Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at University of St Thomas

03/02/2026

We're excited to share that MinneEncounter is now accepting applications.

MinneEncounter is a new year-long fellowship for Minnesota leaders who work across religious, spiritual, and secular difference, whether or not they think of it as "interfaith work." Fellows meet monthly at the University of St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences and gather for two retreats at the Collegeville Institute. The program includes a stipend, project funding, and accessibility support.

We're looking for people whose work or community life puts them in rooms where difference is present: teachers, nurses, nonprofit directors, religious leaders, entrepreneurs, city employees, HR managers, and more.

No prior interfaith experience required. Applications close March 31, 2026.

Learn more and apply: https://collegevilleinstitute.org/minneencounter/

01/15/2026

Lots happening at the Jay Phillips Center at University of St. Thomas Alumnithis semester – here's a peek at what's ahead!

This spring we're hosting Portraits and Pixels, two complementary installations exploring Holocaust memory through art and AI. The Transfer of Memory exhibit features large-scale portraits of Minnesota Holocaust survivors, and the IWitness Interactive Experience lets visitors ask questions of survivors through AI-powered video testimony.

We also have public lectures on antisemitism, Jewish creative resistance, Ladino culture, American Muslims and democracy, and Holocaust testimony in the age of AI – plus a Sacred Bridge concert weaving Sephardic and South Indian musical traditions.

Students: check out Interfaith Fellows, Peace Meals, Bridging the Gap dialogue training ($200 stipend), and the Viewpoints Fellowship ($1,000 stipend). Plus J-Term 2027 study abroad in Norway!

All events are free and open to the public. We'd love to see you there.

Full newsletter with all the details:
https://blogs.stthomas.edu/jay-phillips-center-news/2026/01/15/winter-spring-2026/

University of St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences, University of St. Thomas Alumni

News, Uncategorized Winter-Spring 2026 at the Jay Phillips Center The Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas serves as a hub for scholarship, dialogue, and public engagement across religious and worldview differences. This newsletter offers a look at recent wo...

10/06/2025

📬 Stay Connected with the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas

Want to be the first to hear about our events, programs, news, and opportunities? Sign up for the JPC mailing list! We send only 8–12 emails a year, so your inbox stays uncluttered while you stay informed.

Join our growing community of people passionate about (inter)religiouys studies, dialogue, religious and worldview diversity, and building bridges across difference.

👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gjECjqvK

https://cas.stthomas.edu/centers-institutes/center-for-interreligious-studies/mailing-list/index.html

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

10/02/2025

How does your faith inform the way you enter into new spaces?

“If there is one thing my faith has informed me it is to enter into places and spaces with peace. Rooted in that peace is a love greater than I can imagine. If I can share an ounce of this peace with others, my vision for the future, it is also a reminder to extend this same love and peace to myself.” — Ashley, Minnesota

Ashley’s photo comes from an Interfaith Photovoice project with Minnesota Multifaith Network and the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at University of St Thomas.

04/04/2025

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/04/04/somali-blues-and-black-soul-music-in-cross-cultural-collaboration

A new concert series called “Meet You at the Cross Roads” brings together Somali blues and Black soul music in a cross-cultural collaboration led by Ahmed Ismail Yusuf and JD Steele, highlighting the Twin Cities' diversity through shared musical traditions.

04/02/2025

Join us for "Abraham's Bridge: Film and Discussion" on April 7 from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the OEC Auditorium to learn about how intentional proximity fosters dialogue, understanding, and collaboration across religious and cultural divides.

This event is part of the 2025 Culture of Encounter Ideas Festival.

To register, head to TommieLink! We hope to see you there.