Fostering understanding, cooperation and friendship
Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies
About the Jay Phillips Center
The Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas is dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of interreligious relations and understanding. The center collaborates with the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota to promote the public understanding of interreligious relations through dialogue, encounter, and civic engagement.
Upcoming Public Events
Past Programming Archive
Retracing Jewish Roots on the North Dakota Prairie
Stories and Lessons about Life, Family, and Faith with Rebecca Bender
Published in September 2021, this video features Rebecca Bender introducing her recently published book Still (North Dakota State University Press, 2019). View the video by clicking on the image. You may also read more about this video and instructions to order a discounted copy through Oct 1, 2021.
Interreligious Encounter in a Virtual Covid-19 World
As the world migrated online in the spring of 2020, interreligious learning and encounter moved with it. For students completing their interreligious engagement experience for THEO468 in Summer and Fall 2020 at St. Thomas, this meant a pivot to encountering religious diversity across the globe in virtual spaces. Their experiences culminated in several short public narratives and stories with video, pictures, and audio published in a single online StoryMap that documents their insights gained. Visit the StoryMap at the link below to read their narratives about interfaith leadership and virtues, appreciative knowledge and (inter)religious literacy, and global dialogue.
Programs and Resources
Engagement
The Jay Phillips Center engages campus and community in many ways.
Public Events
We serve the campus community and the public by hosting events that promote the public understanding of religion and interreligious relations.
Conferences and Symposia
We host conferences and symposia organized around timely questions, relevant events, and innovative ideas in the area of interreligious studies, interfaith leadership and civic pluralism.
Bridge Building
The Jay Phillips Center promotes interfaith community relations by bringing together people of different religious, spiritual, and secular identities to learn from, and serve alongside, each other.
Seminars and Lecture Series
Our seminars and lecture series invite scholars, leaders, practitioners, and community members with various religious, spiritual, and secular identities together for conversation around important topics and issues. Past seminars and lectures have focused on topics such as Muslim identities in Minnesota and North America, Hindu-Christian encounters in India, and interfaith leadership in business education.
Interreligious Micro Grant for Guest Speakers in Classrooms
This program provides micro grants to faculty to enhance their courses with an interreligious component by inviting guest speakers to their class to offer views from religious minority traditions or on topics that relate to interreligious studies and interfaith relations. More about the Interreligious Micro Grant program for Guest Speakers in Classrooms.
Engagement
The center sponsors programs and conversations, often focused on books, films or current events, among groups of students, faculty, and people from the wider community.
Research Resources
The Jay Phillips Center offers a variety of resources that support research and scholarship in the field of interreligious studies, including the Jan Phillips Database.
Engagement
The Jay Phillips Center engages campus and community in many ways.
Public Events
We serve the campus community and the public by hosting events that promote the public understanding of religion and interreligious relations.
Conferences and Symposia
We host conferences and symposia organized around timely questions, relevant events, and innovative ideas in the area of interreligious studies, interfaith leadership and civic pluralism.
Bridge Building
The Jay Phillips Center promotes interfaith community relations by bringing together people of different religious, spiritual, and secular identities to learn from, and serve alongside, each other.
Seminars and Lecture Series
Our seminars and lecture series invite scholars, leaders, practitioners, and community members with various religious, spiritual, and secular identities together for conversation around important topics and issues. Past seminars and lectures have focused on topics such as Muslim identities in Minnesota and North America, Hindu-Christian encounters in India, and interfaith leadership in business education.
Interreligious Micro Grant for Guest Speakers in Classrooms
This program provides micro grants to faculty to enhance their courses with an interreligious component by inviting guest speakers to their class to offer views from religious minority traditions or on topics that relate to interreligious studies and interfaith relations. More about the Interreligious Micro Grant program for Guest Speakers in Classrooms.
Engagement
The center sponsors programs and conversations, often focused on books, films or current events, among groups of students, faculty, and people from the wider community.
Research Resources
The Jay Phillips Center offers a variety of resources that support research and scholarship in the field of interreligious studies, including the Jan Phillips Database.
Student Interreligious Research & Interfaith Leadership Programs
The Jay Phillips Center offers two robust programs for students to study interreligious relations and engage with religious diversity while building their skillset to lead in a world growing in religious diversity.
Contact Hans Gustafson for more information.
