For Immediate Release

Jihad, Just War Subject of Seminar at Princeton Seminary February 27

Princeton, NJ, January 13, 2006– With issues of war and peace predominant in the public dialogue nationally and internationally, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian scholars will lead a daylong seminar on Jihad and the Just War tradition on Monday, February 27 at Princeton Theological Seminary’s Center of Continuing Education. The event, open to the public for a registration fee of $50, including lunch, will be held in Erdman Hall, 20 Library Place, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Yasir S. Ibrahim, who teaches at Princeton Seminary and at Montclair State University and is a specialist in 20th-century Islamic reform movements, will speak from the Muslim faith tradition. He will address the concept of Jihad, an often-misunderstood Islamic term that connotes a wide range of meanings from an inward spiritual struggle to attain faith, to a political or military struggle to further the Islamic cause. He is working on a translation and critical introduction to the Kitab-al-Jihad, writings by ninth-century Muslim scholar al Tabari on the rules of war and the administration of conquered territories.

David Wolf Silverman will present a Jewish perspective on war and peace. A rabbi, and former chair of the Department of Jewish Philosophy at Jewish Theological Seminary of America, he served as a Jewish chaplain in the U.S. Army in the Korean War.

Iain R. Torrance, the president of Princeton Seminary and professor of patristics, will speak from a Christian perspective, particularly addressing the Just War theory, a theory understood to have begun with Augustine, who said that “war is limited by its purpose, its authority, and its conduct,” and developed by Aquinas as to the ethical rules by which warfare is entered into or limited. Torrance was a reservist chaplain to Britain’s armed forces and has written about the ethics of war and the military.

Each scholar will present historical and theological issues arising from their Scriptures and traditions on the topics of peacemaking and warfare and their effects on the world’s cultures. The event will also offer an interfaith panel discussion with opportunity for questions and reflection by participants.

Hui Chen, Princeton Seminary’s new dean of continuing education, is pleased to offer an event that brings together people of different faith traditions to explore an issue of such national and international significance. Herself a former prosecutor of national security cases and a candidate for ordained ministry, she believes that “it is essential for people of faith to dialogue attentively and respectfully with each other on these types of issues: this is the only way we can begin to appreciate how our respective beliefs shape and guide our common life together in the global community.”

The brochure is available to download by selecting the link “Jihad, Just War, Holy War,” or for more information or to register for the seminar, contact the Center of Continuing Education at coned@ptsem.edu, or 609-497-7990, or toll-free at 800-622-6767, extension 7990.