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Peter A. Pettit
42 South West Street, Allentown, PA 18102-4458
Cell: 610.349.8318 Office: 484.664.3470 E-mail: [email protected]
Current Position
Director, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding (1999- )
Associate Professor, Department of Religion Studies (1999- )
Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
Courses Taught
at Muhlenberg College
The Jewish-Christian Relationship; Jews and Christians in the 21st Century; The Holocaust;
God, Self, and Other in Judaism and Christianity; March of Remembrance and Hope;
Internships and independent studies on related topics
at other institutions
The Pentateuch; The Prophets; The Psalms; Deuteronomistic Literature
Scripture in Rabbinic Literature: The Mishna; The Dead Sea Scrolls
The Holocaust; Biblical Hebrew; Lutheran Confessions
Professional Service
Shalom Hartman Institute, The Osher Jerusalem Center for Religious Pluralism, Jerusalem
North American Coordinator and Theology Conference Moderator (1992-)
Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (Chair, 2002-2006)
Editorial Board, Stimulus Foundation, Paulist Press (2009- )
Founding member, Executive Committee, Christians for Fair Witness on the Middle East (2004- )
Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, Editorial Board and Peer Review Board (2005- )
Theology Committee, International Conference of Christians and Jews (2004- )
Consultative Panel on Interfaith Relations, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL (2000-)
Lutherische Europäische Kommission Kirche und Judentum (ELCA liaison, 2003-2005)
Voting Member, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly (1997, 1999, 2003)
International Advisory Committee, Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel, Jerusalem (1993- )
Professional Experience
Academic
1987-1999
1983-1989
1985-1989
1982-1984
1982-1983
1999-
1980-1999
Ecclesiastical
Adjunct Professor (biblical and confessional studies; contract)
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Cataloguer (1983-84); Director
Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center, Claremont, CA
Project Coordinator in Religious Pluralism, Theological Education, and Contemporary
Theology projects (contract)
National Conference of Christians and Jews, NY, NY
Translation Editor, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (contract)
United Bible Societies, London and Stuttgart
Text Analyst, RSV Analytical Concordance Project (part-time)
Wm. B. Eerdmans and Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont, CA
part-time visiting and adjunct faculty at (see above for courses taught):
Lehigh University; Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod (ELCA) Synodically-Approved
Lay Ministry Program; Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg Lay School of
Theology
Lutheran School of Theology at Philadelphia (graduate fellow); Claremont School of
Theology; Claremont Graduate University; Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion; Mount St. Mary’s College; California Baptist College; UC-Riverside, UC-Los
Angeles, and University of Judaism Extension Programs
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Pettit
1990-1999
Page 2
Pastor, Hope Lutheran Church (ELCA), Riverside, CA
Professional Affiliations
Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations (Boston College)
Society of Biblical Literature; American Academy of Religion; Association of Jewish Studies
Education
Ph.D.
M.A.
M.Div.
A.B.
Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA
January, 1993
Religion: Bible and Early Judaism
Dissertation title: "`As It Is Said': The Place of Scripture Citation in the Mishna"
Fellowships:
1989-1990
Dissertation Fellowship, Claremont Graduate University
Finkelstein Fellowship, University of Judaism, Los Angeles, CA
1984-1985
Rotary International Foundation Graduate Fellowship
The Hebrew University and Neve Shechter (JTSA), Jerusalem
The Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA
January, 1990
Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA
June, 1980
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (with honors)
June, 1975
Publications
in press “The Passion of the Christ and Its Ramifications with Reference to the Protestant Churches and
Christian-Jewish Relations,” for Studies in Contemporary Jewry (2009).
“Darwin, the Galapagos and God: A Biologist’s Journey and Dilemmas,” co-authored with
Patricia T. Bradt, for Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table, Oxford.
translation of “Introduction,” Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament by Dominique Barthélemy
(Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 50/2—Fribourg: Éditions universitaires; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck
& Ruprecht, 1982), with United Bible Societies, Strasbourg.
2008
“Covenants Old and New” and “Case Study: the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” in Covenantal
Conversations, edited by Darrell Jodock (Minneapolis: Fortress Press 2008) 26-40, 147-174.
A Contemporary Student Guide to Interfaith Living, co-authored with Melissa Berman
(Allentown: Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding 2008).
“The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel: A Reflection on its Sixtieth
Anniversary,” Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 3:1 (2008) 5, 13-14
2007
“Seeking a Gospel-Centered Life,” Sh’ma (May 2007)
“Christian Zionism and Christian-Jewish Relations,” Journal of Lutheran Ethics (May 2007);
reprinted in translation as “Christlicher Zionismus,” Begegnungen: Zeitschrift für Kirche und
Judentum 90:3 (2007) 10-16.
