2008 Seminar for Seminary and Religious Studies Faculty
Christianity and the Holocaust: Teaching the Tough Questions
June 16–20, 2008

The Committee on Church Relations and the Holocaust (CRC) of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum announces a seminar for professors of theology, ethics, and religion at theological schools and other institutions of advanced education. Professors of other disciplines are welcome to apply, although preference will be given to professors of religious studies. The seminar is scheduled for June 16–20 and will include a general overview of the history of the Christian churches during the Holocaust, with a particular focus on the “tough questions” that often arise in teaching this history: the issue of antisemitism; the relevance of rescue and resistance; the complexity of figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer; contemporary interfaith challenges; and comparisons with other genocides. There will be special presentations on new research and discoveries in the field. Participants will also have the opportunity to consult and interact with Museum staff and visiting scholars.

The seminar will be co-taught by Victoria Barnett, Staff Director, CRC, and Stephen Haynes, Professor of Religious Studies, Rhodes College. Victoria Barnett is one of the general editors of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works English Edition, the translation of the complete writings of Bonhoeffer being published by Fortress Press. She is the author of For the Soul of the People: Protestant Protest against Hitler (1992) and Bystanders: Conscience and Complicity during the Holocaust (1999). Stephen Haynes has taught the Holocaust since 1990. His publications include Prospects for Post-Holocaust Theology (1991), Reluctant Witnesses: Jews and the Christian Imagination (1995), and The Bonhoeffer Legacy: Post-Holocaust Perspectives (2006).

Candidates must be faculty members at accredited, degree-awarding institutions in North America. Applications must include: (1) a curriculum vitae; (2) a statement of the candidate’s specific interest and purpose for attending the seminar; and (3) a supporting letter from a departmental chair or dean addressing the candidate’s qualifications and the institution’s potential interest in including Holocaust-related courses in their curriculum.

Admission will be decided without regard to age, gender, race, religion, or national origin. A maximum of twenty applicants will be accepted. For non-local participants, the Center will defray the cost of (1) direct travel to and from the participant’s home institution and Washington, DC, and (2) lodging for the duration of the seminar. Incidental, meal, and book expenses must be defrayed by the candidates or their respective institutions. All participants must attend the entire seminar.

Applications must be postmarked, emailed, or faxed no later than Wednesday, March 15, 2008, and sent to: University Programs, Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024-2150 (Email: university_programs@ushmm.org; Fax: 202-479-9726). All applicants will be notified of the results of the selection process by Tuesday, April 1, 2008. This seminar is made possible by the Hoffberger Family Fund and by Joseph A. and Janeal Cannon and Family.