By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, Breaking Israel News—
David Nekrutman became the first Orthodox Jew to graduate from Oral Roberts University with a Masters Degree in Christian Studies. His studies gave him the tools to create better understanding between Jews and Christians in order to bring the two religions closer in an unprecedented manner.
“If Am Yisrael (the nation of Israel) is supposed to be a light unto the nations, to bring the light of Torah to the world, we need to understand each other,” Nekrutman said to Breaking Israel News, explaining his unusual choice of studies. “I don’t have to dilute who I am as a Jew. I need to see the Christian as in the image of God. Of course, that needs to be reciprocal.”
Nekrutman is intensely motivated to spread the light of Torah into the world, and it is toward that end that he established the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) with Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the Chief Rabbi of Efrat, in 2008. The organization is actively involved in creating religious dialogue and cooperation with Christians.
To further that goal, Nekrutman enrolled four years ago in the Oral Roberts University (ORU) Theology program, taking a Masters of Arts in Biblical Literature with a concentration in Judaic-Christian Studies. Last Friday, Nekrutman took his place among the Christian graduates of ORU.
Nekrutman felt that the most effective way to connect with Christians in a deep and meaningful manner was to study Christian theology. Read on…