CIRCLE Center for Inter-Religious and Communal Leadership Education
About Founded in 2008 with a generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Center for Inter-Religious and Communal Leadership Education (CIRCLE) is a joint initiative of Andover Newton Theological School (ANTS) and Hebrew College. CIRCLE’s mission is to help prepare future religious leaders for service in a multi-religious world through the cultivation of authentic relationships and intentional learning opportunities among members of the HC and ANTS communities. Together we seek to transform the ways in which religious communities engage in the work of creating a just and compassionate world. While our primary focus is on “Faith Hill,” CIRCLE is also part of a growing national and international conversation about the nature of religious education in an age of religious diversity. Both schools are committed to the premise that the training of contemporary religious leaders should not merely include interfaith perspectives described in textbooks or presented by experts, but also regular and substantive encounters with students and teachers from other faith communities. The presence of the religious “other” throughout a student's education requires the aspiring Jewish or Christian leader to articulate his or her spiritual commitments with clarity and conviction, while remaining open to learning from people with different beliefs and practices.
How to Get Involved with CIRCLE
I. JOURNEYS ON THE HILL (JOTH): JOTH provides informal seasonal and thematic programming for the ANTS-HC graduate student community. Look for posters about upcoming events; come to one or all of the gatherings; become a JOTH leader!
II. INTERFAITH PEER GROUPS These student-led groups meet once monthly throughout the academic year for study and intentional conversation. New groups form at the beginning of the fall semester. If you are interested in joining a peer group look for forthcoming information about applying or contact Jennifer Peace (jpeace@ants.edu) or Or Rose (orose@hebrewcollege.edu ).
III. CIRCLE FELLOWS Each year, six outstanding graduate students from the two schools who have demonstrated engagement in interfaith activities are selected as CIRCLE fellows. These competitive, one-year fellowships carry a generous stipend and include an intensive leadership development program. The fellows for 2009-2010 are: Daniel Berman (HC), Seth Carrier (ANTS), Tamar Grimm (HC), Kathryn Henderson (ANTS), Navah Levine (HC), and Tim Trussell-Smith (ANTS).
IV. JOINT ACADEMIC COURSES Each semester, ANTS and HC faculty offer one jointly-taught course open to graduate students from both campuses. The following courses will be offered during the 2009-2010 academic year:
Fall 2009Spiritual Memoir and Autobiography: An Interfaith Exploration Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, Jennifer Peace, and Or Rose
Spring 2010Song of Songs in Jewish and Christian Interpretation Solomon Schimmel and Carole Fontaine
Recent CIRCLE Events:
Spiritual Return: Walking the Labyrnth Wednesday, September 16, 2009 6:00-7:30 pm Berkeley Room & Wilson Chapel, Andover Newton Campus Please join us to learn about JOTH and CIRCLE, and to experience a labyrinth walk with colleagues from ANTS and HC.
Sukkah of Peace: Sharing the Bounty Thursday, October 8th 1:00 – 2:15 pm The new Interfaith Garden (at the intersection between HC and ANTS) Please join us as we celebrate the festival of Sukkot (Booths) with song, text, and food, and we dedicate our new interfaith garden in loving memory of Edie Howe.
Upcoming CIRCLE Events: Save the Date: APRIL 14-16, 2010
CIRCLE will host a national conference on Religious Leadership in an Age of Religious Diversity. Public programs will provide students, faculty, and community members with the opportunity to hear from leading scholars and practitioners in this field.
