Director Ronald A. Simkins | ||
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Predecessor Center for the Study of Religion and Society Established 1988; 29 years ago (1988) Purpose Interreligious understanding Main organ Journal of Religion & Society Parent organization Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska | ||
Kripke Center promotes understanding among various faith communities, especially Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, thorough scholarly research. It was founded at the Catholic-Jesuit Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1988 as the Center for the Study of Religion and Society, and since 2005 has borne the name of Rabbi Myer S. Kripke, a long-time lecturer at the University.
Background
The Center was founded during the 1980s revival of academic interest in the study of religion, with recognition of the centrality of religious experience to human events. Among its other works, the Center serves as a locus for symposia on Jewish studies.
The Director of the Center sets its agenda and supports the research of the 32 faculty members who work in the area of religion and society and serve as associates of the Center. While the research reports are intended primarily for the academic community, they are made available to all. The Center is a member of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations and collaborates with other centers for Jewish studies.
Rabbi Kripke after his retirement from Beth El Synagogue in Omaha in 1975 taught courses on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible at Creighton University, and received the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters from the university in 2000. Funding for the Center comes in part from the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation.
The Center for the Study of Religion and Society published a newsletter between 1989 and 2000, with essays on religious and social issues, book reviews, and announcements and reports of conferences, symposia, and talks. The Journal of Religion & Society on the Center's website has replaced the printed newsletter.