2005
“Church and Synagogue,” “Community,” “Flood/Flood Story,” “Hebrew Bible,” “Jesse,”
“Justification,” Dictionary of Jewish-Christian Relations, Edward Kessler and Neil Wenborn,
eds. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2005).
“Along the Way to a Clearer Mutual Understanding,” CCAR Journal: A Reform Jewish Quarterly
LII/2 (Spring 2005) 74-96.
‘In Every Generation’: Judaism as a Living Faith” (co-authored with John Townsend ), Seeing
Judaism Anew: Christianity’s Sacred Obligation, Mary C. Boys, ed. (Lanham, MD: Rowman
& Littlefield 2005) 95-112.
2004
“Facts, Faith, and Film-Making: Jesus’ Passion and Its Portrayal” (principal author of a study
guide by the Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations, Chestnut Hill MA).
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Pettit
Page 3
Publications (continued)
2003
“Response to ‘The Ways of God,’” Svensk Teologisk Kvartalskrift 79:3 (2003) 141-149.
“A New Era in Lutheran-Jewish Relations?”, A Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations?, Wolfgang
Greive and Peter N. Prove, eds. (Lutheran World Federation Documentation No. 48) 101-104.
Country report for United States of America (co-authored with Judith Banki), A Shift in JewishLutheran Relations?, Wolfgang Greive and Peter N. Prove, eds. (Lutheran World Federation
Documentation No. 48) 185-191.
“Some Fruits of the Jewish-Lutheran Dialogue” (principal author of conference document), A
Shift in Jewish-Lutheran Relations?, Wolfgang Greive and Peter N. Prove, eds. (Lutheran
World Federation Documentation No. 48) 201-203.
“Jewish Re/Sources for Revised Common Lectionary texts (Year B, Lent 5 – Easter 2),” Other
Images, April 2003.
2002
“Talking Points: Topics in Christian-Jewish Relations,” co-authored with Franklin Sherman and
John Stendahl for the ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations, Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America Department for Ecumenical Affairs, Chicago IL.
“A Sacred Obligation,” co-authored with the Christian Scholars Group, Institute for Christian
and Jewish Studies, Baltimore MD.
"Ein Wandel in den Lutherisch-Jüdischen Beziehungen," Begegnungen: Zeitschrift für Kirche und
Judentum 85:1(2002) 28-31.
"Jewish Re/Sources for Revised Common Lectionary texts (Year A, Propers 22-25)," Other
Images, October 2002.
1995
"Who Walks to Bethlehem with Us: Preaching the Advent Lectionary," Academy Accents: The
Journal of the Academy of Preachers (Philadelphia, Fall 1995) 1-2.
1991
"Christ Alone, the Hidden God and Lutheran Exclusivism," Word & World 11:2 (Spring 1991)
190-198.
1985
Daily devotions, February 25-March 3, The Word in Season (Philadelphia: Board of Publications,
Lutheran Church in America)
1976
"Chapter V: Racial Attitudes of Church Leaders--A Summary," Race Relations: An Inventory of
the Lutheran Church in America (New York: Division for Mission in North America, LCA)
Book Reviews:
Review Essay on Palestinian Lutheran Voices: Bethlehem Besieged, by Mitri Raheb; Witnessing for
Peace, by Munib Younan; Water from the Rock, edited by Ann E. Hafften; Lutheran Quarterly
XX (2006) 92-96.
Christian Attitudes towards the State of Israel, by Paul C. Merkley, Journal of Religion 84:1 (2004) 143..
Jews and Christians Speak of Jesus, edited by Arthur Zannonni, in Augsburg Fortress Book Newsletter No.
565 (Summer 1995) 6.
The Religion of Jesus the Jew by Geza Vermes, in Augsburg Fortress Book Newsletter No. 557 (Summer
1993) 1.
A Dictionary of Judaism & Christianity by Dan Cohn-Sherbok, in Augsburg Fortress Book Newsletter No.
555 (Winter 1993) 8.
Jews and Christians: The Myth of a Common Tradition by Jacob Neusner, in Lutheran Partners 8:1
(January/February 1992) 37-38.
