Hartford Seminary's Interfaith Dialogue Program Swaps Stereotypes For Understanding

Carol Kuruvilla

Hartford is unique among American seminaries because it offers classes taught by full-time Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faculty. The school puts an emphasis on creating spaces for students of different faith backgrounds to interact.

Hartford offers an International Peacemaking Program that teaches students from countries where there are inter-religious tensions how to build partnerships and negotiate conflicts across faiths. Acceptance into the program ensures a full scholarship for a year of study.

Students who come to Hartford for the International Peacemaking Program have the opportunity to obtain a certificate in Interfaith Dialogue. Since 2005, seven students have graduated with this distinction.

Heidi Hadsell, the seminary’s president, said it's increasingly vital for religious leaders and clergy members to have interfaith dialogue skills. In fact, she wouldn’t recommend anyone becoming a clergy member without taking at least some courses in interfaith dialogue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/01/interfaith-dialogue-seminary_n_7191946.html?1430525062