By NARDINE SAAD

The venerable Claremont School of Theology has taught Methodist ministers and theologians for more than a century, but in the fall they'll try an unorthodox approach: cross-training the nation's future Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders in classrooms scattered around Southern California as they work toward their respective degrees.

The experimental approach launched Wednesday is intended to create U.S. religious leaders who not only preach tolerance in an era of religious strife, but who have lived it themselves by rubbing shoulders with those in other Abrahamic faiths.

The idea has already met resistance from more conservative elements in some religious communities; its architects say that only underscores the need for such an approach.

"Christians attend school with Christians, Jewish with Jewish and Muslims with Muslim," said Rev. Jerry Campbell, president of the Claremont School of Theology. "Educating people in a segregated environment is not a way to teach them to be peacemakers. It only steeps them in their own religion and with their own people."

Conceived in 2006, the University Project will allow seminary students at Claremont to cross-enroll in programs that train future Muslim and Jewish religious leaders while working toward their own degrees in Christian theology. Claremont already has chaplaincy programs for Muslims and Jews who ultimately work as counselors in institutional settings, but they don't have rabbinical and imam certification programs. Course topics will include inter-religious conflict resolution, scripture and ethics.

The exchange will also work in the other direction. Starting this fall, rabbinical students enrolled at the Academy of Jewish Religion's California chapter will be able to study at Claremont. And by next year, the project will include an Islamic program that aims to create a standard for training American imams by working with the LA-based Islamic Center of Southern California. Classes at the Islamic institute will be taught by Claremont professors and will also be open to seminarians and rabbinical students.

The collaborative effort among the seminary, Jewish academy and Islamic center is believed to be the first to integrate the three studies. Other Christian institutions, such as Connecticut's Hartford Seminary, offer an imam training program but don't incorporate rabbinical students.

"It is our responsibility as religious leaders to show that religion can be a powerful force for unity and love in the world, instead of it being captured by a spirit of divisiveness, based on fear of the other and ignorance of the other," said Rabbi Mel Gottlieb, president and dean of the Academy of Jewish Religion's California chapter.

Claremont has already used an initial $10 million gift to hire the first Muslim and second Jewish faculty members. If the project takes off, its architects hope to add Hinduism and Buddhism and house the project under one roof.

"It could be a breeding ground for conflict, but it should be a place where students can develop skills for a multi-faith environment and what better place to do it than with their education?" said Najeeba Syeed-Miller, the Muslim professor. "When they're in practice, they have a tool box ready to respond to the conflicts that come up. To me, that's at the core of why it's unique and exciting."

The project has yet to be approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an accreditation institution.

To read rest of the article please click on the following link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/09/AR2010060902639.html