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
IJCR program gives first results of survey of US Catholics re Jews
IJCR program gives first results of survey of US Catholics re Jews
The initial findings of a first-ever survey of U.S. Catholics about Jews and Judaism were presented by its four authors at a March 22nd program.
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."
Podcast: Building Bridges between Jews and Catholics
Podcast: Building Bridges between Jews and Catholics
For AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast, IJCR Directors Philip Cunningham and Adam Gregerman describe the mission and plans of the Institute in the context of the history of Christian-Jewish relations.
LATEST VIDEOS
Videos
Messianic Zionism in the Digital Age: Jews, Noahides, an Imagined Third Temple
Messianic Zionism in the Digital Age: Jews, Noahides, an Imagined Third Temple
Dr. Rachel Feldman explores the B'nei Noah, The Children of Noah, a new Judaic faith of messianic times that supports the construction of a third Temple in Jerusalem and a renewal of animal sacrifices there.
Catholic Attitudes toward Jews, Judaism, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Catholic Attitudes toward Jews, Judaism, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The initial findings of a survey of U.S. Catholics on how they feel about Jews and Judaism and such topics as the crucifixion, the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, and familiarity with Catholic teaching.
Christianity and Judaism in a "Post-Religious" and "Post-Physicalist" World
Christianity and Judaism in a "Post-Religious" and "Post-Physicalist" World
Paolo Gamberini, SJ discusses the convergence of science and theology in recognizing the limits of what humans can know about the created universe and how that awareness actually enables a sense of the pervading divine Presence.
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.