Philip Cunningham, PhD

Dr. Philip A. Cunningham is Professor of Theology (specializing in Christian-Jewish Relations) and director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. He has served as 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 the webmaster of the Internet resource Dialogika of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations.

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

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)

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]
 

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).
 

Book Chapters:

“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]
“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.
 

Articles:

"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]
"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.

Research:
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).

Awards:
Holocaust Educator of the Year 2022, 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.