MDiv Degree with a concentration in Messianic Judaism
In harmony with its emphases on globalization, diversity, intercultural leadership, and contextualized ministry, Denver Seminary is initiating a partnership with the Messianic Jewish community and developing a new and exciting academic program that will serve to equip both Messianic and Protestant leaders in their service for the Kingdom of God.
At Denver Seminary, this particular degree falls under the umbrella of the Division of Biblical Studies. Watch a video from the Division of Biblical Studies.
Courses in Messianic Judaism are designed to: (1) Train leaders for service in the Jewish community; (2) educate current and future Protestant leaders in Messianic Judaism issues and in the Jewish background of Christianity; (3) encourage an active partnership between the Messianic and Protestant communities in their service for the kingdom of God; (4) foster an atmosphere of globalization and diversity at Denver Seminary; and (5) provide a sound academic environment where students can establish a solid theological and biblical foundation for ministry to Jews and Gentiles.
Projected Course Offerings
MJ 501 Introduction to Messianic Judaism (Fall 2010 - Rabbi Chaim Urbach)
This course surveys the major themes and issues related to Messianic Judaism and exposes students to its traditions, practices, and beliefs from biblical, historical, and theological perspectives. This course focuses primarily on God’s covenants with Israel and their interpretation in Jewish and Christian contexts since biblical times. Two hours.
MJ 505 Messianic Jewish Theology II: Key Issues in New Testament and Rabbinic Literature (Spring 2011 - Rabbi Chaim Urbach)
This course provides an overview of rabbinic literature and demonstrates how rabbinic tradition, oral and written, is reflected in the New Testament writings. This course addresses essential Messianic Jewish and evangelical doctrines such as the authority of Scripture, atonement, and the deity of Christ. Emphasis will be placed on how tradition defines theology and praxis in rabbinic Judaism, versus a biblical approach in Messianic Judaism. Two hours.
MJ 603 Communicating Messianic Faith to the Jewish Community (Summer 2011 - Dr. Bill Bjoraker) Description forthcoming.
MJ 503 Messianic Jewish Apologetics I: Answering Historical and Theological Objections (Intersession/January 2012 - Dr. Michael Brown)
Provides a response to the principle Jewish objections to the Messianic credentials of Jesus of Nazareth, including historical, theological, Messianic prophecy, New Testament, and traditional Jewish objections. Topics seek to sensitize students to the reasoning behind the objections along with equipping them with reasonable, literate, and biblical responses. May also credit as a philosophy of religion elective. Two hours.
MJ 502 Messianic Jewish Liturgy and Symbolism (Summer 2012 - Dr. Jeffrey Feinberg)
This course surveys Messianic Jewish ways of approaching God, with particular attention to the liturgical and symbolic expressions of corporate worship and lifestyle. Addressed is the critical question of how Messianic Jews integrate the good news of new covenant faith with the historical understandings and practices of Judaism. Whereas in Judaism, the use of liturgy and symbols facilitate communal obedience to God’s revealed will, it will be demonstrated that, in Messianic Judaism, these same practices also enrich the individual’s new covenant faith experience of direct access to God. Combining cultural, epistemological, and historical understanding of one’s reading of Scripture helps students gain an inside view of the way God has raised up a people whose highest destiny is to live God’s revealed blueprint for changing the world. Two hours.
MJ 504 Messianic Jewish Theology I: Covenants and Eschatology (Rabbi Chaim Urbach) This course will establish the biblical and theological foundations necessary to understand the Messianic Jewish views of the covenant relationship that exists between God and the nation of Israel, and the relationship that exists between the Church and the nation of Israel. Special emphasis is on the importance of the biblical covenants for understanding the place of Israel in the divine plan, as well as its place in eschatology. Two hours.
MJ 506 Messianic Jewish Apologetics II: Messianic Prophecy (Dr. Michael Brown)
A comprehensive treatment of Messianic prophecy as traced through the Hebrew Scriptures, emphasizing the development of the Messianic hope in Israel, the royal and priestly streams of Messianic prophecy, principles for interpreting Messianic prophecy, and discussion of the New Testament’s usage of the prophetic scriptures of the Tanakh. Two hours.
MJ 601 The Gospels in their Jewish Context (Dr. John Fischer)
The study of the Gospels is indispensable for understanding Jesus the Messiah—who he is and what he came to do—and is absolutely essential to a living faith. The course studies Jesus’ environment and background to provide an accurate framework for comprehending his life and teachings as recorded in the Gospels, with particular emphasis on Israel and Judaism in the Second Temple period. Two hours.
MJ 602 The Modern Messianic Jewish Movement (Rabbi Chaim Urbach)
This course surveys the origins of the modern Messianic Jewish movement in the context of spiritual currents of the nineteenth and twentieth century evangelical church. Addressed are thecontributions of the movement of the Kingdom of God and the theological challenges it has faced in the process. Two hours.
For additional information on the courses or MDiv concentration, please contact Dr. Hélène Dallaire at or (303) 762-6916.
About the scholars:
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Dr. Jeffrey Feinberg - Dr. Feinberg received his Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Theological Education. He is currently a leader of congregation Etz Chaim, Buffalo, NY, and has served as the Midwest Regional Director of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations. Dr. Feinberg authored several books and articles including Walk Genesis! A Messianic Jewish Devotional Commentary for Readers of the Torah, Haftarah, and B'rit Chadasha, Walk Exodus!, Walk Leviticus!, Walk Numbers!, and Walk Deuteronomy! |
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Rabbi Chaim Urbach - Rabbi Urbach is currently the leader of Congregation Yeshuat Tsion, in Denver, Colorado. He received an MA in Biblical Studies with New Testament concentration from Denver Seminary in 1991. Rabbi Urbach was one of the founding elders of congregation Ro'eh Yisrael in Denver, CO. He has served as officer of several Messianic Jewish organizations and has taught extensively in Messianic and Protestant congregational settings. |
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Dr. Michael Brown - Dr. Brown received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literature from New York University. He has served as a Visiting Professor of Jewish Apologetics at Fuller Theological Seminary School of World Mission and at The King's Seminary. He has also served as Visiting Professor of Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Dr. Brown served as a leader in the Brownsville Revival from 1996-2000 and birthed FIRE School of Ministry in 2001. He has preached throughout the United States and in more than twenty nations and has written more than eighteen books on revival, holiness, radical discipleship, and Jewish-Christian issues, along with scholarly works in Old Testament and Hebrew studies. He is generally considered to be the foremost expert in Jewish apologetics and has debated leading rabbis on college campuses, radio, and TV. He is the host of the new Jewish outreach TV show, Think It Thru. His most recent books include a commentary on Jeremiah for the new edition of the Expositor's Bible Commentary; the acclaimed series Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus (five volumes); and Revolution in the Church: Challenging the Religious System with a Call for Radical Change. His scholarly articles have been published in leading journals as well as in the Oxford Dictionary of Jewish Religion, the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, and the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. |
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Dr. John Fischer received a PhD in Education/Religion from the University of South Florida, and a ThD in Judaic Studies from the Graduate School of Theology. Dr. Fischer is the current Rabbi of Congregation Ohr Chadash, the Rosh Yeshiva (principal) of Netzer David Yeshiva, and the Academic Vice President and Judaic Studies Department Chair at St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been actively involved in committees of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, and the International Messianic Jewish Alliance for the past two decades. Dr. Fischer is the author and editor of numerous publications, including The Enduring Paradox: Jesus and Judaism, Messianic Servies for Festivals and Holy Days, Siddur for Messianic Jews, and The Meaning and Importance of Jewish Holidays. |
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