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The third installment of Martin Methodist College’s ongoing interfaith discussion series will bring a new face into the conversation when representatives of the Christian, Islamic and Jewish faith focus on the topic of “Why Dialogue? What Is Its Value?”

In March 2011 and again in January 2012, the Rev. Robert Montgomery, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Pulaski, and Daoud Abudiab, president of the Islamic Center of Columbia, took the stage in the Gault Fine Arts Center recital hall to talk about their friendship and their faith as part of Martin Methodist’s Big Picture discussion series.

They will do so again on Tuesday, Jan. 22, beginning at 7 p.m., and this time they will be joined by a third friend, Rabbi Kliel Rose of Nashville.

What will result is a candid and heartfelt examination of how passionate leaders of three different faiths – Christianity, Islam and Judaism – can develop a rich friendship and an enduring respect for each other’s views and beliefs. If the third installment of this series is anything like the previous two, there will also be plenty of good humor and laughter among friends.

The public is free and open to the public. The Big Picture is a monthly discussion sponsored by the Taylor Honors Program and the five academic honor societies on campus: Gamma Beta Phi, Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Gamma Mu, Sigma Beta Delta and Sigma Tau Delta.

Montgomery, who grew up in Marshall County, Tenn., came to First Presbyterian in December 2007 in Pulaski after 23 years as pastor of Cahaba Valley Church in Birmingham, Ala. During that time he also worked at Greater Birmingham Ministries in the areas of community outreach and social justice. He has degrees from David Lipscomb College and Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta and has done other coursework at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and McCormick Theological Seminary. He also has been in two special continuing education programs: “Faith and Reconciliation,” from 2005-2007 at Columbia Theological Seminary, and “Building Abrahamic Partnerships,” an interfaith focus in 2007 at Hartford (Conn.) Seminary.

Abudiab is a native of Palestine and spent his early years in Jerusalem attending a Catholic school. He completed undergraduate and graduate schooling in the U.S. and holds a master’s degree in Health Services Administration. His career as a physician practice management executive has spanned more than 18 years with the last 12 serving as administrator at Pulaski at Physicians & Surgeons, Inc. He holds leadership positions with Islamic Center of Columbia, Giles Leadership, Rotary, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Coalition and the American Muslim Advisory Council. Currently, Abudiab is leading efforts to launch a new campaign, Our Muslim Neighbor, an initiative with local and national partners to counter anti-Muslim sentiment. He has received the 2011 American Dream Award for his work with the immigrant community, and the 2012 Human Rights Advocate Award

Rose was born in Jerusalem and grew up in Winnipeg, Canada. During his time as a rabbinical student, he served a number of congregations in New York and one community in London, England, under the auspices of Masorati Olami. He was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2005, where he also received a master’s degree in Jewish Studies. In his last year, he received the prestigious Rabbi Marshal T. Meyer Fellowship, serving for two years as a rabbinic fellow at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun synagogue in Manhattan.

For more information about this event, call 931-363-9815.