Dr. Daniel Olsen Named as Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Chicago, IL (September 7, 2017) – Dr. Daniel Olsen has been named Director of the Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. He succeeds Sister Mary Ellen Coombe who had been acting in the role of director until her retirement.
A nationally recognized leader in the ecumenical movement, Dr. Olsen has served as assistant director since 2013. He is recognized as a leader on the issue of inter-church marriage which was the topic of his dissertation at Loyola University Chicago.
“I am grateful that Cardinal Cupich has asked Dr. Olsen to take on this important responsibility,” said, Fr. Thomas A. Baima, Vicar for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, who oversees the ecumenical office and the archdiocesan formation programs. “He already has extensive relationships with the leadership of Chicago’s ecumenical and interreligious community. His teaching and research in theology and his experience in practical ecumenism make him an ideal director. I look forward to our continued collaboration.”
As Director of the EIA office, Olsen becomes the ecumenical officer of the Archdiocese of Chicago and will direct other staff and commission members who handle inter-group relations and formation for the parishes of the Archdiocese. Prior to joining the EIA office, Dr. Olsen taught theology at several area universities, including Saint Xavier University, Loyola University (Chicago), and the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He is a member of a number of professional and scholarly organizations, including the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers, Catholic Theological Society of America and the College Theology Society.
“I am grateful and humbled by the opportunity to serve Cardinal Cupich and the Archdiocese of Chicago in this role,” said Dr. Olsen. “At a time when dialogue and collaboration are increasingly needed in our country and world, I look forward to continuing the strong relationships that have been established between the Archdiocese and the various religious communities in Chicago, while working to further our collaborative efforts in new ways.”
The Archdiocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs is charged with fostering the ecumenical goal of the visible unity of Christians, deepening religious relations with Jews and Muslims and nurturing understanding among all religious groups through dialogue, formation, prayer, and collaboration in civic affairs.
