Gaynor Lecture to Feature
Dr. Rabbi Michael J. Cook

Dr. Rabbi Michael J. Cook, Bronstein Professor of Judeo-Christian Studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati and the only rabbi in America with a Full-Professorial Chair in New Testament, will be the keynote speaker of the 2009 Gaynor Lecture on Monday, May 18 at 7 p.m. at the JCC.

The topic of his lecture will be Modern Jews Engage the New Testament: Enhancing Jewish Well-Being in a Christian Environment, which also is the title of his newest book from Jewish Lights.

In 2003, Dr. Cook was one of seven scholars selected by the Catholic Bishops to assess the accuracy of the advance script of Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." It was Gibson's reaction to the Scholars' Report that generated the ensuing international controversy.

He serves on many advisory boards in Jewish-Christian relations, and has received an "Excellence in Teaching Award" sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities. He has addressed leading scholars of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Episcopalian Presiding Bishop's Advisory Committee on Christian-Jewish Relations, as well as assemblies of Air Force Chaplains at the United States Air Force Academy.

Dr. Cook's numerous publications treat evolving Jewish views of Jesus and Paul, studies on the various Gospels and on a wide spectrum of specialized subjects including the trial of Jesus, images of Judaism in Christian Art, the history of antisemitism, the role of Passover in modern Christianity, and how Jews may attempt to neutralize missionary encroachment. Dr. Cook also has composed a Manual for Managing the Millennium, and has produced with his students the acclaimed popular video, "Missionary Impossible."

He travels widely, addressing Jewish and Christian audiences, including congregations as well as university academicians, clergy, and seminarians throughout North America. Most recently, Dr. Cook was a panelist at the Columbus Jewish Film Festival's symposium on "What It Means to Love Israel...A Jewish and Evangelical Dialogue."

He has served as a member of the Executive Board of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, has five children, and he and his wife spend a major portion of each summer working with Jewish youth at the Union for Reform Judaism camp in Zionsville, Ind.

Immediately following the lecture, Dr. Cook will be autographing copies of his book, which also will be available for sale, in the JCC lobby.

Admission to the event is free; however, reservations are requested for space planning purposes. Reservations may be made by contacting Melanie Butter at mbutter@columbusjcc.org by Friday, May 15.