Masters Program in Messianic Jewish Studies

[GeoBQn]

The discussion of Torah Observant Christians and Messianic Jews inspired me to check on the Messianic Jews Doin' It Wrong tumblr (http://fucknomessianicjews.tumblr.com/) where I found this link on a Christian University offering a Masters degree in Messianic Jewish Studies.

 

http://www.talbot.edu/degrees/master-of ... messianic/

 

This program "provides training and preparation for a variety of professional ministries that serve the Jewish community in roles such as Messianic congregational leader, outreach, missions worker, or educator." Students will be able to "Employ knowledge of Jewish culture and values effectively in diverse ministry situations" and "Develop skills of ministry specifically appropriate for the Jewish community."

 

All I could think is that now they've found a way for students to deeply offend thousands of people AND waste their money.

[emmiedahl]

One class in Mishnah and Talmud? Really? How can you understand Jewish tradition that way?

[camdendayton]

I followed your link, and oh, why was I not surprised to find that this is being offered at BIOLA (Bible Institute of Los Angeles). I went to a Christian school in SoCal for grad school (it was the only college that would allow me to use a teaching position at a non-public school for my internship) that was pretty liberal, though we still had to write one "faith integration paper" for each course each semester and prayed before most classes. I'll never forget getting an earful from one of the professors about how BIOLA students thought students from the school I went to "were a bunch of heathens"

[Kaylee]

It's through Biola University, which is a pretty conservative Christian college in CA. It is not as extreme as many fundie colleges, and actually accredited, but is one of those places with required Bible classes and chapel attendance, and you need your pastor's recommendation on your admissions application.

Their Messianic Jewish Studies program seems to have some connection to Chosen People Ministries, which is a fundamentalist group that tries to convert Jews to Messianic beliefs.

[Brainsample]

I don't know about what they offer since the big Baptist convservative movement in the late 80s, but Moody Bible Institute used to have a program for Christians who wanted to focus on evangelism of the Jews. Our Assemblies of God church used to support some of their "missionaries to the Jews." Better that they learn a functional framework of the belief system than the blind walking up to a Jew in utter ignorance, I would think.

Chosen People Ministries also leaned Pentecostal, as many Messianic Churches do.