Grand Valley State University President Thomas J. Haas recently announced the appointment of Douglas Kindschi as director of the Kaufman Interfaith Institute.
The Kaufman Institute builds on nearly 20 years of interfaith
dialogue that started with the West Shore Committee for
Jewish/Christian Dialogue in Muskegon, under the leadership of Sylvia
Kaufman. In 2006, that dialogue moved to Grand Valley, and for the
first time included the Muslim faith. In 2007, with generous support
from Sylvia and Richard Kaufman, the institute was formed to continue
annual conferences in cooperation with area colleges and seminaries.
Haas said the appointment of Kindschi as director represents a
deepened commitment of the university to bring to its students and to
the community a better understanding and acceptance of the various
religious traditions that form an integral part of our collective
community. The university's commitment to diversity and inclusion
includes this very important arena of religious understanding and
acceptance.
This appointment follows the very successful interfaith dialogue
held last October, which drew nearly 600 people for an all-day and
evening dialogue involving representatives from the Jewish, Christian,
and Muslim traditions.
Kindschi, who previously served as a dean at the university for
28 years, is now a professor of mathematics and philosophy. He has
also served as project director for the grant-funded Grand Dialogue
for Science and Religion since 2005. In addition, he will continue to
work with the Office of University Development to complete the
campaign to raise the $1 million endowment which will support the
activities of the institute and insure ongoing programming. More than
$800,000 has been raised to date.