Right image: Dominique Stewart ’21, Interreligious Research Fellow (2019-2020, 2020-2021), Interreligious Cohort Leader (2019-2020)
Jay Phillips Center News
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Statement in Support of Our Jewish Students, Colleagues, and Neighbors
With Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC), the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas “condemns the distribution of noxious propaganda fliers in neighborhoods across the Twin Cities metro area. Compounding this ugly antisemitism is the invasion of tranquil neighborhoods during the night.” The Jay Phillips Center is committed to the ongoing work of supporting, welcoming, and learning from our Jewish students, colleagues, and neighbors. In addition to the pursuit of knowledge and practical wisdom, the Jay Phillips Center remains committed to fostering constructive engagement between and among individuals and communities who orient around religion differently for the flourishing of all in a religiously diverse Minnesota. This includes working to build a university community at St. Thomas where members from all religious and non-religious orientations feel welcome to safely and freely practice their traditions without fear and prejudice. University personnel co-signees (listed alphabetically by surname): Cara Anthony, Associate Professor, Theology Department Ryan Avenido, BA ’21, BM ‘21 Linda Baughman, Dean of Students Father Lawrence Blake, Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry Dr. Corrine Carvalho, Professor Meliha Ceric, Adjunct Faculty, History Department Rev. Chris Collins, S.J., […]
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Interfaith Fellows Program Completes Successful Inaugural Year
With funding from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, we launched the Interfaith Fellows Program, a student-centered two-year experience designed to prepare (inter)religiously literate and responsible scholar-practitioner leaders, critically informed by how lived religious practices and beliefs shape America, who act wisely, work skillfully, and engage religious diversity to advance the common good in civic, academic, professional, nonprofit, public, and community sectors. The inaugural cohort of seven fellows worked towards earning a minor in Interfaith Leadership, met with accomplished scholars and leaders (Busshō Lahn, Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, Chris Stedman, Dr. Barbara McGraw, and Dr. Anastasia Young), began interfaith engagement practicums with community partners (including Sadhana, Minnesota Multifaith Network, Sakan Community Resource, Aslan Institute, Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, and the Kaleo Center), engaged in international dialogue through Soliya Global Connect, took on campus leadership roles (including the Interfaith Council, Muslim Student Association, and Student Diversity and Inclusion Services), and completed research (e.g., quantitative survey measuring the influence of religion on decision making in relationships). We look forward to welcoming the second cohort this coming fall, and collaborating with the Minnesota Multifaith Network to host a multifaith leadership conference in Spring 2023.
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Interreligious Statement of Solidarity with the Muslim Community of Minnesota
As members of Minnesota’s diverse religious communities, we stand together in strong condemnation of the recent attack on the Muslim Al Maghfirah (MAG-FIRAH) Cemetery in Castle Rock Township (watch news conference at https://fb.watch/8TRU5PrVy-/). This is not the first incident of such attacks. We join our voices to speak against the desecration of a cemetery of our Muslim sisters and brothers in Minnesota. These threats of violence to a sacred place of burial are deplorable. Such threats are intended to arouse fear and to violate religious feelings. We refuse to be intimidated and to succumb to fear. We stand side-by-side with the Muslim community in courageous resistance to such unacceptable and shameful acts. We are committed to the ongoing work of building inclusive communities in Minnesota where members of all religious traditions feel safe and supported in their places of worship, and in public spaces, to affirm their religious identities and to practice their faiths without fear. Our freedom to profess and practice our faiths without fear is fundamental to our human rights. Threats and acts of violence against any faith are a threat to us all. We stand in solidarity with, and extend our support to, our Muslim neighbors in […]
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Lois Dament retires after 37 year legacy of service to St. Thomas
Lois Dament, esteemed administrative coordinator for the Jay Phillips Center in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas, retired this fall after 37 years of service to the university. Dament joined St. Thomas in 1984 and has since flourished in a variety of academic and administrative roles. She started in the Social Sciences Division (then economics, sociology, history, political science) and concurrently in the English Department, earning a B.A. and M.A. in English and receiving the Joseph Connors Award for academic excellence, and raising five children in the process. Professor Anne Klejment recalls, From the start, Lois served as one of two admins for the Social Science Division and English Dept in the era of typewriters, word processors, mimeograph machines, and hand -written phone messages! We all were crowded into the 4th floor of OEC. Lois and another admin were crammed into a tiny “fish-bowl” office. Smart and funny, she mastered new devices and procedures quickly and thoroughly and efficiently serviced faculty needs. No matter which position she held, Lois has always been a trusted and most knowledgeable “go-to” person on campus. She was a UST Loaves and Fishes volunteer at Faith Lutheran in Frogtown. […]
Affiliations
The Jay Phillips Center is affiliated with the following external organizations to foster local, regional, and (inter)national engagement in the areas of interreligious studies and relations.
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Our Staff
Dr. Hans Gustafson
Director
Dr. Gustafson is the Director of the Jay Phillips Center and teaches courses in (inter)religious studies and theology.
Ali Chamseddine
Faculty Fellow Coordinator for the Interfaith Fellows Program
In his position as Faculty Fellow Coordinator for the Interfaith Fellows Program, Chamseddine coordinates and facilitates the Multifaith Leadership Seminar and Workshop. Currently pursuing a doctorate in Sacred Theology, he specializes in Ecumenical and Interreligious Studies.
Contact Information
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions about the Jay Phillips Center.
Tel: (651) 962-5780
Email: jpc@stthomas.edu
Mailing Address
Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies
University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit Ave. MAIL 57P
St. Paul, MN 55105
Campus Location
Our address is 2057 Portland Avenue