President Grudzen's Statement on the Purpose of GMU

Global Ministries University has developed a global, interfaith educational platform for over two decades and continues to be at the vanguard of progressive theological education that is inclusive of all women and men without concern for their sexual identity, immigration status, ethnicity, or social and economic status. We are recognized as a leader in the dialogue of faith with science, interfaith education for religious and civic leaders, and pioneering programs for the equality of women in diverse forms of ministry… See more at https://www.globalministriesuniversity.org/the-purpose-of-global-ministries-university/

Maryknoll Affiliates in Kenya in 2019. Genie is on President Grudzen's left.

GMU welcomes Genie Florczyk as our new registrar. Genie brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She is a member of our GMU Board of Directors and an adjunct faculty member of San Jose State University and Santa Clara University, where she concentrates on "helping African students with their master's theses and improving their writing skills." Genie accompanied President and Marita Grudzen to Kenya and lectured in our interfaith training program there.

The Movement to Excommunicate Misogyny From the Catholic Church

While small grassroots movements pushed for women’s ordination in both England and the United States in the early 1900s, the fight began in earnest in the latter half of the twentieth century. Paralleling the rise of global feminist movements, such as the legalization of abortion in the United States, and Protestant denominations beginning to ordain women, Catholic activists began organizing more forcefully. In 1975, the first major gathering, known as the Women’s Ordination Conference, took place in Detroit, Michigan, which led to the formation of an organization of the same name that has since hosted numerous similar conferences in the coming years...

Research in Judaica and the Torah  

The last couple of months we’ve been exploring freely available, online, scholarly resources for the study of sacred texts—the Christian Bible, the Qur’an, and Buddhist scriptures. Here are a few selected sources to assist in research in Judaica and the Torah, the foundational text of Judaism. Also referred to as the Pentateuch or the Five Books of Moses, the Torah consists of the first five books of the Bible. Other significant texts important in the study of Judaism are the Talmud, Midrash, Mishneh, Zohar (Kabbalah) and more. The resources below are helpful for many or all of these. 

TanakhML Project:  

https://www.tanakhml.org  (The Tanakh comprises the Torah (the five Books of Moses), the Nevi'im (the Books of the Prophets), and the Ketuvim ('Writings', eleven books). 

This website provides a Hebrew text browser that enables one to travel over the whole Tanakh in its fully vocalized version. The King James Version is also included—either as a stand-alone text or as a parallel one—to support the readings. There is also a verse analyzer that enables analysis of (almost) every verse of the non-poetic books of the Bible. 

Online Treasury of Talmudic Manuscripts Hebrew: https://www.nli.org.il/he/discover/judaism/jewish-bookshelf/oral-torah/talmudic-manuscripts/about

This resource, created by the National Library of Israel, brings together images of major Talmudic manuscripts from libraries throughout the world. Entirely in Hebrew.

Ets Haim Manuscripts:

http://etshaimmanuscripts.nl/collection/manuscripts/

Ets Haim is the oldest still functioning Jewish library in the world. It was founded in 1616 and has been housed in the historical complex of the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam since 1675. 560 manuscripts have been digitized.

The digitized Judaica Collection of the Frankfurt University Library:

https://sammlungen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/freimann/nav/index/all

Full text of the library’s collection of Judaica materials, including Hebrew incunabula, Hebrew manuscripts, Yiddish prints, and more. 

Sefaria:

https://www.sefaria.org/texts

Contains a vast library of Jewish texts in Hebrew and English including Torah, Talmud, Midrash, Halacha, commentaries (e.g., Rashi, Ramban), Kabbalah, and philosophy, with interlinked sources and translations.

The Jewish Virtual Library:

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org

Contains articles on Torah, Halacha, Jewish history, archaeology, and texts. Useful for introductory to intermediate research.

The Open Siddur Project:

https://opensiddur.org

Focuses on liturgy, but includes portions, blessings, and commentaries. Useful for exploring the Torah in prayer and ritual contexts.

YUTorah.org (Yeshiva University):

https://www.yutorah.org

Contains thousands of lectures, articles, and source sheets on Torah, Halacha, and Jewish thought, authored by contemporary scholars and rabbis.

AlHaTorah.org:

https://www.alhatorah.org

Features tools for Torah study: Parshanut (commentary) comparison, concordance, maps, charts. Excellent for advanced learners.

Next month: resources for the study of sacred Hindu texts: the Vedas, Upanishads, and the two great epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Questions? Comments? Need help with research? Contact me: 

Judy Clarence, M.L.I.S., GMU Librarian

librarian@globalministriesuniversity.org

Jesus in Islam

Dr. Zeki Saritoprak, a distinguished scholar and the Endowed Bediüzzaman Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University, gave this presentation on July 18. Dr. Saritoprak’s expertise in theology and religious studies positions him as an authoritative voice in this important conversation, aligning perfectly with GMU’s mission of fostering inclusivity and community engagement.

