Back to Jerusalem: The Seminary Gate in Jerusalem

In a land where Scripture is not just read but argued over, lived, and sometimes weaponised, a small community is trying to keep faith human. In the shadow of the post–7 Oct conflict, Rev Pastor Meno Kalisher is serving amid sudden mobilisations and chronic strain. Thirty-five members of the community have been called to front-line duties, and many are showing signs consistent with post-traumatic stress.

This proposal imagines a Graduate School of Biblical Theology as something more than a degree track. It is a formation project for the whole person, and for the households and congregations that person returns to. The aim is to train leaders who can read the Bible with rigor and tenderness, resist propaganda, and practice pastoral care that is trauma-informed, non-coercive, and faithful.

At the intersection of theology, family literacy, and human formation, the school’s guiding idea is simple: how people interpret Scripture shapes how they treat their neighbour. When families learn to read the Bible well, they also learn to name fear without feeding it, to tell the truth without dehumanising, and to pass on stories that build courage rather than contempt.

What the school will form

• Interpreters of Scripture who are historically grounded and pastorally accountable.
• Pastors and ministry leaders equipped for trauma-aware care for soldiers, families, and faith communities.
• Public theologians who can speak about war, justice, and neighbour-love with moral clarity and humility.

Academic distinctives (what makes it different)

• Canonical and biblical theology in the land of the Bible, with disciplined attention to context.
• A “hermeneutics of conflict” that examines exile, empire, covenant, and land themes as they are invoked today.
• Ethics and public theology that confront questions of power, limits, justice, and peacemaking without naïveté.
• Trauma studies for ministry, including moral injury, grief, and family systems.

Safeguarding commitments (how people are protected)

• Trauma-informed formation with clear referral pathways and supervised care.
• No pressure for students or staff to disclose combat exposure or personal trauma narratives.
• A non-partisan posture that keeps the school from becoming an instrument of political mobilisation.

Resilience and delivery (how it can survive volatility)

Because the context is unstable, the programme is designed to endure disruption.

• A hybrid model with Singapore-based academic continuity.