Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies

Since 1938, the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies has maintained an innovative interfaith and intergroup relations program that emphasizes conversation among diverse communities about matters of public significance. The program's ability to unite voices from different academic, social, and religious communities has resulted in unique conferences and interfaith cooperation. It has also brought the relevance of Judaism and other religions to prominence in scholarship on theological, ethical, and scientific issues.

The Finkelstein Institute continues to provide a venue for advancing the dialogue at the intersection of religion and public affairs. The institute sponsors conferences on the theoretical, political, and theological dimensions of the controversial role of religion in liberal democracies, both in the United States and abroad, examining issues including the role of virtue in liberal societies and the place of religion in national self-definition. The institute also sponsors conferences on the separation of church and state and bioethical issues such as stem cell research and cloning.

Professor Alan Mittleman, of the Department of Jewish Philosophy, serves as the director of the Finkelstein Institute.

Rabbi Leonard Sharzer, MD is a fellow of the Finkelstein Institute, specializing in the field of bioethics.

Louis Finkelstein