Center for Interreligious and Communal Leadership Education (CIRCLE)
About CIRCLE | News and comment | Programs | CIRCLE Fellows | Courses | Contact
About CIRCLE
Founded in 2008 with a generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Center for Interreligious and Communal Leadership Education (CIRCLE) is a joint interfaith action and study initiative of Andover Newton and Hebrew College. CIRCLE’s mission is to nurture a new generation of moral and spiritual leaders equipped for service in a religiously diverse world.
The work of CIRCLE is rooted in the cultivation of authentic relationships among the students, faculty and staff of the two schools. Together, we seek to help transform the ways that religious communities engage in the work of creating a more 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 role of interfaith engagement in religious education and leadership.
Read Jennifer Peace's recent article "The Role of Theological Seminaries in Increasing Interfaith Cooperation in the United States: The CIRCLE Program of Andover Newton Theological School and Hebrew College" click here: http://journals.naspa.org/jcc/vol12/iss1/4/
Interfaith encounters
Both schools are committed to the premise that the training of contemporary religious leaders should include regular and substantive encourters with students and teachers from other faith communities.
The presence of the religious “other” throughout a student's education requires the aspiring rabbi, minister, cantor or educator to articulate his or her religious commitments with clarity and conviction, while remaining open to learning from people with different beliefs and practices.
Journeys on the Hill (JOTH)
JOTH provides informal seasonal and thematic programming for the Andover Newton-Hebrew College graduate student community. Look for posters about upcoming events; come to one or all of the gatherings; or become a JOTH leader.
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.
CIRCLE Fellows
Each year a cohort of outstanding graduate students from Andover Newton and Hebrew College are chosen as CIRCLE Fellows. These competitive one-year fellowships carry a generous stipend and include an intensive leadership development program.
The next deadline for applying for CIRCLE fellowships is July 15, 2011. For more information about the application process and the application form, please download CIRCLE Fellowship ApplicationJoint Academic courses
Each semester, Andover Newton and Hebrew College faculty offer one jointly-taught course open to graduate students from both campuses. Consult the Andover Newton and Hebrew College listings for details.
Courses offered by Andover Newton are available to Boston Theological Institute (BIT) students according to BTI guidelines.
Contact
For more information about CIRCLE, the CIRCLE Fellows, and other interfaith efforts at Andover Newton, contact Dr. Jennifer Peace, CIRCLE Co-Director, at 617-831-2405, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
