The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies

1316 Park Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21217
410.523.7227 / fax: 410.523.0636

Artwork for this project was developed by Baltimore artist
Steven Hoffman Shapiro
as part of a creative response to his participation with the Institute
for Christian and Jewish Studies on their 1995 Study Tour to Israel.

ICJS BOARD MEMBERS
Dr. Arthur C. Abramson Executive Director, Baltimore Jewish Council Taylor Branch Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Deborah Callard Fundraising Consultant Owen Daly, II Retired President, Equitable Bancorp. Redmond C. S. Finney Retired Headmaster, Gilman School Marjorie Gordon Chair, L. Gordon & Son Robert D. H. Harvey Retired Chair, Maryland National Bank George B. Hess, Jr. Director, The Meyerhoff Foundation LeRoy E. Hoffberger Attorney, Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger, Hollander Rev. Robert W. Ihloff Episcopal Bishop of Maryland Rev. Robert E. Leavitt President-Rector, St. Mary's Seminary Bernard Manekin, Co-chair President Manekin Corporation Bishop George P. Mocko Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Charles F. Obrecht, Co-chair Partner, P. Fred'k Obrecht & Son Paula Rome President, Rome Associates Arnold Richman President, The Shelter Group Melvin J. Sykes Attorney and Author Rabbi Joel H. Zaiman Senior Rabbi Chizuk Amuno Congregation		Richard O. Berndt, Co-chair Attorney, Gallagher, Evelius, & Jones George L. Bunting, Jr. Bunting Family Enterprises Peter Culman Managing Director, Center Stage John B. Ferron, Executive Director Baltimore Community Relations Commission Donna Lee Frisch Community Activist Helene H. Hahn President, Hahn Graphics. Inc. Lee Hendler Community Activist and Writer David Hirschhorn, President American Trading & Production Corporation Kathryn K. Hoskins Attorney, Gallagher, Evelius, & Jones Dr. Delores Kelley Professor, Coppin State College Member, Maryland House of Delegates Rabbi Mark Loeb Senior Rabbi, Beth El Congregation Peter Marudas Executive Assistant to Senator Paul Sarbanes Bishop P. Francis Murphy Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Baltimore Rev. Robert Patterson Retired Senior Minister Episcopal Church of the Redeemer H. Canfield Pitts, II Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith John P. Sarbanes Attorney, Venable, Baetjer, & Howard Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg Senior Rabbi Beth Tfiloh Congregation TOP

OVERVIEW The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies (ICJS) is a nonprofit educational organization whose mission focuses on the task of disarming religious prejudice by establishing models of interfaith understanding. The ICJS emerged out of the conviction that ignorance and fear have all too often defined the character of the relationship between world religions, and in particular, the Jewish-Christian encounter. Historically, the failure of these two religious communities to live creatively with their differences has produced a climate of hostility that repeatedly threatens the survival of the Jewish people and imperils the spiritual and moral credibility of the church. In a world where religious and ethnic conflicts erupt in countless ways and in unexpected places, we cannot neglect the imperative to develop new responses to religious pluralism. The ICJS is committed to providing a variety of educational programs that highlight the legitimacy and distinctiveness of our respective religious traditions and confront the destructive theological distortions and misconceptions that have contributed to the historical conflict between Christians and Jews. TOP

HISTORY A community with a rich religious history, Baltimore has been home to a number of visionary religious leaders, among them Lawrence Cardinal Shehan and Rabbi Jacob Agus, who bequeathed a vibrant legacy of interfaith cooperation that contributed greatly to Baltimore's emergence as a city on the vanguard of the Jewish-Christian encounter. In May 1986, Baltimore was the site of The 9th National Workshop on Christian-Jewish Relations. The interfaith coalition of local lay leaders and clergy who were instrumental in bringing The National Workshop to Baltimore and had formed the core of its planning committee founded the ICJS in May 1987 as a direct response to the concern and interest generated by The Workshop. The founding mission of the ICJS was to sustain a systematic inquiry into the challenges posed by religious pluralism and to translate innovative scholarship into the life of the local communities. TOP

PROGRAMS Following extensive consultation with a wide range of religious leaders in Maryland and beyond, the Institute's initial effort was the design and implementation of the Maryland Interfaith Project (the MIP), a three-year study program comprised of eleven denominationally organized Christian Study Groups and one Jewish Study Group. The Christian Study teams each included fifteen to twenty lay leaders and clergy appointed by their respective judicatory heads, and the Jewish Study Group included fifteen rabbis representing the four major branches of Judaism. The overarching goal of the MIP was to identify and examine those fundamental theological issues that contributed to the tragic history that has for so long polarized Christians and Jews. In addition, the Christian Study Groups had a second goal: to foster within their respective denominations a greater commitment and sensitivity to learning that would correct a legacy of the "teaching of contempt" regarding Judaism. The Jewish Study Group also set for itself two goals: to explore the impact and significance of a changing relationship with Christians, and to examine Jewish teaching regarding Christianity. Beginning in 1988, the twelve study groups met monthly for three years. TOP

