Safi Kaskas - SSU's Newest Honorary Doctorate

Safi Kaskas was awarded with a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) at St. Stephen's University, NB Canada - 04-30-2025. Safi also received SSU's prestigious "Peace & Justice Legacy Award." Present with him were his wife, Eman, and daughter, Maha.

Land Acknowledgement - Dr. Laurens van Esch Principal

Host - Dr. Bradley Jersak

Board Member - Ernie Tai

---

SAFI'S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

"Honored Guests, Faculty, Students, and Friends,

It is with deep gratitude and humility that I stand before you today to receive this distinguished recognition—the Doctor of Divinity Honoris Causa—from St. Stephen’s University. This honor is more than a personal milestone; it reflects our shared commitment to bridge-building, the pursuit of peace and justice, and the values that unite us in a world that so greatly needs them.

First, I express my heartfelt appreciation to the esteemed Board of Governors, Principal Bradley Jersak, and all who have embraced me as part of this academic and spiritual community. Your unwavering dedication to education, dialogue, and service to humanity is truly inspiring.

St. Stephen’s University is more than an institution—it is a space where wisdom and compassion converge, where knowledge is not merely accumulated but used to transform lives. Our shared purpose is clear: faith should inspire action, scholarship should elevate human dignity, and learning should be a bridge to deeper understanding among people of different traditions and perspectives.

I have been privileged to engage with this university as a lecturer, an advocate for multifaith dialogue, and a fellow seeker of truth. The discussions, collaborations, and exchanges I h had with this esteemed institution and its students have reinforced my belief that our greatest calling is to serve others with sincerity, extend the hand of friendship across divisions, and approach differences not as barriers but as opportunities for growth.

My journey has been shaped by the pursuit of peace and justice—principles that lie at the heart of St. Stephen’s mission. Your commitment to humanitarian efforts, to championing education as a force for good, and to celebrating diverse voices makes this university a beacon of hope.

In an era where polarization, conflict, and mistrust often dictate discourse, the dream of global peace can feel distant. Yet, history and faith traditions alike remind us that harmony is possible—not through division, but through understanding. Our survival on this planet depends on our willingness to transcend differences and nurture empathy.

Education: A Choice Between Walls and Bridges

St. Stephen’s University is entrusted with shaping young minds, guiding them toward values that define the future. Educators have a choice: they can teach love, humility, forgiveness, compassion, and mercy, or they can teach exclusivity, privilege, and division—the dangerous ideals of Christian Nationalism that have surfaced not far from where we stand today.

They can instill the belief that we must love for our neighbors what we love for ourselves, or they can promote the notion that some are chosen, superior, and entitled. They can cultivate servant leaders or privileged leaders. They can foster wall-building or bridge-building.

I commend St. Stephen’s for choosing bridge-building—not as an abstract ideal, but as a deliberate, transformative act rooted in respect, humility, and collaboration. Islam and Christianity, two of the world’s major faiths, offer profound guiding principles for fostering unity. Through shared values, we can turn dialogue into action and division into solidarity.

Ten Principles for Building Bridges

The process of building bridges begins with intentional steps toward meaningful connection. These principles, though simple, require courage, commitment, and open-heartedness:

1. Listen with Curiosity – Replace judgment with genuine curiosity. Listen to understand, not to rebut. Trust is built where people feel heard.

2. Anchor in Shared Values – Universal values such as justice, compassion, and dignity transcend theological differences. Recognizing a common purpose creates unity.

3. Cultivate Empathy – Seeing the world through another’s eyes dissolves barriers. Empathy transforms strangers into allies.

4. Reject Stereotypes – Labels confine. Humanity transcends categories. Understanding individuals beyond preconceived notions fosters deeper connections.

5. Celebrate Common Interests – Shared goals—whether human rights, environmental stewardship, or community welfare—unite people across ideological lines.

6. Honor Differences – Disagreement does not require division. Respectful dialogue thrives when diversity is acknowledged and valued.

7. Choose Collaborative Language – Words matter. Conversations framed around “we” rather than “us versus them” foster partnerships instead of opposition.

8. Work Toward Solutions – Instead of focusing on conflict, seek actionable steps for cooperation, building momentum toward positive change.

9. Embrace Lifelong Learning – Growth stems from humility—the recognition that every interaction is an opportunity to expand one’s understanding.

10. Lead with Kindness – Compassion disarms hostility. Kindness is a universal language, as both Islam and Christianity teach.

Case Study in Interfaith Dialogue: Islam & Christianity

The teachings of Jesus and the Quran offer timeless wisdom for fostering unity. Despite theological differences, both traditions emphasize mercy, justice, and love.

- Listening & Learning – Muslims revere Jesus as a prophet, while Christians honor him as the Son of God. By approaching this difference with curiosity rather than confrontation, dialogue becomes a pathway to mutual discovery.

