George Weigel to address Boulder attacks, anti-Semitism and the future of America at CU Boulder

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The University of Colorado Boulder will host a significant public conversation this September, bringing together two leading religious voices to address the Boulder attacks, the rise of anti-Semitism and the future of America.

“The Fire This Time: America and the Boulder Attacks” will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the University Memorial Center, Room 235. A reception will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the program at 5:30 p.m. The event is free, but registration is requested here.

The evening will feature Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, a prominent Jewish public intellectual, and George Weigel, a Catholic theologian, author and longtime Denver Catholic columnist whose writing reaches readers across the Archdiocese of Denver and beyond. Joseph Bottum, this year’s visiting scholar of conservative thought and policy at the University of Colorado Boulder, will moderate the discussion.

Rabbi Soloveichik will speak on “Jews and the Future of America,” offering a reflection on the place of Jewish life and thought in the American experiment and in the wake of recent violence. George Weigel will address “The Sin of Antisemitism,” examining its enduring moral evil and the Christian responsibility to stand against it. Together, their presentations will invite deeper reflection on the shared moral and civic responsibilities of Jews, Christians and all Americans in confronting hatred and working for the common good.

"Antisemitism is anti-Christian," said George Weigel. "I'll be happy to explain why that's the case — and why outbursts of antisemitism are always indicative of a deeper sickness in society — in my talk at Boulder."

The event comes in the aftermath of this summer’s Boulder attacks, a sobering reminder that anti-Semitism and religiously motivated violence remain real threats. In bringing together leaders from the Jewish and Catholic traditions, the organizers hope to model honest dialogue, mutual respect and moral clarity in the face of such challenges.

George Weigel, one of the world’s foremost Catholic public intellectuals, is best known for his biography of Pope St. John Paul II (Witness to Hope) and his decades of writing on Catholic theology, culture and public life. His regular Denver Catholic column has explored topics ranging from the dignity of human life to the renewal of the Church’s evangelical mission.

Rabbi Soloveichik, meanwhile, serves as the rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City, the oldest Jewish congregation in North America. He is a frequent lecturer and writer on theology, history and the intersection of faith and public life. His work often highlights the contributions of Jewish thought to the moral foundations of the West.

In a time of polarization and division, "The Fire This Time" offers a rare opportunity for Catholics and Jews to come together in a spirit of solidarity, to confront a shared moral crisis and to commit anew to the work of building a more just and peaceful society.