MDiv Degree with a concentration in Messianic Judaism
In harmony with its emphases on globalization, diversity, intercultural leadership, and contextualized ministry, Denver Seminary is initiating a partnership with the Messianic Jewish community and developing a new and exciting academic program that will serve to equip both Messianic and Protestant leaders in their service for the Kingdom of God. Courses in Messianic Judaism will be offered beginning May 2008 to be followed by additional semester and modular courses until the projected full implementation of the MDiv with concentration in Messianic Judaism in the Fall 2009.
At Denver Seminary, this particular degree falls under the umbrella of the Division of Biblical Studies. Watch a video from the Division of Biblical Studies.
Projected Course Offerings
SUMMER 2008 (May 19-23) - Messianic Jewish Liturgy and Symbolism with Dr. Jeffrey Feinberg. The course will address the critical question of how Messianic Jews integrate the Good News of New Covenant faith with the historical understandings and practices of Judaism. Whereas in Judaism the use of liturgy and symbols facilitates communal obedience to God's revealed will, it will be demonstrated that, in Messianic Judaism, these same practices also enrich the individual's New Covenant faith experience of direct access to God.
FALL 2008 - Introduction to Messianic Judaism with Rabbi Chaim Urbach, leader of Congregation Yeshuat Tsion, Denver, CO. The course will survey major themes and issues including Covenants, Eschatology, Holocaust, Zionism, Anti-Semitism, especially where they relate to Messianic Judaism. The course will introduce students to traditions, practices, and beliefs of Messianic Judaism, from biblical, historical and theological perspectives.
WINTER 2009 - Messianic Apologetics with Dr. Michael Brown. The course will survey the Messianic response to the principal Jewish objections to the Messianic credentials of Jesus of Nazareth, including general objections, historical objections, theological objections, Messianic prophecy objections, New Testament objections, and traditional Jewish objections. The course will seek to sensitize the students to the reasoning behind the objections along with equipping the students with reasonable, literate, and biblical responses.
SPRING 2009 - Messianic Jewish Theology I: Covenants and Eschatology with Rabbi Chaim Urbach. This course will establish the biblical and theological foundations necessary to understand the Messianic Jewish views of the covenant relationship that exists between God and the nation of Israel, and the relationship that exists between the Church and the nation of Israel. Special emphasis will be placed on the importance of the biblical covenants for understanding the place of Israel in the divine plan, and on the place of Israel in eschatology.
SUMMER 2009 - The Gospels in Their Jewish Context with Rabbi John Fischer, Ph.D., Th.D. The study of the gospels is undeniably indispensable for understanding Jesus the Messiah, both as to who he is and what he came to do. Therefore, gospel study is absolutely essential to a living faith. Further, it is important to know as much about Jesus' environment and background as possible, so as to accurately comprehend his life and teachings as found in the gospels. Israel and Judaism in the Second Temple period provide THE context for Jesus. As Hershel Shanks expressed it ("Beyond the Passion," MOMENT, June 2004, p.10): "Many new and varying portraits of Jesus have been painted in recent scholarly studies, but all agree on one thing: Jesus was not incidentally Jewish, he was thoroughly Jewish. He lived and died as a Jew. And if you want to understand Jesus, you have to understand the Jewish world in which he lived." Yet, often this background is neglected or simply not known. This course seeks to remedy that deficiency.
For additional information on the courses or MDiv concentration, please contact Dr. Hélène Dallaire at or (303) 762-6916.
About the scholars:
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Dr. Jeffrey Feinberg - Dr. Feinberg received his Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Theological Education. He is currently a leader of congregation Etz Chaim, Buffalo, NY, and has served as the Midwest Regional Director of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations. Dr. Feinberg authored several books and articles including Walk Genesis! A Messianic Jewish Devotional Commentary for Readers of the Torah, Haftarah, and B'rit Chadasha, Walk Exodus!, Walk Leviticus!, Walk Numbers!, and Walk Deuteronomy! |
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Rabbi Chaim Urbach - Rabbi Urbach is currently the leader of Congregation Yeshuat Tsion, in Denver, Colorado. He received an MA in Biblical Studies with New Testament concentration from Denver Seminary in 1991. Rabbi Urbach was one of the founding elders of congregation Ro'eh Yisrael in Denver, CO. He has served as officer of several Messianic Jewish organizations and has taught extensively in Messianic and Protestant congregational settings. |
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Dr. Michael Brown - Dr. Brown received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literature from New York University. He has served as a Visiting Professor of Jewish Apologetics at Fuller Theological Seminary School of World Mission and at The King's Seminary. He has also served as Visiting Professor of Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Dr. Brown served as a leader in the Brownsville Revival from 1996-2000 and birthed FIRE School of Ministry in 2001. He has preached throughout the United States and in more than twenty nations and has written more than eighteen books on revival, holiness, radical discipleship, and Jewish-Christian issues, along with scholarly works in Old Testament and Hebrew studies. He is generally considered to be the foremost expert in Jewish apologetics and has debated leading rabbis on college campuses, radio, and TV. He is the host of the new Jewish outreach TV show, Think It Thru. His most recent books include a commentary on Jeremiah for the new edition of the Expositor's Bible Commentary; the acclaimed series Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus (five volumes); and Revolution in the Church: Challenging the Religious System with a Call for Radical Change. His scholarly articles have been published in leading journals as well as in the Oxford Dictionary of Jewish Religion, the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, and the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. |
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Dr. John Fischer received a PhD in Education/Religion from the University of South Florida, and a ThD in Judaic Studies from the Graduate School of Theology. Dr. Fisher is the current Rabbi of Congregation Ohr Chadash, the Rosh Yeshiva (principal) of Netzer David Yeshiva, and the Academic Vice President and Judaic Studies Department Chair at St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been actively involved in committees of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, and the International Messianic Jewish Alliance for the past two decades. Dr. Fisher is the author and editor of numerous publications, including The Enduring Paradox: Jesus and Judaism, Messianic Servies for Festivals and Holy Days, Siddur for Messianic Jews, and The Meaning and Importance of Jewish Holidays. |
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