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Pettit
Page 4
Public Papers, Lectures, and Media (selected)
Jewish-Christian Relations
2009
“Lines in the Sand: The Boundaries of Israel and Palestine through the Ages”
First Friday, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding, Allentown PA (on video)
“What makes us the People of God? Covenant and Covenants in Judaism and Christianity”
“ New Approaches to Paul and his relationship to Jews and Judaism”
“A Constructive and Critical Christian Theology of the Promised Land”
Solis-Cohen Scholar in Residence, Temple Concord, Binghamton NY
Guest, program on Catholic-Jewish relations
“Take Charge of Your Life.” WDIY, Bethlehem PA
“Jesus: What Made Him Extraordinary in His Time and Place”
Shared Roots–Divergent Paths Lecture Series, Iona College, New Rochelle NY
“Death and Afterlife in Christianity”
Project Yahad, Jewish Community Center and Jewish Federation, Allentown PA
“New Courage for a New Era”
25th Annual Wallenberg Tribute, Muhlenberg College, Allentown PA
“Lutheran Witness to Conflict and Peace in Israel and Palestine,”
Keynote, Conversation at the Crossroads, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg PA
“Jewish Israel Advocacy in Protestant Churches Today,”
Board and Task Force Consultation, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, New York NY
“Self and Other in Religious Perspective”
First Friday, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding, Allentown PA (on video)
“Mainline Protestants and the Jewish Community: National Meetings and the Arab-IsraeliPalestinian Conflict in 2009”
Christian Scholars Group on Jewish-Christian Relations, Boston College, Chestnut Hill MA
2008
“A Heuristic Framework for the History of Jewish-Christian Relations”
Christian Scholars Group on Jewish-Christian Relations, Boston College, Chestnut Hill MA
“Parenting, Authority, and Community” (seminar presentation)
International Theology Conference, Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
“Writing about the Other: Other Images”
Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia PA
Biblical topic on theology and the promised land
Seminarian’s conference, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT (repeated, Spring 2009)
“Towards a Critical, Constructive Theology of the Promised Land”
Annual Conference, International Council of Christians and Jews, Jerusalem, Israel
“A Lutheran Perspective on the Promised Land”
Public Forum, Metro DC Chapter, American Jewish Committee, and Metro DC Synod, ELCA,
Washington DC
“ELCA Advocacy for Peace in the Middle East”
Advocacy Workshop, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA (repeated in June, 2009, at
synodical LIFT event at Muhlenberg College)
2007
Guest, “The 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War”
Religion on the Line, WABC-77, New York NY
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Pettit
Page 5
“The Status of Interfaith Dialogue”
Continuing Education, Moravian Seminary and Lehigh Dialogue Center, Bethlehem, PA
Public Papers, Lectures, and Media (selected) -- continued
[Jewish-Christian Relations]
[2007]
“Pentecost in Perspective”
Clergy Workshop, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding, Allentown, PA
“Lutherans and the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”
Bishop’s Conference, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod – ELCA, Wescosville PA
“Jewish Heritage and Its Significance for the Christian Church”
Union Lutheran Church, Schnecksville PA
“Jews, Christians, and the Rest of the World”
Mobile (AL) Christian-Jewish Dialogue
2006
“Critique of Sections III-IV of Faith & Order No. 198 [The Nature and Mission of the Church:
The Life of Communion in and for the World, in draft]
ICCJ-WCC Consultation on Ecclesiology, Boldern, Switzerland
“The Impact of the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel War on Local Jewish-Christian Relations”
Panel presentation at Annual Meeting, Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations
“Nazi Imagery in Anti-Israel Propaganda”
National Conference on Holocaust Education, Seton Hill University
2005
“Christian-Jewish Dialogue and the Jewish Studies Agenda”
Association for Jewish Studies, Washington DC
"From Sour Grapes to Sacrament: Jews as the Other that Christians Encounter"
Conference on Nostra Aetate Today, Pontifical Gregorian University
“Christian Views of the Afterlife”
Congregation Brith Sholom, Bethlehem PA
2004
Guest, programs on “The Passion of the Christ”
“Radio Times,” WHYY-FM, Philadelphia PA
“Philly Live,” WYBE-TV, Philadelphia PA
KYW-TV, Philadelphia PA
“Christians, Jews, and Mel Gibson’s Passion Film”
Monroe County NY Clergy Day, Temple B’rith Kodesh, Rochester NY
“The Death of Jesus: The View from a Biblical and Historical Viewpoint”
The First Century Project, Pittsburgh PA
“Talking Points: Journeying through Lent in the Company of our Jewish Neighbors”
Union Lutheran Church, Schnecksville PA
2003
“Themes in Christian Statements on Jews and Judaism since 1947”
AAR/SBL Annual Conference, Additional Meeting of Christian Scholars Group, Atlanta GA
“Preaching the Passion”
Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago IL
“U.S. Protestant Church Statements on Israel”
University of Aachen, Germany
“Protestant Spirituality” and “Rethinking Christianity in Light of Judaism”
Congregation Ohr haTorah, Los Angeles CA
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Pettit
2002
Page 6
“Protestant Church Statements on Israel”
Rabbinic Cabinet, United Jewish Communities, Philadelphia PA
“Rethinking the Universal Significance of Christ”
Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations, Baltimore MD
Public Papers, Lectures, and Media (selected) -- continued
[Jewish-Christian Relations]
[2002] “The ELCA Talking Points on Christian-Jewish Relations”
Convocation of ELCA Teaching Theologians, St. Peter MN
“Interfaith Dialogue: Agenda for a New Generation”
Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning, Collegeville and St. Paul, MN
“The Middle East Crisis from the Viewpoint of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America”
Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel, Jerusalem
2001
“A Shift in Jewish-Christian Relations?”
