# Amy-Jill Levine election to Catholic Biblical Association > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/amy-jill-levine-election-to-catholic-biblical-association > Updated: 2026-08-31T02:50:51.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2. Amy-Jill Levine, a scholar of New Testament and Jewish studies, has been elected as the first Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America (CBAA). Following the announcement, Levine encountered antisemitic backlash on social media, where some critics labeled her ‘anti-Christian’ or accused her of attempting to ‘hijack Catholicism.’ In response, the CBAA leadership issued a statement defending her appointment, asserting it was based on her academic excellence and her role in Catholic-Jewish dialogue rather than her religious identity. Bishop Joseph Bambera, chair of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, supported the appointment, calling it a ‘historic moment.’ Levine has expressed a vision to promote excellence in biblical studies and collaborate with organizations like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to ensure religious education materials do not promote antisemitic messages. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-31: Amy-Jill Levine named first Jewish president of Catholic Biblical Association Scholar Amy-Jill Levine has become the first Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America, drawing antisemitic backlash despite strong support from Catholic leaders. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/amy-jill-levine-named-first-jewish-president-of-catholic-biblical-association ### 2026-08-28: Amy-Jill Levine elected first Jewish president of Catholic Biblical Association Jewish scholar Amy-Jill Levine has been elected the first Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association, sparking an antisemitic backlash despite support from the organization's leadership. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/amy-jill-levine-elected-first-jewish-president-of-catholic-biblical-association-2 --- Cite as: Amy-Jill Levine election to Catholic Biblical Association. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/amy-jill-levine-election-to-catholic-biblical-association