Philip A. Cunningham, PhD
Director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations
Professor of Theology
Dr. Philip A. Cunningham is Professor of Theology and director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. With a background in biblical studies and religious education, he specializes in theologies of the Christian and Jewish, and especially the Catholic-Jewish, relationship. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books, most recently 2022's Maxims for Mutuality: Principles for Catholic Theology, Education, and Preaching about Jews and Judaism (Paulist Press Stimulus Series) and dozens of articles or book chapters. Dr. Cunningham has served as president and honorary president of the International Council of Christians and Jews and on the Advisory Committee on Catholic-Jewish Relations for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He is also the webmaster of the Internet resource Dialogika of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations.
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- Doctor of Philosophy in Religion and Education, 1992, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Dissertation : “A Content Analysis of the Presentation of Jews and Judaism in Current Roman Catholic Religion Textbooks” - Master of Arts in Religious Education (Theology - NT), 1984, LaSalle University, Philadelphia, PA
- Master of Sciences in Education (Curriculum and Teaching), 1977, Fordham Graduate School of Education, Lincoln Center, NY
- Bachelor of Arts (History), 1972, Fordham College, Bronx, NY
- Doctor of Philosophy in Religion and Education, 1992, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
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- President, International Council of Christians and Jews (2014-2017)
- Secretary-Treasurer, Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (2000 - present)
- Director, Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations of Saint Joseph's University (2008-present)
- Executive Director, Center for Christian-Jewish Learning, Boston College (2000-2007)
- Director of the Ministry Institute, Notre Dame College (1991-2000)
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BOOKS:
- Maxims for Mutuality: Principles for Catholic Theology, Education, and Preaching about Jews and Judaism (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press/Stimulus Book, 2022). [info]
- Seeking Shalom: The Journey to Right Relationship between Catholics and Jews (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015). [info]
- Sharing the Scriptures: Volume 1 of The Word Set Free (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press/Stimulus Books, 2003).
- A Story of Shalom: The Calling of Christians and Jews by a Covenanting God; (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press, Stimulus Books, 2001).
- Proclaiming Shalom: Lectionary Introductions to Foster the Catholic and Jewish Relationship (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1995).
- Education for Shalom: Religion Textbooks and the Enhancement of the Catholic and Jewish Relationship (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1995).
- Jesus and the Evangelists: The Ministry of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels (Mahwah/New York: Paulist Press, 1988).
- Jewish Apostle to the Gentiles: Paul As He Saw Himself (Mystic, CT.: Twenty-Third Publications, 1986).
Edited:
- Pondering the Passion: What’s at Stake for Christians and Jews? (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Williams, 2005).
Co-edited:
- Enabling Dialogue about the Land: A Resource Book for Jews and Christians (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press/Stimulus Books, 2020). [info]
- Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of Theological Interrelationships. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011)
- The Catholic Church and the Jewish People: Recent Reflections from Rome. (New York: Fordham University Press, 2007).
- Walking God’s Paths: Christians and Jews in Candid Conversation – Video series (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Catholic Communications Campaign and The National Council of Synagogues, 2004) and Users’ Guide (2003).
- Sharing Shalom: A Local Interfaith Dialogue Process (Mahwah/New York: Paulist Press/Stimulus Books, 1998).
BOOK CHAPTERS (since 2010):
- “What does ‘Within Judaism’ Mean for Catholic Christians Today?” in Anders Runesson and Karin Hedner Zetterholm, eds., What does “Within Judaism” Mean? Perspectives From the First Century to the Present (Fortress/Lexington Press, 2024), 357-371.
- “A Textbook Case—the Pharisees in Catholic Textbooks,” in Joseph Sievers and Amy-Jill Levine, eds., The Pharisees (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishers, 2021), 384-400.
- “From Other to Brother: An Unprecedented Rapprochement in Our Time,” in Clifford Chalmers Cain, ed., Challenges for Christian Faith: Addresses in Honor of C.S. Lewis (Lanham/Boulder/New York/London: Lexington Books, 2021), 71-82.
- “The Import of To Do the Will — a Catholic and Jewish Perspective” [co-authored with Adam Gregerman] in Jehoschua Ahrens, Irving Greenberg, and Eugene Korn, eds., From Confrontation to Covenantal Partnership: Jews and Christians Reflect on the Orthodox Rabbinic Statement “To Do the Will of Our Father in Heaven” (Jerusalem: Urim Publications, 2021), 127-141. [text]
- “Mary Boys,” in Alon Goshen-Gottstein ed, Interreligious Heroes: Role Models and Spiritual Exemplars for Interfaith Practice (Eugene OR: Wipf and Stock, 2021), 257-262.
