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Leo Baeck College at Canterbury Cathedral

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Six faculty and student members of Leo Baeck College participated in the Church of England’s annual retreat seminar for ordinands for the Priesthood, at Canterbury Cathedral on Palm Sunday, 5th April.

Organised by the South East Institute for Theological Education (SEITE), Rabbi Dr Michael Shire, Leo Baeck’s Vice Principal, led faculty members and rabbinic students in presenting Jewish views of the concept of the Suffering Servant and the Messiah, as expressed in the Hebrew Bible, to the 100 Church of England ordinands.

Rabbi Dr Michael Hilton, Rabbi at Kol Chai synagogue in Hatch End and Leo Baeck faculty member Dr Annette Boeckler, presented a Jewish exegesis on Isaiah 53, in which the description of a Suffering servant is interpreted as referring to the Jewish People.  The Director of SEITE, Dr Jeremy Wortham, subsequently explained the Christian view of the Suffering Servant as heralding Jesus’ role as the Messiah.  Discussion among all the participants indicated the differences in Jewish and Christian views and the responsibility of Christian clergy to understand the difference from the Jewish scriptural and rabbinic tradition.

Rabbi Dr Michael Shire, Dr Annette Boeckler, Leo Baeck lecturer in Liturgy and student rabbis Judith Rosen-Berry, Andrea Zanardo and Lea Muehlstein led workshops on Jewish views of Death and Resurrection, Blessings, Identity, Conversion and Jewish liturgy.

Rabbi Dr Michael Shire said, “This was a unique opportunity to participate in the training of Church of England clergy and provide insight into Jewish views of Scripture and rabbinic thinking that will impact on their work on Campuses, Hospitals and in their parishes.”

Last year members of SEITE participated in Leo Baeck’s Clergy United project funded by the Government’s Faith Capacity Grant.  Drawing upon long standing experience in interfaith dialogue, Leo Baeck College hosted Christian and Muslim clergy in a series of interfaith dialogues throughout 2007-8.  The longstanding relationships established in those dialogues led to the invitation to participate in the SEITE Easter seminar this year.

Pictured above, from left to right: Dr Annette Boeckler, Student Rabbi Andrea Zanardo, Rabbi Dr Michael Hilton, Student Rabbi Lea Muehlstein, Student Rabbi Judith Rosen-Berryand Rabbi Dr Michael Shire.