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Presbyterian Study Group --Sermonshop--an internet preaching aid, utilizing local and national scholars, which focuses upon difficult and insensitive Christian texts with regard to Judaism.--Commenced 1991: Ongoing. [hotlink to http://205.138.172/folio.pgi/sermon] --State-wide education program on Christian--Jewish relations for clergy led by participants in the Presbyterian Study Group--1992: Ongoing. --Planning and implementation of a national Presbyterian-Lutheran conference attended by 90 participants, including top scholars and denominational leaders--1994. Episcopal Study Group --Two, full-day retreats for Episcopal clergy on Christian--Jewish relations--1991. Publication of a guide on Christian-Jewish issues distributed to all diocesan clergy and made available to all interested laity; revised, expanded edition planned for 1996/'97. [hotlink "excerpts included in this site") Lutheran Study Group --Planning, composition, and adoption by Maryland/Delaware Synod of local monument (resolution) leading to the adoption by the National Synod of the landmark: "Declaration of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America To The Jewish People" (April 8, 1994). "In the long history of Christianity, there exists no more tragic development than the treatment accorded the Jewish people on the part of Christian believers" (from text of statement)--Commenced 1991: Ongoing. --Planning and implementation of a national Presbyterian--Lutheran conference in Baltimore, attended by 90 participants, including renowned scholars and denominational leaders--1994. Roman Catholic Study Group --Revised religious curriculum at Mercy High School--1991/93: Ongoing Holocaust Education Program. --Two-day conference for Catholic priests, educators and laity at St. Mary's Seminary--200 participants including national religious leaders--March, 1991. --Organization of a conference for Catholics to examine the impact of existing liturgical music on Christian understanding of Judaism, using newly composed works--1992. --Retreat for leadership of the Archdiocese of Baltimore--1993. --Planned "Faith for the Future" conference for Catholic and Jewish educators--May, 1997. Disciples of Christ Study Group --Four-part series on Christian--Jewish issues for clergy and laity in Maryland; 1992. Baptist Study Group --Planning, composition and leadership resulted in the adoption by the Alliance of Baptists of "A Baptist Statement on Christian--Jewish Relations"--March 4, 1995. First such statement by an evangelical group in America, described by the American Jewish Committee as a "Remarkable document, extraordinary in substance and tone" that will have significant influence on future teaching and liturgical practices among Baptists. 1990--Ongoing. --Research and composition of a history on Southern Baptist-Jewish relations for use within the denomination. 1994. African American Study Group --Mixed denominational membership involved in various efforts concerned with race and religion. Included projects (and a proposal) in cooperation with Center Stage (Fire in the Mirror) and the Baltimore City Life Museums (race and religion project)--1994/95. In addition to the above programming initiatives that grew out of the Maryland Interfaith Project, since 1991 the ICJS has designed, developed, and implemented many other programs involving a broad cross-section of local and national religious leaders. Among these, the following are noteworthy: Curriculum development: --Teacher training, curriculum development, organization and funding of programs for 2000 high school students centered around the movie Schindler's List. 1994. Clergy Scripture Forums --Thirty local Jewish and Christian clergy meet eight times each year to study sacred text that pose fundamental pastoral challenges to both traditions. Four of these sessions are with national scholars brought to Baltimore by the ICJS.--Commenced 1994: Ongoing. Preaching Forum --Semi-annual programs for Christian clergy that focuses on preaching during Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter; text study and development of strategies for preaching Lectionary texts that contain anti-Jewish polemics; approximately seventy clergy participate in each forum--Commenced 1994: Ongoing. Beit Midrash --Annual text study program for Jewish and Christian laity and clergy led by master teacher Noam Zion of The Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem; approximately sixty participants involved in each program--Commenced 1990: Ongoing. Public Lectures --Over 30 major programs with attendance ranging from 200 to 1800. Speakers have included many of the most respected and renowned religious leaders in America, including Martin Marty (University of Chicago), Elie Wiesel (Nobel Prize winner), Blu Greenberg (author), Jaroslav Pelikan (Yale University), David Hartman (Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem), Bishop Krister Stendahl (Harvard Divinity School) and Bill Moyers (Journalist)--Commenced 1988: Ongoing. Jewish Scholars Group --Twenty-five