- “Toward a Catholic Understanding of the Centrality of the Land of Israel for Jewish Covenantal Life,” in Philip A. Cunningham, Ruth Langer, and Jesper Svartvik, eds., Enabling Dialogue about the Land: A Resource Book for Jews and Christians (Mahwah/New York: Paulist Press/Stimulus Books, 2020), 303-334.
- “Celebrating Judaism as a ‘Sacrament of Every Otherness,’” in Kristen Colberg and Robert Krieg, eds., The Theology of Cardinal Walter Kasper: Speaking Truth in Love (St. John’s MN: Liturgical Press, 2014), 223-240.
- “Reviving the Catholic Observance of the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus,” in Celia Deutsch, Eugene J. Fisher, and A. James Rudin, eds., Toward the Future: Essays on Catholic-Jewish Relations in Memory of Rabbi Leon Klenicki, eds. (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press/Stimulus Books, 2013), 129-146.
- “Judaism” (with Jan Katzew) in Pim Valkenberg, ed., World Religions in Dialogue: A Comparative Theological Approach (Winona, MN: Anselm Academic, 2013): 7-76.
- “A Tectonic Shift in Relations with Non-Catholics: Witnessing a Transformation,” William Madges and Michael J. Daley, eds., Vatican II: Fifty Personal Stories (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press. 2012), 183-187.
- “Paul’s Letters and the Relationship between the People of Israel and the Church Today,” Reimund Bieringer and Didier Pollefeyt, eds., Paul and Judaism: Crosscurrents in Pauline Exegesis and the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations (London/New York: T & T Clark, 2012), 141-162.
- “The Road Behind and the Road Ahead: Catholicism and Judaism,” in James Heft, ed., Catholicism and Interreligious Dialogue (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 23-42.
- “The Triune One, the Incarnate Logos, and Israel’s Covenantal Life” (with Didier Pollefeyt) in Philip A. Cunningham, et al, eds., Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of Theological Interrelationships, (Grand Rapids, MI: William P. Eerdmans Publishing and Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press, 2011), 183-201.
- “Jews and Christians from the Time of Christ to Constantine’s Reign,” in Albert Lindemann and Richard Levy, eds., Antisemitism: A History (New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010), 47-62.
- “Nostra Aetate: A Catholic Act of Metanoia,” in Anthony Cernera, ed., Examining Nostra Aetate After 40 Years: Catholic-Jewish Relations in Our Time (Fairfield, CT: Sacred Heart University Press, 2007).
- “Covenant and Conversion,” in Mary C. Boys, ed., Seeing Judaism Anew: Christianity’s Sacred Obligation (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005):151-162.
- “Actualizing Matthean Christology in a Post-Supersessionist Church,” in When Judaism and Christianity Began: Essays in Memory of Anthony J. Saldarini (Leiden and Boston: E.J. Brill, 2004): 563-576.
- “Much Will Be Required of the Person Entrusted with Much: Assembling a Passion Drama from the Four Gospels” in Paula Fredriksen, ed., Perspectives on The Passion of the Christ (New York: Miramax Books, 2004): 49-64.
- “Implications for Magisterial Catholic Teaching on Jews and Judaism," Stephen Pope and Charles Hefling, eds., Sic et Non: Encountering Dominus Iesus (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2002): 134-149.
ARTICLES or ESSAYS (since 2009):
- "Dear Pope Francis: It was dangerous to cite John 8:44—a verse used to justify Jew hatred for centuries," America: The Jesuit Review (Online, Oct 17, 2024). [text]
- "Catholic-Jewish Relations in the USA Today: Past Progress, Present Problems, Promising Paths," Ecumenical Trends, 53/1 (Jan-Feb 2024): 11-19. [text]
- "American Catholic Attitudes toward Jews, Judaism, and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" [co-authored with K. Bumin, A. Gregerman, M. Inbari], Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, 18/1 (2023): 1-22 [text]
- “Anti-Jewish readings of Scripture are not just a Holy Week problem,” National Catholic Reporter, April 5, 2023 [text]
- "Covenant" [co-authored with Adam Gregerman] in Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations (Berlin: DeGrutyer, 2021) [text].
