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Jay also helps develop programs with youth and young adults in
order to involve new generations of leaders in inter-religious
work and reflection. He organizations consultations and maintains
a wide range of contacts with organizations and leaders of a variety
of religious traditions in the United States, particularly with
Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and native American traditional communities.
Jay's work is rooted in the conviction that faithfulness to Christ
calls us into relationship with the entire human family, every
individual created in God's image. "We are called to relate
to people of other faiths in full humility, openness, honesty
and respect" (Presbyterian Principles for Interfaith Dialogue,
adopted by the General Assembly of the PC(USA) in 1999, par. 23.052).
We are called to enter into these relationships not "in judgment,
but in awareness of God's limitless love and grace" (20.065).
"Because our witness is relational and dialogical, we ask
others to teach us who they are" (23.061), and we seek to
equip ourselves "to articulate our faith in ways that can
be understood by others" (23.060), and "to minister
to human needs in our common public life" (23.064).
"Our challenge is not only to develop our understanding
and extend our hospitality to men and women of other faiths,"
writes Jay, "but also, as ambassadors of reconciliation,
to join with them to work toward and lift up God's demand for
a just, peaceful, and renewed world.
Jay is happy to offer workshops on Christian vocation and spirituality,
on neighbors of other faiths, on religious pluralism, or on more
specific issues, such as resources for education in this area,
skills for building interfaith relations, "Reconciliation
in a World of Religious Diversity," "Is Inter-religious
Worship Possible?" and so on. Some of these workshops engage
participants in reclaiming their own spiritual roots as Christians
and in exploring the bases in Christian faith that can undergird
us in inter-religious relationships. Other workshops that Jay
is pleased to give offer tools for people-centered and story-telling-centered
approaches to building community among people of differing religious
traditions, or for assessing conflict in inter-religious settings.
Prior to his work with Interfaith Relations with the NCCC, Jay
was the director of the Area Support Office for Church World Service,
NCCC, in San Francisco, California. He was also a consultant for
Christian-Jewish Relations and Middle East Focus for the Northern
California Ecumenical Council. Jay has also served as an interim
pastor at Ygnacio Valley Presbyterian Church, Concord, California,
and First Presbyterian Church, Sausalito, California, and as assistant
pastor at Lincoln Presbyterian Church, Concord, California.
Jay graduated from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, with
a BA degree in English literature. He also studied at San Francisco
Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California, receiving an
MA degree in Christian theological studies and an MDiv degree.
He earned his PhD in history and phenemonology of religion from
the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.
Jay is married to Judith Rock, who is a writer and teacher. She
has an MDiv from San Francisco Theological Seminary and a PhD
in theology and art from the Graduate Theological Union. Jay is
a clergy member of San Francisco Presbytery.
Birthdays:
Jay - August 30
Judith - July 5
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