Academic Life ~ Center for Jewish Christian Studies and Relations ~ History and Mission
History and Mission
In 1986, Dr. James A Carpenter established the Center for Jewish-Christian Studies and Relations at General Theological Seminary to increase understanding between Christians and Jews through substantive dialogue about the similarities and differences that mark the two communities. Dialogue participants are drawn from seminaries of both religious traditions, from other church institutions, and from parishes and synagogues in the area. The discussions are chiefly concerned with theological, moral, and social issues, e.g., with the theology of covenant and grace, as well as law and love and justice in societal structures and life.
After Dr. Carpenter's retirement in 1994, the Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Professor of Christian Ethics, became the Center's second director, followed by Dr. Deirdre Good, Professor of New Testament, and Dr. Judith Newman, Professor of Old Testament. Dr. Robert Owens, Professor of Old Testament, directed the Center in 2005-06. One of only a few such agencies in the Episcopal Church, the Center exercises a leadership role in the crucial matter of Jewish-Christian relations and enables the Seminary to participate directly in a principal concern of the contemporary theological enterprise - the Jewish roots of Christian identity.
In 2002, the Center became a founding member of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations, an umbrella organization of twenty-four Jewish-Christian centers in the United States. The establishment of this national council signals the coming of age of centers concerned with interfaith relations.
The Center is committed to a two-fold mission: to promote dialogue at the seminary level and to be a resource for further dialogue between Jews and Christians at the congregational level. To that end, the Center seeks to build on the close relationships established between GTS and Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion and The Jewish Theological Seminary, to develop workshops which will bring rabbis, pastors and lay persons together around common congregational concerns and to widen the opportunities for rabbinical students and seminarians to do field work in interfaith settings.
The original purposes of the Center, still relevant today, have been stated as follows: To serve as a concrete embodiment of Christian commitment to the furtherance of Jewish-Christian relations; to provide an open, academic forum for dialogue; to combine academic study and practical performance of dialogue; to be a resource for the church and its agencies; and to assist in the creation of dialogues at every feasible level. To that end, the Center focuses on questions of anti-Judaism, an impoverishment of Christians and an injustice to Jews; the Judaic roots of Christian faith; the continuing relationship of Christianity and the Jewish people; and the meaning and necessity of dialogue.
During the current interim in the Center's leadership, inquires may be directed to Sub-Dean Titus Presler: 212-243-5150, ext. 302; presler@gts.edu.