- Shared Values in Action – Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor” (Mark 12:31) mirrors the Quran’s call to “repel evil with what is better” (Surah Fussilat 41:34). Initiatives such as feeding the hungry or advocating for peace turn shared values into real-world impact.

- Respectful Engagement – Theological distinctions should not derail conversations. Focusing on Jesus’ wisdom, humility, and teachings on compassion (Matthew 6:14, Surah Al-Imran 3:49) allows respect to flourish amid diversity.

Universal Values: Tolerance, Humility, Forgiveness

At the heart of bridge-building lie three virtues celebrated across cultures and faiths:

- Tolerance – “There is no compulsion in religion.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:256) / “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

- Humility – “Whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12) / “And do not turn your face away from people in arrogance, nor walk in pride on the earth.” (Surah Luqman 31:18)

- Forgiveness – “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) / “Those who restrain anger and pardon people—indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:134)

Conclusion: The Choice Is Ours

Bridge-building is not naïve—it is audacious. It is the radical belief that our common humanity outweighs our divisions. Every act of understanding plants a seed for peace.

Neither Islam nor Christianity demands uniformity, but both call for love, mercy, and justice. The path to harmony lies not in erasing differences but in embracing them with grace.

Let us choose curiosity over fear, collaboration over conflict, and love over division—for the bridges we build today will shape the world we inhabit tomorrow.

Today, as I accept this degree, I do so with profound appreciation—not just for this recognition, but for the ongoing work that we are all called to do. May we continue to walk the path of wisdom, inspire and uplift, and never cease to build bridges of understanding in a world that desperately needs them.

Thank you, St. Stephen’s University, for welcoming me into your community and for honoring me in such a meaningful way. I look forward to continuing this journey together.

With gratitude and respect,

Safi Kaskas

---

In accord with SSU's charter, the board of governors has awarded Safi Kaskas the degree of Doctor of Divinity honoris causa on the occasion of our May 2025 Theology & Culture residency in conjunction with the Peace & Justice Legacy Award established last year (via Ernie Tai).

Rationale

While not specified as requirements, the criteria by which the board previously conferred honorary degrees generally included:

(1) significant equivalent experience and/or learning;

(2) significant service to their community and the world;

(3) a relationship of service to SSU, including ambassadorial qualities.

Safi Kaskas certainly qualifies on each front:

Experience and Expertise

Global Vision: Safi focuses on finding commonalities with others to promote peaceful cooperation.  

Safi Kaskas, DBA is an administrator in the managerial sciences with over 40 years of broad-based experience in strategic planning, leadership and business ethics with an emphasis on strategic management in the corporate and academic worlds.

He is a co-founder of East West University, Chicago, IL; and was elected as President of its Board of Directors from 1979 – 2005. He continues to serve on its board as an ex officio. He is the Founder and President of Strategic Edge Management Consultants, Dr Kaskas helped many mid-level and large corporations successfully develop their business portfolios. His consultant firm focused on strategic development within the health care industry and founded the American Strategic Healthcare Management Company (ASHM) which is active in the healthcare field in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In addition to his focus on strategic management science, Dr Kaskas has studied Abrahamic religions and lectured throughout the US and the Middle East on subjects related to Islam, interfaith and reconciliation between Evangelicals and American Muslims.

He is Senior Researcher in Islam and Multifaith Reconciliation with George Mason University, Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution.

Dr Kaskas translated and published The Qur’an into simple easy to understand English in January 2015 and published The Qur’an with references to the Bible in January 2016. This book has 3000 references to the Old and the New Testaments.

The Italian translation to The Qur’an with references to the Bible was completed in April 2016 and was presented to his holiness Pope Francis I during the same month.

He just completed compiling the first Hadith book/collection of Prophet Muhammad’s sayings on The Kindest of Manners.

Dr Kaskas is also a member of the board of the Vatican Foundation International Center Family of Nazareth and IQRA — The International Qur’an Research Association.

Relationship to SSU

Safi has served as a guest lecturer in religion, peace and justice for JFI, speaking to both Bradley and Andrew’s classes on the topic of multi-faith conversation, on Jesus in the Quran, and on being a Jesus-following Muslim in the Sermon on the Mount stream. 

He has also contributed to several SSU conferences, such as “The Experience & Practice of Mutual Respect Across Faiths” (Apr 12, 2023) and our three day conference on Jesus & the Quran (Dec. 13-15, 2024). All our students were involved in the most recent conference, and it included an breakthrough on-site component (hosted by Safi Kaskas and Dana Winner) at the MLK Jr. Library in Washington, DC. 

Safi has deliberately helped us build new bridges and established relationships (especially with Muslims, Jews, and Christians we didn’t know) that expand our brand and reach, as would granting this well-earned degree to Safi.