- "Review essay of Gavin D'Costa, Catholic Doctrines on the Jewish People after Vatican II," Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, 15/1 (2020): 1-14. [text]
- "A Response to Alon Goshen-Gottstein’s ‘The New Covenant - Jeremiah 31:30-33 (31:31-34) in Jewish Interpretation,’” Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 15/1 (2020): 1-2. [text]
- “‘Genuine Brotherhood without Remorse’: A Commentary on Joseph Ratzinger’s ‘Comments on De Iudaeis’” [co-authored with Adam Gregerman], Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, 14/1 (2019): 1-29. [text]
- “Second Vatican Council,” Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations (De Gruyter Pub., Berlin, Germany, 2019): 1-29.
- "Emerging Principles of a Theology of Shalom," Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society (Dec 2017) [introductory blog; full text]
- “Is the Pope ‘Anti-Jewish’? No, but Here’s Why his Critics Think So” Commonweal 144/8 (May 19, 2017): 19-21. [text]
- “Gifts and Calling: Coming to Terms with Jews as Covenantal Partners,” Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 12/1 (2017). [text]
- “The Sources behind ‘“The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable” (Rom 11:29): A Reflection on Theological Questions Pertaining to Catholic-Jewish Relations on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate (No. 4),’” Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 12/1 (2017). [text]
- “Celebrating a 50 Year ‘Journey of Friendship’ between Catholics and Jews in Philadelphia” (with Adam Gregerman), Connections, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, January, 2015.
- “Giving Thanks for a New Jewish-Catholic Relationship in Our Time” (Op-ed, with Adam Gregerman), The Jewish Exponent, November 26, 2014.
- “Implications of Paul’s Hopes for the End of Days for Jews and Christians Today: A Critical Re-evaluation of the Evidence” (with Mark N. Nanos), Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 9/1 (2014). [text]
- “‘God Holds the Jews Most Dear’: Learning to Respect Jewish Self-Understanding,” in Gilbert Rosenthal, ed., A Jubilee for All Time: The Copernican Revolution in Jewish-Christian Relations (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2014), 44-58.
- "Celebrating Judaism as a 'Sacrament of Every Otherness,'" Kristen Colberg and Robert Krieg, eds., The Theology of Cardinal Walter Kasper: Speaking Truth in Love (St. John’s MN: Liturgical Press, 2014), 223-240.
- “Building a New Relationship: A Catholic Perspective,” Franklin Sherman, ed., Bridges: Documents of the Christian-Jewish Dialogue. Volume Two. Building a New Relationship (1986-2103) (New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press/Stimulus Books, 2014), 15-38.
- “A Catholic Theology of the Land?: The State of the Question,” Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 8/1(2013): 1-15. [text]
- “Official Ecclesial Documents to Implement the Second Vatican Council on Relations with Jews: Study Them, Become Immersed in Them, and Put Them into Practice,” Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, Oct. 2009. [text]
- “Reflections from a Roman Catholic on a Reform Theology of Christianity,” CCAR Journal, A Reform Jewish Quarterly (spring, 2005): 61-73.
- “The Arrest and Sentencing of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction,” Journal of Religion and Society, Vol. 6 (2004).
- “The Arrest and Sentencing of Jesus: A Historical Reconstruction,” Journal of Religion and Society, Vol. 6 (2004).
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- Co-organizer of international research project: "Christ Jesus the Jew: The Importance of His Jewish Identity for Christians and Jews" (2021 - present).
- Coordinator of international research project: "Promise, Land, and Hope: Jews and Christians Seeking Understanding to Enable Constructive Dialogue about Israeli-Palestinian Issues" (2011-2020).
- Project moderator for the International Council of Christians and Jews project: “Reassessing the Christian-Jewish Dialogue” (2007-2009).
- North American Coordinator of the Christ and the Jewish People project (2007-2011).
- Co-editor of peer-reviewed e-journal Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations (2005-2007).
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- Excellence in Education Award 2023, The Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, Elkins Park, PA.
- Shevet Achim Award for Outstanding Contributions to Christian-Jewish Relations, Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations, October 31, 2021.
- Named Honorary President, International Council of Christians and Jews, June 27, 2021. (A lifetime appointment previously given to three others for exceptional service to the ICCJ and Christian-Jewish Relations.)
- Tengelmann Award for Excellence in Research and Teaching, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, May 18, 2019.
- “Eternal Light Award,” Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, FL, October 25, 2018.
- Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, Gratz College, Melrose Park, PA, May 21, 2017.
- “Peace and Dialogue Award” for Promoting Interfaith Understanding, The Dialogue Forum and the Peace Islands Institute, Philadelphia, PA, Apr 23, 2014.
- “Lester Gilson Memorial Community Service Award,” South Area Solomon Schechter Day School, Boston, MA, March 11, 2007.