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Personnel
John C. Merkle, Ph.D., Director
John Merkle, professor in the department of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, is the Jay Phillips Center’s director after serving for 13 years as one of its associate directors. Deeply involved in Christian-Jewish dialogue for more than three decades, he has been chair of the Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations, a national organization of Christian scholars engaged in the study of Judaism and of Christianity in relation to Judaism, and a co-editor of Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, the electronic journal of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations. Along with dozens of published articles and reviews, he has written and edited four books, including Faith Transformed: Christian Encounters with Jews and Judaism (2003) and Approaching God: The Way of Abraham Joshua Heschel (2009), both published by Liturgical Press. jmerkle@csbsju.edu
Hans S. Gustafson, Assistant Director
Hans Gustafson joined the Jay Phillips Center as the assistant director in June 2011. He has served as an adjunct faculty member for the department of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. He holds master degrees in both theology and philosophy and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in religion at Claremont Graduate University. A Twin Cities native, Hans is passionate about promoting interfaith collaboration and solidarity among students and others served by the Jay Phillips Center. His scholarly work reflects a commitment to ecumenical and interreligious learning, particularly in the fields of spirituality and the philosophy of religion. He has published on the interreligious spirituality of Bede Griffiths in The Way (2008), and has a forthcoming article on sacramentality in Aquinas and its implications for spirituality in The Heythrop Journal (2011). hgustafson@csbsju.edu
Eric Christensen, Newsletter Editor
Eric Christensen has been involved with the Jay Phillips Center since January 2011, when he began organizing reading groups, film viewings, and shared meals and discussions with CSB/SJU students, as well as assisting Dr. Merkle the center's public event programming. He currently writes for, designs, and edits the Jay Phillips Center's new interfaith newsletter. A graduate of Saint John's University with a B.A. in philosophy and theology and of Saint John's School of Theology with an M.A. in systematic theology, Eric thoroughly enjoys interfaith learning and dialogue and is continuously impressed by the deep insights provided by others in interfaith encounters. He is currently a copy editor for the Liturgical Press, where he has the privilege of being immersed in theological and religious conversations every day. echristensen@litpress.org
Brenna Horn, Student Leadership Coordinator
Brenna Horn is a senior peace studies major at the College of Saint Benedict. In June of 2011, she attended an Interfaith Leadership Institute with the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), and in spring semester of last year studied abroad in Kolkata, India. This is her third year working for the Jay Phillips Center. She is excited to run a Better Together Campaign this year with other members of the CSB/SJU student group Interfaith Leaders, sponsored by the center. She believes strongly that the interfaith movement will create a more peaceful world. blhorn@csbsju.edu
Vicky Liu, Student Leadership Coordinator
Vicky Liu is a senior political science major at the College of Saint Benedict. Her first experience with interfaith and reconciliation work was in the Bosnia and Herzegovina in the summer of 2011. After she came back, she took a course on religious reconciliation and got involved with the student group Interfaith Leaders sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center. This year, Vicky is working for the center in an official capacity to promote interfaith events and dialogue sessions among students and in the local community. Y1liu@cbsju.edu