One of Britain's largest university theology departments is to launch a new programme on the three Abrahamic faiths with a Jewish scholar of Islam at its head.

Adam Silverstein, who lectured for six years in Muslim-Jewish relations at Oxford University, has joined King's College, London, as its first director of Abrahamic religions to promote the joint study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Dr Silverstein said: "What drew me to KCL was the chance to create a new programme in Abrahamic religions there, this being one of the first such programmes in the world."

King's' MA in Jewish Studies boasts a unique partnership with the London School of Jewish Studies and Leo Baeck College. The new Abrahamic religions courses will enable Jewish educators and trainee Progressive rabbis to include the study of Christianity and Islam.

"Nowadays, rabbis, priests, and imams - as well as other communal leaders - are expected to know about, and be able to comment on, their communities' relations with other religions and communities. Many, however, were educated at a time when this sort of expertise was not expected of them," Dr Silverstein said.