In Memory of Rev. Dr. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM

On behalf of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, we share with deep sorrow the passing of Rev. Dr. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, on Saturday, June 26, 2026.

Father John, who was one of Catholic Theological Union’s (CTU) founding faculty members, is recognized as one of the most distinguished theologians of Christian-Jewish relations, including his significant contributions to the development of Catholic theology in the decades following the Second Vatican Council. With over nearly 50 years in his role as a professor, Fr. John was instrumental in teaching generations of students, scholars, and religious leaders, including now Pope Leo XIV, who studied Catholic Social Teaching under him at CTU.

Father John was among the principal architects of the Roman Catholic Church’s renewed relationship with the Jewish people in the spirit of Nostra Aetate, which is the official Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions passed by the Second Vatican Council in 1965. He served for six years as President of the International Council of Christian and Jews and served several terms on the board of Parliament of the World’s Religions.

First appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by President Carter in 1980, and reappointed by successive presidents across four terms, he was deeply involved in the development of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. His landmark works, including Jesus and the Theology of Israel and Christ in the Light of the Christian-Jewish Dialogue, helped reshape Catholic theological reflection on Judaism, the Holocaust, and the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people.

As Professor and later Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics, his scholarship also addressed human rights, economic justice, environmental responsibility, and the ethical challenges facing contemporary society, reflecting his conviction that theology must always serve justice, human dignity, and the common good.

Father John’s legacy and his values that shaped his life also remain rooted in Parliament of the World’s Religions’ signature document, Towards a Global Ethic, An Initial Declaration of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. His commitment towards justice and interreligious dialogue strongly resonate across the Global Ethic that continues to guide our mission. “Every human being must be treated humanely. Self-determination and self-realization are thoroughly legitimate so long as they are not separated from human self-responsibility and global responsibility, that is, from responsibility for fellow humans and for the planet Earth.”

We extend our deepest condolences to Father John’s family, friends, colleagues, and all who were shaped by his teaching, leadership, and friendship.