Around the same time that he launched his magazine Lerner started telling people that he was an Orthodox Rabbi. In fact he is neither a Rabbi nor Orthodox. He says he was “ordained” when three hippy “rabbis,” one of whom claims in fact to be a Buddhist, put their hands on his head and proclaimed him rabbi. A few years back I emailed him an inquiry as to whether he would submit to a small quiz of his knowledge of the Bible and the Talmud; he indignantly refused. He claims his rabbinic status is recognized because he is a member of the California Board of Rabbis. But membership in the Board does not mean anyone has acknowledged one’s rabbinic credentials as bona fide; it just means one pays annual dues. http://frontpagemag.com/2010/05/07/poor-michael-lerner%e2%80%99s-petunias/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_campaign=d7465ab342-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email
See also:
Alan Dershowitz on “Rabbi” Lerner:
“If you promise to stop lying about me, I will promise to stop telling the truth about you.”
http://frontpagemag.com/2010/05/06/tikkun-magazine-tries-to-muzzle-me/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_campaign=5332a94a4a-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email