evaluation,” March 19, 1991.
  • Professor Anthony Flew, “Forty Years of Falsification,” December 6, 1990.
  • Professor Robert Wilken, “The Christian Intellectual Tradition,” November 15, 1990.
  • Anne Muggeridge, “The Apocalyptic Days of the Church,” October 23, 1990.
  • Professor Harvey Cox, “This I Believe: The Lord and Giver of Life,” March 26, 1990.
  • Professor Thomas F. O’Meara, “This I Believe: In Two Different Views of Christianity - Fundamentalism and Catholicism,” March 19, 1990.
  • Rosemary Haughton, “This I Believe: In the Catholic Tradition,” March 5, 1990.
  • The Hon. Barbara Boggs Sigmund and Professor Paul E. Sigmund, “This I Believe: Politics and Religion, Theory and Practice,” November 27, 1989.
  • Dr. Arthur Peacocke, “This I Believe: From DNA to DEAN,” November 7, 1989.
  • Chaim Potok, “This I Believe: Choices in the Modern World,” October 23, 1989.
  • Professor Phillip Hefner, “This I Believe - Crossing New Terrain,” March 9, 1989.
  • Professor Michael Zimmerman, “This I Believe - The Redemption of the Body,” March 2, 1989.
  • Professor Frank T. Birtel, “This I Believe - Choosing God and Choosing Man: A Post-Modern Challenge,” February 16, 1989.
  • Professor Wolfhart Pannenberg, “Lecture Title Unknown,” November 14, 1988.
  • Emilie Dietrich Griffin, “Lecture Title Unknown,” October 20, 1988.
  • Robert Russell, “Lecture Title Unknown,” September 29, 1988.
  • Rt. Rev. David Jenkins, “The Reality of God and the Future of the Human Project,” April 26, 1988.
  • Professor Dr. Jurgen Moltmann, “Christology in the Christian-Jewish Dialogue,” April 13, 1988.
  • Professor Rabbi Jakob J. Petuchowski, “A Rabbi Looks at the Lord’s Prayer,” March 20, 1988.
  • Professor Henry Chadwick, “The Early Christian Church and Authority,” March 23, 1987.
  • Professor Sean Freyne, “The Age of Constantine and Beyond: Jesus in a Christian World,” October 16, 1986.
  • Professor Sean Freyne, “First Century Christians in a Jewish World,” September 11, 1986.
  • Professor Robert Wilken, “The Love of God and the Pursuit of Virtue: Early Christian Ethics,” April 16, 1986.
  • Professor Arthur Peacocke, “A Christian Materialism? Some Reflections on the Relation to Cognitive Sciences,” March 3, 1986.
  • Ambassador Vernon Walters, “The United States and Central America Today,” January 22, 1986.
  • Ambassador Vernon Walters, “Religion in Politics Today”, March 14, 1985.
  • Professor Bernard McGinn, “The Language of Love in Christian and Jewish Mysticism”, February 4, 1985.
  • The Rt. Honorable Norman St. John Stevas, “The Law and Religious Conflicts Today”, January 25, 1985.
  • Professor Frederick Hartt, Lecture Title Unknown, October 13, 1984.
  • Professor John T. Noonan, “Religion and Public Policy”, April 7, 1983.
  • Professor Daniel Callahan, “Science and Human Values: The Uneasy Connection”, March 17, 1983.
  • Professor Robert Soloman, “The Nietzschean Challenge to the Judeo-Christian Tradition”, February 28, 1983.
  • Professor Ernan McMullin, “The Inter-Relationship between Creationism and Evolution Today”, February 22, 1983.
  • Professor David Daube, “The Old Testament in the New: A Jewish Perspective”, October 26, 1982.
  • Professor fr. Edward Schillebeeckx, “The Judeo-Christian Interpretation: An Hermeneutical Approach”, October 19, 1982.
  • Professor fr. Edward Schillebeeckx, “The Judeo-Christian Interpretation: An Historical and Critical Approach”, October 18, 1982.
  • Professor Geza Vermes, “Jesus and Christianity”, September 21, 1982.
  • Professor Geza Vermes, “The Gospel of Jesus the Jew: An Historical Approach”, September 14, 1982.
  • Professor Harald Riesenfeld, “The Hermeneutic Circle - Uses and Abuses in Translating the Bible”, March 23, 1982.
  • Professor Harald Riesenfeld, “Sons of God and Ecclesia: An Intertestamental Analysis”, March 4, 1982.
  • Professor Langdon Gilkey, “Science, Technology and Religion”, April 23, 1981.
  • Professor Raymond Brown, “The Struggle between Christianity and Judaism”, April 1, 1981.
  • Professor Edward P. Sanders, “Jesus and Judaism”, November 12, 1980.
  • Professor Edward P. Sanders, “Paul and Judaism”, October 29, 1980.
  • John MacQuarrie, “Heidegger’s Philosophy of Religion”, September 25, 1980.
  • John MacQuarrie, “The Idea of a People of God”, September 4, 1980.
  • William David Davies, “Jewish Territorial Doctrine and A Christian Response”, April 14, 1980.