In 2010, the Academy entered into a groundbreaking collaborative initiative with Claremont School of Theology and the Islamic Center of Southern California with the goal of producing spiritual leaders for the 21st century whose respect for each other is based on genuine knowledge and deep understanding. This collaboration led to the establishment in 2011 of Claremont Lincoln University (“CLU”) as an interreligious institution of graduate studies.
While pursuing the Master’s degree and ordination or chaplaincy certification from AJRCA, students from any of our programs can take advantage of a wide range of offerings from the CLU consortium. Rabbinical and Cantorial students, in particular, may opt to enroll in our Interreligious Studies Concentration. By combining their required courses with electives from among approved CLU offerings, students in this special course of study can complete their program in the same amount of time as their fellow AJRCA students, and also receive a certificate stating they have completed the Interreligious Studies Concentration.
Advanced AJRCA students can participate in doctoral level classes at Claremont Lincoln University, with the permission of the course instructor. Further, students who are interested in Interreligious Studies, but are not seeking ordination, may apply through AJRCA to the Claremont Lincoln University for a Master’s degree in Interreligious Studies.
The Academy’s participation in the CLU consortium provides new classes and shared learning opportunities for all those who wish to be involved – and not only students. One of the unique features of our collaborative endeavor is that administrators and faculty from the partner institutions have made joint study arrangements so that they, like the students, are learning with members of other religions. All new programs at CLU will be created by the faculties of all the partner institutions working together.
This collaborative effort has not changed the fundamental identity of AJRCA, as our board, administration and faculty independently manage our programs and requirements, and control the access of students from the other schools to our courses.