distinguished Jewish scholars brought to Baltimore twice yearly to examine the history of the Jewish-Christian encounter and to discuss the challenges and contemporary significance of the history for the Jewish community. The JSG is the first and only gathering of Jewish scholars formed to address these issues. A partial listing includes: Dr. Daniel Boyarin (University of California at Berkeley), Dr. Tikva Frymer-Kensky (University of Chicago Divinity School), Dr. Susan Handelman (University of Maryland, College Park), Dr. Susannah Heschel (Case Western Reserve University), Dr. Jon D. Levenson (Harvard University Divinity School), Dr. Michael Signer (University of Notre Dame), Dr. David Novak (University of Virginia), Dr. Marc Saperstein (Washington University), and Dr. Michael Wyschogrod (University of Houston)--Commenced 1995: Ongoing. Christian Study Group --Twenty-five distinguished Christian scholars brought to Baltimore twice yearly to reexamine Christians teaching on Judaism and the Jewish people, and to produce scholarly works that offer new understandings on this subject. A partial listing of CSG scholars includes: Dr. Mary C. Boys (Union Theological Seminary), Dr. Celia Deutsch (Barnard College at Columbia University), Dr. Eugene Fisher (National Conference of Catholic Bishops), Dr. Walter Harrelson (Wake Forest University), Dr. John Pawlikowski, (Catholic Theological Union), Dr. Joseph Tyson (Southern Methodist University ), Dr. Paul van Buren (Heidelberg University), and Dr. Clark Williamson (Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis)--Commenced 1988: Ongoing. Media --Consultation and funding of award winning documentary for television--The Peacemakers--filmed in Israel detailing the wide range of thought regarding Israeli--Palestinian relations. Shown in various local TV markets--1991. --"Genesis" radio series with Baltimore NPR affiliate WJHU-FM host Marc Steiner. 1997. Publications --Contributions to monographs and other scholarly publications included A Dictionary of the Jewish-Christian Dialogue (expanded ed.); Interwoven Destinies: Jews and Christians through the Ages; Mature Christianity in the 21st Century; The Recognition and Repudiation of the Anti-Jewish Polemic in the New Testament, (expanded and rev. ed.); and Visions of The Other: Jewish and Christian Theologians Assess the Dialogue; --Coedited and contributed to Talking About Genesis: A Resource Guide: Values Education Project --Baltimore City Public School System--Organized religious community support for United Way grant for a school-wide character education program. Reaches approximately 70,000 students.--Commenced 1994: Ongoing. Seminary Education Projects --Programs for faculty and students at Gettysburg (Lutheran) / St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) / Wesley (Methodist) concentrating on religious pluralism using the Christian--Jewish model.--Commenced 1993: Ongoing. Christian/Jewish Study in Israel --Community leaders, clergy, educators, and ICJS scholars study the challenges of religious pluralism in a land held holy by the three great Western religious traditions. Four trips, 120 participants--Commenced 1989: Ongoing. Catholic/Jewish Educators National Forum --Lilly Endowment funded project consisted of 22 Catholic and Jewish educators who met 6 times for 2 1/2 days each, over a three-year period in Baltimore. Re-examined how each group understands and teaches about the other, with the intent of encouraging development of new teaching material. Scholar leaders--Professors Mary Boys and Sara Lee.--Commenced 1992: Ongoing. Moyers' Genesis Project --Ten-part series for public television, hosted by Bill Moyers for showing in the Fall, 1996. ICJS selected for the planning, writing, and editing of the study guide published by Doubleday and distributed nationally. ICJS also selected to pilot the development of a discussion model for possible national use involving Jews, white Christians, and African American Christians. The Institute also manages scholarly responses for Public Television's--WNET Genesis web site (hotlink www.WNET.org)--Commenced 1995: Ongoing. National Conference for Catholic Clergy and Religious Educators --Eastern regional conference, to provide practical guidance to priests and Catholic educators, regarding implementation of guidelines issued by the Vatican and the U.S. Church, dealing with changes in teaching and preaching about Jews and Judaism.--May, 1997 at St. Mary's Seminary and University. Miscellaneous --Projects involving cooperative programs with: a) courses on Christian-Jewish relations taught by ICJS staff at The College of Notre Dame of Maryland, The John Hopkins University, and The Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University; b) symposium and program notes on Bach's St. Matthew Passion with The Walters Art Gallery and The Baltimore Choral Arts Society; c) Facing History and Ourselves: participation in teacher-training regarding religious content of their curriculum; d) resource and consultation: The National Conference of Churches, Committee on Inter-religious Affairs; TOP

