Christian clergy in Newton completed a multi-session training program on antisemitism led by Hebrew College's Miller Center and the Newton Interfaith Leaders Association.
The three-session series, funded by an Ally Challenge Grant from CJP's Center for Combating Antisemitism, brought together clergy, lay leaders and several teenagers to examine how anti-Jewish ideas became embedded in Christian theology and practice. Rabbi Or Rose, founding director of the Miller Center for Interreligious Learning & Leadership, guided participants through the history of anti-Judaism from its early evolution through the Enlightenment and into modern, racially coded expressions of antisemitism.
The Rev. Corey J. Sanderson, a minister at Second Church in Newton who co-designed the program with the Rev. Cheryl Kerr, president of the Newton Interfaith Leaders Association and senior minister at United Parish of Auburndale, published a reflection on the experience on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
"Because Christianity en masse has historically been the primary cause and main driver of antisemitism, churches have a serious responsibility to confront this legacy within our faith tradition," Sanderson wrote.
The second session turned inward. Participants deconstructed Bible passages, compared translations and explored how certain preaching styles can reinforce antisemitism without a congregation realizing it. The third session, led by Sanderson, addressed the escalation of White Christian Nationalism and its relationship to antisemitism and Zionism.
Sanderson wrote that the program fills a gap in the Boston area, giving participants "the historical context, theological scholarship, and relational skills to meet institutional antisemitism more thoughtfully and effectively."
The Miller Center, established in 2016 at Hebrew College's campus at 1860 Washington St., received the Ally Challenge Grant to partner with the Newton Interfaith Leaders Association on three workshops and the creation of an "Interfaith Allyship Toolkit." The grant program, now in its second year, supports grassroots projects across Greater Boston.
Kerr said in the grant announcement that the work is imperative for Christians "not just for the sake of our communion with our Jewish siblings but also for our own connection with our faith."
Organizers said they have identified ways to strengthen and expand future sessions, though no dates have been announced.
Upcoming
The Newton Interfaith Leaders Association previously brought together seven Newton congregations at the city's June 3 Pride flag raising. No upcoming NILA events have been publicly scheduled.
