The Inter-Seminary Initiative fosters efforts by theological schools and seminaries to incorporate teaching and learning about the religious traditions or faiths that are different from those of the home religious tradition. The Initiative offers resources for on-going learning and skill-building so that participating schools become places of welcome and dialogue.
Interfaith Philadelphia brings to the Initiative a commitment to innovative educational programs; experience in community organizing; a trusted network of partners across faith and secular communities; and access to a wide array of resources. Interfaith Philadelphia Advisory Group designates staff to guide and implement the work of the Initiative.
Rev. Edward Livingston - Director of Religious Community Initiatives
Rev. Livingston is the project manager for this initiative and oversees the logistics, timeline, development, and implementation of the Initiative, but the scope and direction of the Initiative will be largely defined by the leaders from the participating schools. In addition to the recent retreat, we are engaged in a series of 'Listening Sessions' with seminaries that may choose to be partners in one or more aspects of the project.
Participating Institutions
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
Won Institute for Graduate Studies
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Respect Graduate School
Palmer Theological Seminary
Missio Seminary
Moravian Theological Seminary
Lancaster Theological Seminary
United Lutheran Seminary
Advisory Group
Monsignor Gregory Fairbanks, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
Dr. Hojin Park, Won Institute for Graduate Studies
Dr. Amanda Mbuvi, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rubina Tareen, Sakinah Alhabshi, Respect Graduate School
Dr. Phaedra Blocker, Palmer Theological Seminary
Dr. Kyuboem Lee, Missio Seminary
Allison Berger, Moravian Theological Seminary
Dr. Vanessa Lovelace, Lancaster Theological Seminary
Inter-Seminary Initiative Student Series
In 2022, the ISI launched the Student Series with "What Chaplaincy Can Teach Us About Interfaith Work.” Current and former theological students from multiple religious backgrounds shared their experiences as chaplains in hospitals, colleges, prisons, and the military and discussed how chaplaincy impacted their faith and understanding of religious diversity.
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We are grateful to The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation for their substantial support of this initiative since its inception. This has allowed us to create opportunities for interfaith learning among faculty members, administrators, and students, preparing them to live and lead faithfully in a religiously diverse world.