Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations

Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT

This is the oldest center in the U.S., established in 1893. The program “is committed to the premise that through intensive study and academically guided dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation between Muslims and Christians can and must develop.” The faculty consists of three full-time and additional adjunct professors, including both Muslims and Christians and a near-equal gender representation.

The program requires two years of full-time study, including a final paper or project. In addition to seven courses in general theological studies, three courses are taken in the concentration area and three to four electives. All students are required to take a course entitled ‘Dialogue in a World of Difference,’ described on the seminary website as going beyond a discussion of interfaith relations to being “an invitation to engage in the practice of dialogue in a structured setting.”

The Macdonald Center lists 25 courses in its catalogue, including ‘Islamic Mysticism, Muslim Devotional Life and Practice,’ ‘Islamic Ritual and Family Law,’ and ‘Women in World Religions.’ It also offers a special training program in Islamic Chaplaincy, working with several North American Islamic organizations. In addition, it works in partnership with the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCCC), and its M.A. program uses resources from Temple University.

Two years of Arabic are offered but not required for graduation from the program. Worth noting from the online syllabus is the program’s creative solution to once-per-week block scheduling in language learning: assignments given at class are due (faxed or emailed) to the instructor halfway through the week, and returned corrected with another assignment due at the next class session.

The center does not have any international programs or prerequisites for its individual courses. It does organize a biannual study tour to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, or elsewhere to learn about local efforts in interfaith cooperation. A spring 2005 seminar was offered in Turkey. No field work is required for the M.A. unless students are enrolled in the Islamic Chaplaincy program. Then they may take up to two units of CPE for credit towards graduation.

The center has been in the midst of a long-range planning process. In addition, the center has been in conversation with parties in Turkey, having recently secured a $75,000 grant for student financial aid and additional projects. The program seeks to receive students via cooperative agreements with Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as international Christian students. The long-range plan also states the program’s commitment to “representing a broad balance of Muslim schools of thought.”