EVALUATIONS Evaluation of Institute programs falls into four general categories: independent outside evaluation of specific programs, internal evaluation, evaluations by professional staff of foundations, and personal testimonials. Independent: professional outside evaluators engaged by the Institute to review four of its major programs: the Lilly Endowment Project, the Israel Study Trips, and the Presbyterian-Lutheran Conference and the Genesis discussion groups. Internal: periodic evaluation by the Program Committee of the ICJS Board; ongoing evaluation by ICJS staff; Foundation: the ICJS has received fourteen program grants or funds for cooperative ventures from foundations or organizations with highly skilled staff analysts who have visited Baltimore to conduct initial in-house screening and to review program implementation. National foundations awarding grants to the ICJS include: Lilly Endowment, Indianapolis (3 grants) Revson Foundation, New York (3 grants) Slifka Foundation, New York (2 grants) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C. (two cooperative programs) National Endowment for the Humanities, Maryland Council (3 grants) Guttman Foundation, New York (1996 grant)   TOP

PERSONAL TESTIMONIALS Many renowned religious and educational leaders have praised the Institute's work. Among them are: --Rabbi Irving Greenberg, President The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. "The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies is the most comprehensive, pioneering combination in the U.S., and, perhaps the world, of advanced thought, clergy involvement, and lay participants..." --Dr. William Richardson, President The Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek Michigan. "The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies embodies the kind of organizational innovation and pedagogical imagination needed to confront the hostilities which pit one religious group against another." --William Cardinal Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore and President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. "The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies has become a great resource for the faith communities in and beyond the Baltimore area." --Blu Greenberg, Distinguished Author and Lecturer. "To heal the wounds, to enable brothers and sisters to understand each other, to promote a climate of peace and mutual respect while affirming our differences -- that is God's work. And the work of the ICJS." --Dr. Martin Marty, University of Chicago, described by Time as the most influential interpreter of religion in the U.S. "We have enough models of conflict and too few of understanding and resolution: prosper, ICJS!" --Rabbi Michael Cook, Professor of Early Christian Literature Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati. "Far and away, in my view, the best program of its type, and certainly the model of what we should be doing in all areas of our country and in Europe as well." --Dr. Mary C. Boys, Union Theological Seminary, New York and Professor Sara S. Lee, Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles. "ICJS honors the particularity of faith traditions while fostering a genuine commitment to religious pluralism. Such organizations are vital to the health of religion and to North American society." --Dr. Calvin W. Burnett, President, Coppin State College. "The ICJS provides needed education which breaks through the walls of distrust separating religious and racial groups." --Rev. Daniel Harrington, S.J., Western School of Theology. "The ICJS session in which I participated so stimulated me that I wrote a book, John's Thought and Theology, in response to it." TOP

MEET THE ICJS STAFF

Dr. Christopher M. Leighton is an ordained Presbyterian minister who has served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies in Baltimore, Maryland since its inception in 1987. Dr. Leighton is a graduate of the Princeton Theological Seminary and Columbia University where he did his doctorate in Philosophy and Education. He has studied at the Baltimore Hebrew University, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. In addition to his work at the ICJS, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins University. After co-editing Talking About Genesis: A Resource Guide for the Bill Moyers series, he conducted a variety of educational programs which explored the challenges of reading and interpreting Genesis with public and independent high school students, individuals in retirement homes, a maximum security prison, as well as a diverse cross-section of churches and synagogues. Dr. Rosann Catalano is the Roman Catholic theologian on the staff of the Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies. From 1980-1991 she was Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, she is Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary's Seminary & University, Baltimore; and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at the Weekend College, The College of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore. A systematic theologian, Dr. Catalano did her doctorate at the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto, where she did her major work on the theology of God and the poetry of suffering in the book of Psalms. She is a member of a number of professional societies and ecumenical and interfaith organizations. She lectures widely to Protestant, Jewish, and Catholic audiences on theological and interfaith topics. Valerie Williams is the ICJS Office Administrator, which means she does everything from making copies to designing publications to coordinating projects. She served as project manager on the Genesis Pilot Project, a venture which brought together 300 people from 27 congregations in the Baltimore are into interfaith, multi-cultural study groups focused on the stories in Genesis. Valerie held administrative positions at the National Federation of the Blind and the Haitian Refugee Center (in Miami) prior to coming to the ICJS. Sr. Joan Marie Stief, OSB, is the Community Outreach and Special Projects Coordinator. Her biography will be expanded. Chris Roberts was the ICJS staff member responsible for editing and producing this web site. After finishing this project he went to work on a new PBS weekly news program about religion and ethics. He can be contacted via email at 73522.3527@compuserve.com. TOP