Opening ceremony of the Center for Ethics at the Isaac Abarbanel University Institute in Rome (photo by Pawel Rytel-Andrianik)

CHURCH

New Centre for ethics unites Jews and Christians in Rome

The Centre for Ethics at the Isaac Abarbanel University Institute, the academic institution of higher education and research affiliated with the “Marshall T. Meyer” Seminary is inaugurated in Rome. The new centre was created in collaboration with Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

By Fr. Pawel Rytel-Andrianik

Inaugurating the new Centre for Ethics at the Isaac Abarbanel University Institute in Rome on Thursday, February 15, it was stated that meetings with Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, led to the conclusion that Rome is the best place for such an institution which “will draw on global academic developments and diverse religious traditions, especially Abrahamic, and will house an interdisciplinary group of scholars, researchers, and religious leaders.”

Rabbi Analía Bortz, who is the key figure in creating Bioethics Committees both in Chile and at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, pointed out the value of ethics in every human life. She quoted the Psalms in Hebrew, which speak about the human being that needs God at all stages of life.

“Artificial intelligence is a challenge to our society. This is one of the reasons we need the Center for Ethics,” said Claudio Regazzoni, an Argentine physician and politician, one of the founding members of the new Center. He underlined that until now, humans have had power over machines, but with artificial intelligence and algorithms, this might change.

The President of the Pontifical Academy for Life Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, quoted Pope Frances in his speech, “We are not living an era of change but a change of era.” “This is the reason why such a centre is important. And we need brotherhood between religions, scientists, and all humans,” he pointed out.

The Ethics Centre was founded by Rabbi Ariel Stofenmacher, Rector of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary. The inauguration was at the Focolare Meeting Point in Rome. As stated in the press release presenting the new Centre, “Its main objective is to foster and develop educational and research programs in the field of ethics, to train leaders committed to sound practices, to promote values in both public and private spheres, and to work in applied ethics.”