Pope at Mass for Care of Creation: Ecological crisis requires contemplative gaze

HOMILY OF POPE LEO XIV

The tenth anniversary of Laudato Si' is the perfect time to reconnect with nature and let your spirit soar! Dr. Margie Schneider is offering three courses at a discount. TH580 Creation Spirituality, TH581 Eco-Art & Creation Spirituality, and TH517 Spiritual Ecology are available individually for $235 per course. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your awareness of the Divine in Creation and in You!

Global Encounter: One heart, one home

New York Times: Joanna Macy, Who Found a Way to Transcend ‘Eco-Anxiety,’ Dies at 96. Marita Grudzen will be penning a tribute to Joanna Macy soon.

GMU President Dr. Gerald Grudzen, along with Father Augustine Pamplany, Dean of the GMU Religion and Science graduate degree program, host Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox for a presentation on Creation Theology from a Christian and cosmological perspective. 

We are thrilled to present to you a transformative lecture by Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox, a renowned theologian and advocate for interfaith dialogue. This event, part of Global Ministries University's Science and Religion program, emphasizes our commitment to fostering understanding among diverse faith traditions. In this lecture from Friday, July 11, Rev. Dr. Fox explores the profound connections between Creation Theology and cosmological insights. 

Theology for the 21st Century

Discover the compatibility of science, spirituality, and faith. GMU partners with the Institute of Science and Religion program in Kerala, India. You can view lectures on their YouTube channel.

The Catholic Church believes in science. That good Christians must be anti-science is a myth.

Community Ministry Program

A community ministry degree from GMU includes at least three courses in Sacred Scripture, a six- to nine-month community service placement with supervision, and submission of a journal documenting the learning that has taken place in the community service process. Students will need the equivalent of 60 units of college credit to be eligible for the degree in community ministry. The Stephen Ministry or other community service programs could be options for completing the community service training.

Students will take three online courses with GMU, taught by Father George Gonzales: The Psalms, An Introduction to the New Testament, and a course on pastoral counseling for drug and alcohol dependency. 

Additional credit for the equivalent of three courses will be achieved by taking the course in Stephen Ministry in Atlanta, Georgia. This course meets weekly beginning in September for about six months. It will include two retreats and be the equivalent of three GMU courses. The final course will be a supervised ministry experience with a community service organization in Atlanta that is working with youth.

Silicon Valley Peace Conference:

“AI’s Role in Community Development and Peacebuilding in Developing Nations”

GMU President Gerald Grudzen and Pacifica Institute Northern California Director Dr. Nurdin Kaparov are coordinating an international AI conference on peacebuilding for September 25–26, 2026. This will also be the 25th anniversary of GMU. Santa Clara University will serve as the venue for those attending the conference in person. Pacifica Institute will pay for the cost of facilities. There will be visits to AI developers in Silicon Valley prior to the event and a tour of San Francisco when it concludes.

GMU's IT Director, Ricardo Silvestri, and Dr. Kaparov are building a conference website hosted by Pacifica Institute. There will be participants from around the globe as well as the US. It will be a great way to celebrate the success of GMU and our outreach to the world.

We hope to have both in-person and virtual participation in the conference, along with the publication of conference papers.

Collaboration with People's Catholic Seminary

GMU seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of those who wish to start Intentional Eucharistic Communities. Together with PCS, GMU is now offering:

Creating Inclusive Eucharistic Communities in an Emerging Synodal Church 

5 sessions: $475 + $25 App Fee

Women in the Bible and Christian Tradition

5 sessions: $475 + $25 App Fee

Credit for these courses can be applied towards a GMU graduate degree or certificate.

The Center for Celebrant Training shows you how to conduct religious/nonreligious funeral services completely online and at a very low cost.

When asked what he liked about this program? John D. Strom wrote, “I liked the sources, working with Dr. Conley and can’t wait to perform a celebration of life or funeral as a beginning pro. My confidence is much higher because of this experience.”

"In seminary we are being fed and watered with wisdom. We are exposed to the sunshine of diverse thinking, while our roots sink into the rich soil of our own tradition. In this rich environment we begin to grow. We find deeper meaning in the faith we hold dear. And based on that new and deep meaning we grow our ministries. We mature. We become the expression of our mature faith." Denise Hackert-Stoner

GMU supports the FCM Circle of Directors and their deliberations.

GMU gratefully acknowledges the donations of Becky Bell and Anthony Pino for the presentation on "Jesus in Islam." It is because of your generosity that GMU can continue to provide these outstanding programs.

GMU operates under the corporate umbrella of the Federation of Community Ministries of California (FCM of CA), originally formed on October 30, 1997, when we gained the status of a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. GMU is registered in Santa Clara County, CA, as a DBA of FCM of CA. The two entities have the same Board of Directors.

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