Education

May 16, 2011

$50 million gift creates interfaith school for clergy

by Ryan E. Smith

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Three regional religious institutions are taking the next big step in a unique partnership to teach Christian, Jewish and Muslim spiritual leaders, thanks to a historic $50 million gift.

Claremont School of Theology on Monday announced the donation from philanthropists David and Joan Lincoln — the largest in the school’s history — which will establish Claremont Lincoln University. In a cooperative effort with the Academy for Jewish Religion, California (AJR, CA) and the Islamic Center of Southern California, it will include a consortium of professional graduate schools for religious education.

The seeds of the project were made public last year with the announcement that the Lincolns pledged $10 million towards what was then called the “University Project.” Now the Lincolns, an Arizona couple whose family fortune was built on arc welding and electric motor inventions in the early 1900s, are adding $40 million so that future religious leaders from different faiths have opportunities to study side by side.

“Joan and I are particularly pleased with the idea of creating a multi-faith university that reflects the power and potential of the ‘Golden Rule,’ which the many faith communities have in common,” David Lincoln, a member of the Claremont board of trustees, said in a statement.

“We believe the outcome of this kind of education will be tolerance and respect among religions and the ability to better address global problems where religious cooperation and cooperating are needed to reach solutions and repair the world.”

Each participating institution will contribute to the curriculum at Claremont Lincoln, which will offer such graduate programs as interreligious studies, comparative religions, and conflict resolution. The aim is to add other religious traditions in the future.

Students pursuing ordination will continue to receive that training from their home institution, but there will be opportunities to take courses with students of other faiths, officials said.

Claremont Lincoln’s programming is slated to begin this fall. It will be a welcome addition for Rabbi Mel Gottlieb, president and dean of AJR, CA, whose students currently have only one world religions course available to them. The academy is a transdenominational educator of rabbis, cantors, and chaplains.

“We felt that in the 21st century … it would behoove them to know about other religions as well because we live in an interconnected world,” he said.

The purpose of Lincoln University is to do even more than add depth to the education of future spiritual leaders. It is a recognition that the entire model needs to change, according to the Rev. Jerry D. Campbell, president of Claremont Theological College, which offers clerical training as an ecumenical institution of the United Methodist Church.

“The board of trustees and the faculty were troubled in the fact that a high percentage of the American population associated the idea of religion with conflict,” he said. “We decided as an institution that we would try to look at how we might reduce religion as a cause of conflict and kind of reconstruct it as a source of peace and harmony.”

He continued: “This is, I think, an experiment the world ought to watch.”

A version of this article appeared in print.

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It will be interesting to see who the Muslim participants are. Dollars to doughnuts it won’t be people who are trying to clean up and reform Islam. It will be the usual characters, the wolves in sheep’s clothing, the ones I hear lying about Islam at all the inter-faith conferences. it will be more, perfectly designed taqqiya, betraying the naive donors.

Comment by Davidka on 5/16/11 at 4:23 pm

Davidka, I agree with you.In 2009 Turkey proposed a ‘hadith project’designed to clean up hadith,even throw some out!it was mysteriously cancelled,downplayed and never heard of again.Now we have Harun Yahya who is NOW meeting with the Israeli delegation and sanhedrin to usher in the mahdi!The islamic ruler of all mankind. in his videos he says he will “let” Jews practice their religion but he also says he will build a mosque next to Abraham’s grave an ALL the prophets of the Tanakh! i’m afraid Israel is hoping this mahdi will be on their side.the “jewish one”(the sunni version of dajjal)this man,harun yahya claims mahdi is already here.. 1979…he is intent on rebuilding the Temple.

Comment by Saun on 5/17/11 at 4:31 am

As a graduate of Claremont School of Theology and an avid supporter of the University Project, I am delighted and grateful for this awesome development.  Our thanks to the Lincoln family and their vision and to all faculty, board and staff who have labored to bring about this first in the theological world.  Cheers!

Comment by Dr. Robert and Adrienne Brizee on 5/17/11 at 10:16 am

I believe this this is a program long overdue in coming. Personally, I would be privileged and enchanted to be able to take graduate classes in this virile setting. May the True nature of The God of the Universe be revealed to all. iHs, and yours as well, Rev CM Torres-L.

Comment by CASAL on 5/24/11 at 4:02 pm

As an interfaith advocate, I know how important it is for all faiths to understand and respect each other.

We are past the 80’s interfaith work that only comprise itself of the Abrahamic faiths.

Finding ways for the Abrahamic faiths to trust, love, and honor each other is indeed a very important task at hand.
However, I would not call this an interfaith school.

True interfaith work and studies include ALL faiths.

I would like to see money donated to the many people who do interfaith work around the world, and are making a difference in bringing all faiths together to understand each other, to love each other, to recognize that the Divine resides in all.

Let us serve the world.

Comment by SimranKaur on 5/27/11 at 5:27 pm

The first 2 comments are sickening.

A recent Pew poll showed Muslims are the MOST tolerant religious group in America, yet we have a problem with many folks linking Islam to the acts of some criminals. Is it fair? Then lets link Catholicism to child sexual exploitation, Christianity to the abuse in the Congo and Uganda and Breivik, Judaism to violence of Israel and Zionism, Latinos to the drug/gang murders south of the border…and the list goes on.

I’m glad the Lincoln family included Muslim institution for the project, we need more of that, since it is Islam and Muslims who are the most feared and admittedly Americans know the least about.

Comment by TJ on 9/05/11 at 9:59 am

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