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
SJU Student to Represent USA at Vatican "Synod on Synodality"
SJU Student to Represent USA at Vatican "Synod on Synodality"
SJU student Julia Oseka will be a "young adult" delegate at the historic "Synod on Synodality" to be held in the Vatican this October.
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.
IJCR hosts international research on Christ Jesus the Jew
IJCR hosts international research on Christ Jesus the Jew
The IJCR recently hosted scholars from 10 nations to begin a multiyear research project, "Christ Jesus the Jew: The Importance of His Jewish Identity for Christians and for Jews Today."
LATEST VIDEOS
Videos
The Bible, the Rabbis, and Jewish-Gentile Relations
The Bible, the Rabbis, and Jewish-Gentile Relations
Rabbi Dr. Eugene Korn reviews rabbinic religious perspectives on non-Jews past and present. He concludes with how Jews should relate to gentiles today, especially Christians and Christianity.
Christian-Jewish Relations and Black Christian Thought: Shared Insights, Challenges
Christian-Jewish Relations and Black Christian Thought: Shared Insights, Challenges
Dr. Andrew Prevot describes the common bases of antisemitism and anti-Black racism in the ideology of white supremacy.
The Catholic Conflict over Vatican II and Its Implications for Relations with Jews
The Catholic Conflict over Vatican II and Its Implications for Relations with Jews
Prof. Massimo Faggioli explains three problematic approaches to Vatican II that impair Catholic-Jewish relations.
International Collaborations
Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations
Dr. Cunningham is an advisory board member for this project of the Berlin-based publisher DeGruyter. He and Dr. Gregerman have also authored articles in it. View an introductory video to the project, which includes an interview with the Institute directors about co-writing one of the entries.
Enabling Dialogue about the Land
The Institute was a university sponsor of a research project of the International Council of Christians and Jews, which led to the publication of a resource book for Jews and Christians on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by Paulist Press. Watch a video interview with the volume’s editors on ICCJ's YouTube channel.
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.