Daniel Lehmann to be first Jewish president of Graduate Theological Union
The consortium in Berkeley, California, includes research centers and seminaries of multiple faith traditions—but has been previously led by Christians.
Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union selected Daniel Lehmann, an Orthodox rabbi, as president. He will be the first non-Christian president in the history of the consortium of research centers and seminaries for students of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions.
Lehmann has served as the president of Hebrew College in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, and chaired the board of a Boston-area consortium of theological schools.
“The opportunity to lead an institution that’s at the cutting edge of interreligious scholarship and to help grow it and help expand its impact is both a privilege and a blessing for me,” he said.
Lehmann will succeed Riess Potterveld, who is retiring.
Lehmann would like to see GTU develop a global presence, partly through digital learning and use of technology and partly by engaging with partners. Lehmann is particularly excited to work with Muslims.
“There’s really no other place like it,” he said, “in terms of bringing together those kinds of diverse institutions and combining their strengths into something incredibly distinctive.” —Religion News Service
