CSG Business Meeting: Boston College

Present: James Bernauer, Mary Boys, Robert Cathey, Philip Cunningham, Alice Eckardt, Eugene Fisher, Katherina von Kellenbach, Bjorn Krondorfer, Camille Markey, Michael McGarry, Esther Menn, John Pawlikowski, Peter Pettit, and Frank Sherman.

Absent: Rosann Catalano, Jean-Pierre Ruiz, Karla Suomala, Demetrios E. Tonias

Secretary: John Thaddeus Martin Pawlikowski

Katherina von Kellenbach was in the Chair for the meeting which commenced at 10 AM.

1) Minutes from previous business meeting (16 October 2011) were approved having been moved by Philip Cunningham and seconded by Mary Boys. One correction was noted: In the second sentence under "Fall 2012 meeting" the word should be" later dates" not "earlier dates." The group in fact decided on October 5-7 as the date for the Fall 2012 meeting to take place at St. Raphaela's Retreat Center near Philadelphia.

2) Peter Pettit will follow up with Marty Michelson about presenting a paper at a future meeting as a guest lecturer. This invitation would not automatically imply beginning the process for full membership in the CSG.

3) Peter Pettit will follow up with Jean-Pierre Ruiz regarding the CSG Wikipedia page.

4) The CSG website will be permanently removed from the Boston College website.

5) Phil Cunningham indicated that certain members have not yet provided a bio and photo for the new CSG website. They are Peter Pettit, Karla Suomala, Robert Cathey, Jean-Pierre Ruiz, and Rosann Catalano.

6) A suggestion was put forth that CSG members consider putting the group's link on their institutional website.

7) Phil Cunningham will send out a notice to members about the revised CSG website.

8) There was no formal report from the Program Committee. This process needs to be enhanced. Peter Pettit indicated that some programming may be possible in collaboration with the Hartman Institute's new effort in North America on Christian views of Israel. He also repeated the names of possible speakers listed in the previous minutes, adding the name of Victoria Barnett. The name of John Connelly of the University of California/Berkeley was surfaced with respect to his new book. There was interest in this proposal but the costs might be challenging. Perhaps a presentation next spring that might be combined with a lecture at Boston College might be possible. John Pawlikowski will ascertain Professor Connelly's possible interest in such an offer.

9) There was discussion, based on a proposal by Robert Cathey, for creating a CSG blog. Some uncertainty was expresssed by some members, feeling that it might lessen the scholarly nature of CSG. Robert Cathey was charged with organizing a subcommittee to discuss this further and report back at the October business meeting. Jean-Pierre Ruiz and Phil Cunningham should be part of this discussion.

10) The group turned its attention to the Wisdom of the Elders Project. It was decided that the project should be pursued. The next step is to survey all former members of CSG still living regarding their response to athe first set of questions prepared by Chair von Kellenbach for discussion at this meeting by a select group of senior members present at Boston College. The second set of questions on her list might also be included. Alice Eckardt's history of the CSG would be included in the outreach to former members. Frank Sherman felt that we should seek biographical statements from the former members in light of the Chair's questions, but not a slavish response to the questions. He also stressed that respondents should not limit themselves to their CSG experience but comment more generally on their involvement in Christian-Jewish relations. Frank Sherman, Alice Eckardt and Eugene Fisher were designated as a sub-committee to pursue this project.

The business meeting ended at approximately Noon.

Spring 2012