His Excellency Bishop Iyad Twal

Experience the Episode

Presented by Notre Dame Jerusalem

Friday, June 20, 2025 12:00 pm

In this episode of Jerusalem TalksND, Avraham (Avrum) Burg sits down with His Excellency Bishop Iyad Twal, who was ordained to the episcopacy as auxiliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem at the Church of the Baptism of Christ in Al-Maghtas, Jordan by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa in March 2025, becoming the first patriarchal vicar of Jordan to be ordained on Jordanian soil. Together, they look at Fr. Twal’s Jordanian roots, his deep connection to the Holy Land, and his mission of keeping hope alive. At the time of this recording, Bishop Iyad was serving the executive vice president at Bethlehem University and a professor of theology. Their conversation explores topics such as the challenges facing Christian communities in the Middle East, the role of education in fostering interfaith dialogue, and the importance of preserving cultural and religious identity. They also talk about the value of experiencing the Holy Land firsthand in order to understand the “geography of salvation.” They conclude by talking about the role of major themes like justice, reconciliation, resilience, and hope within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In season two, Jerusalem TalksND offers a captivating exploration of the intricate relationship between Catholicism and the Holy Land.

Through a diverse range of perspectives including theology, spirituality, history, Church life, institutional impact, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, postcolonialism, ecumenism, and interfaith dialogue, each episode delves deep into the rich tapestry of connections between Catholicism and the Holy Land.

The journey of exploration is led by a Jewish-Israeli host who works for the University of Notre Dame at its Jerusalem campus (Tantur). Avraham Burg conducts insightful interviews with fascinating individuals from various backgrounds, inviting them to reflect on the above themes and provide unique insights into the complex relationship between Catholicism and the Holy Land. The podcast aims to foster understanding and appreciation for the rich complexities of Earthly Jerusalem in the Catholic tradition. Join us on a journey of discovery as we delve into the spiritual, historical, and cultural significance of Jerusalem for Catholics around the world.

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Meet the Speaker: His Excellency Bishop Iyad Twal

His Excellency Bishop Iyad Twal is a priest in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and was ordained to the episcopacy as auxiliary bishop of Jordan in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem at the Church of the Baptism of Christ in Al-Maghtas, Jordan by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa in March 2025, becoming the first patriarchal vicar of Jordan to be ordained on Jordanian soil. He formerly served as the Executive Vice President at Bethlehem University. He has been in mission and service for the Holy Land since 1989. He has a BA in Philosophy, BA in Theology, several diplomas in Education for Peace, International Relations, and Crisis Management. In 2009 he completed Licentiate in Epistemology and Theoretical Philosophy and in 2011 his Ph.D. in Political Philosophy from Rome, Italy.  He has served as a pastor in many parishes in Palestine, and during his service in parishes, he was the headmaster of the schools there, until 2016 when he became the general director of the Latin Patriarchate Schools.

He started his service at Bethlehem University in 2011 as a teacher for several Philosophy courses, and from 2012 to 2016 he was chairman of the Religious Studies Department and in 2019-2020 the chairman of Humanities.

Bishop Twal is an active member of many cultural, social, and educational initiatives and centers.  In August 2020 he was elected and assigned from the Board of Regents to be the Executive Vice President at Bethlehem University.