Lutheran World Federation Consultation on Anti-Judaism and Antisemitism, Dobogokö,
Hungary
1999
“A Christian Calendar for the Jewish-Christian Reality”
16th National Workshop on Christian-Jewish Relations, Houston, TX
“The Legacy of Paul Van Buren in Jewish-Christian Dialogue”
International Theology Conference, Osher Jerusalem Center for Religious Pluralism
Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
1991
"Implications of Luther's Doctrine of the Hidden God for the Task of Interfaith Dialogue"
Religious Inquiry Group, University of CA, Riverside, CA
1984
"Christological Inklings in Paul van Buren's A Christian Theology of the People Israel" and
"The Task and Context of Christology: A Canonical Perspective"
Center for Contemporary Theology, Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
Biblical Studies
2005
“Finding Israel’s God in Jesus: Confessional and Lectionary Hermeneutics in Lent, Year A”
Pre-Lent Workshop, Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding, Allentown PA
“How Lutherans Read the Bible”
Union Lutheran Church, Schnecksville PA
2004
“Lutheran Hermeneutics and the Truth of the Bible”
Honors College, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA
2002
“Jeremiah’s Laments”
International Theology Conference, Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
2001
“The Promise/Fulfillment Motif in Christian Scripture and Lutheran Theology: An Analysis,”
Lutheran-Jewish Consultation, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
2000
Critique of The Messiah Before Jesus, by Israel Knohl
International Theology Conference, Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem
1998
“Nearer, My God, to Thee”
Bible Study, Pacifica Synod Women’s Organization Annual Convention, Laguna Hills, CA
“Scripture in the World of the Mishna”
Biblical Archaeology Society of Southern California, San Gabriel, CA
Curriculum Vitae: Peter A. Pettit
1997
Page 7
“God’s Fiestas”
Bible Study, Pacifica Synod Women’s Organization Annual Convention, San Bernardino, CA
Public Papers, Lectures, and Media (selected) -- continued
[Biblical studies]
[1997] "Saving History--by Transcending History: the Place of the Tora Epic in the Thought World of
the Community Rule"
Lecture Series: Saving History--Fifty Years of Dead Sea Scroll Research
California Baptist College, Riverside, CA
1994
"Epic Imagination in The Rule of the Community (1QS)"
Scripture in Early Judaism and Christianity Section, Society of Biblical Literature Annual
Meeting, Chicago, IL
1989
"Is the Mishna's Canon Tripartite?"
Association for Jewish Studies of Southern California and
University of Judaism Faculty Seminar, Los Angeles, CA
1986
"Structure, Theme, and a Reference Text for Luke 12:13-53"
Synoptic Gospels Section, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Other
2009
Guest, program on Lehigh Valley Darfur Coalition
WFMZ-TV morning program, Lehigh Valley PA
2006
Guest, program on the Gospel of Judas
“Radio Times”, WHYY-FM, Philadelphia PA
2003
Keynote Address, YMCA Day of Prayer for Peace, Reading PA
2001
“Lessons from the Holocaust: Human Rights, Tolerance and Understanding”
March of Remembrance and Hope, New College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
1996
"Conflict and Community: the Story of 4QMMT at Qumran"
Winter Lecture Series, Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center and University of Judaism,
Claremont and Los Angeles, CA
1994
"The Doctrine of Unity and Doctrinal Unity," Pan-Lutheran Pastors' Meeting, Our Redeemer
Lutheran Church, San Diego, CA
1990
"The Dead Sea Scrolls Inventory Project,"
Qumran Section, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA