Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations
"Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time" by Joshua Koffman depicts the Institute's mission as Church and Synagogue enjoying the study of their sacred texts together. Pope Francis visited the SJU campus in 2015 to bless the sculpture and that mission. [Learn More]
The Story of the Institute
Deepening understanding between Jews and Catholics through shared study since 1967
In 1965, the Second Vatican Council in its declaration Nostra Aetate ("In Our Time") called—for the first time in history—upon Catholics and Jews to join in “biblical and theological inquiry … and friendly discussions.” Believing that rapprochement between Jews and Catholics was integral to the Catholic and Jesuit identity of Saint Joseph's, the Jesuit community founded the Institute, the first such American response to the Council. They defined the Institute's mission as increasing knowledge and deepening understanding between the two communities. The Institute today is directed by a Jewish professor and a Catholic professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. They regularly team-teach and partner nationally and globally to research Jewish and Christian reconciliation and reform. They promote opportunities for Christians and Jews to be study partners, teaching and learning about themselves and each other by studying and experiencing together texts, rituals, events, and places.
INSTITUTE NEWS
IJCR NEWS
Two SJU students appointed by the US Bishops' Conference to an interfaith Jewish & Catholic young adult dialogue
Two SJU students appointed by the US Bishops' Conference to an interfaith Jewish & Catholic young adult dialogue
SJU's 2024 University Report: two students participate in a national Catholic-Jewish dialogue.
SJU sculpture inspires Jews and Catholics in Münster, Germany
SJU sculpture inspires Jews and Catholics in Münster, Germany
The Church of St. Lambert and the Jewish community of Münster recently drew upon the SJU artwork to produce a video to correct anti-Jewish images of Synagogue and Church put on the church in 1911.
Directors' Recent Publications
Directors' Recent Publications
IJCR NEWS
Detailed academic article published on IJCR's survey of US Catholics on Jews and Judaism
Detailed academic article published on IJCR's survey of US Catholics on Jews and Judaism
A detailed article on a first-ever survey of U.S. Catholics about Jews and Judaism and its implications for Catholic religious education is now available in Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations.
Resource: IJCR Norms for Middle East Programming
Resource: IJCR Norms for Middle East Programming
In 2011, the IJCR Board of Directors approved these principles based on the missions of SJU and the IJCR when treating subjects about conflicts in the Middle East.
LATEST VIDEOS
Videos
How Christians Imagined Muslims as the Enemy—Just Like Jews
How Christians Imagined Muslims as the Enemy—Just Like Jews
Dr. David M. Freidenreich uncovers the hidden history of Christian Islamophobia and its surprising connections to long-standing hatred of Jews.
The Middle East from a Catholic Perspective
The Middle East from a Catholic Perspective
Rev. Russ McDougall of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops surveys the present Middle East situation from the viewpoint of the Catholic Church.
Understanding Multiple Narratives about Israel/Palestine
Understanding Multiple Narratives about Israel/Palestine
Prof. Ilan Troen examines the intersection of religious traditions and secularity as a lens through which to view how the present warfare in the Middle East came to be.
International Collaborations
International Collaborations
Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations
Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations
Dr. Cunningham is an advisory board member for this project. He and Dr. Gregerman have been interviewed about authoring articles in it HERE
Enabling Dialogue about the Land
Enabling Dialogue about the Land
The IJCR was a university sponsor of a research project of the International Council of Christians and Jews, leading to a resource book on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by Paulist Press
The Importance of Jesus' Jewish Identity for Christians and for Jews Today
The Importance of Jesus' Jewish Identity for Christians and for Jews Today
IJCR is a cosponsor of the research project, "Christ Jesus the Jew: The Importance of His Jewish Identity for Christians and for Jews Today." (Image: R. Neave: reconstruction of a 1st-century Jewish face.)
Collaborative Resources
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The Institute is a founding member of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (CCJR), a network of centers and institutes in the United States and Canada. The Council publishes the peer-reviewed, open-access online journal Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations.
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The Institute cosponsors with the CCJR a library of resources in Catholic-Jewish relations called Dialogika ("things of dialogue"). The library provides documents from Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and interfaith bodies, educational resources and texts from the history of Catholic-Jewish relations.