53 CURRENT DIALOGUE

December 2012

Special Issue: Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to

Editorial Clare Amos 2 Report of the Intra-Christian Consultation on Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to Judaism Shanta Premawardhana 4 Themes in Catholic Post –Nostra Aetate Theology Philip A. Cunningham 10 Replacement Theology, Christian and the Anglo-American Protestant Tradition of Judeo-centric Prophecy Interpretation Robert O. Smith 21 Contemporary Christian Self-Understanding: Populus Dei or Corpus Christi ? Jesper Svartvik 30 Text, Tribulation and Testimony: The in the Context of the Middle East Clare Amos 39 Sharing the Inheritance: An Orthodox Christian View of the Church as New in the Context of the Contemporary Jewish-Christian Dialogue Demetrios E. Tonias 51 What does the Church Gain in Affirming the Jewish People as People of the Covenant? Bernd Schröder 62 Denominational Perspectives Peter A. Pettit ; Clare Amos; H. E. Metropolitan Emmanuel of France 70 Regional Perspectives Robert O. Smith ; Salim Munayer; Jamal Khader; Bishop Emeritus 78 Aldo M. Etchegoyen; Katja Kriener Obituary – The Rev. Johan Snoek 90

ISSN 1814-2230 Current Dialogue can be found on: www.oikoumene.org/en/programmes/interreligiousdialogue/current- dialogue/magazine.html

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism

Editorial

Editorial

It is good to be able, in this issue of Current Dialogue, to present the report and papers of the consultation held in Istanbul in June 2010 which explored “Christian self-understanding in the context of Judaism.” This is the third of our special issues of Current Dialogue which have focused in turn on consultations exploring Christian self-understanding in the context of Buddhism, then , and now Judaism. We are grateful for the warmth and appreciation with which the re-launch of Current Dialogue in December 2011 has been greeted.

Although the meeting in Istanbul took place before I joined the staff of the WCC (and at the time I had no idea I would be doing so), I participated in the meeting as a representative of the Anglican Communion. You can tell this from two of the papers included in this collection, one of which gives quite a bit of my own personal history.

I am grateful to my predecessor, the Rev. Dr Shanta Premawardhana, for organizing that 2010 consultation. Like him, I remember it as a particularly stimulating—though also challenging—gathering. It brought together Protestant and Catholic theologians from , other parts of Europe, and the USA who work intensively on Jewish Christian dialogue concerns, to engage in conversation with Middle Eastern and Orthodox theologians. In a significant development, there were also three Jewish observers present. Such a cross-regional and cross-confessional conversation is quite unusual. It was apparent during the course of the gathering that theological reflection by Christians in this field cannot be entirely separated from political pressures and concerns relating to the Middle East. That is also clear from some of the papers presented in this collection. But apart from specific regional issues, there is the fundamental question of the relationship between and Judaism—what can briefly be summed up as the question of “supersessionism” or “replacement theology.” It was obvious at our meeting that the Christian world does not yet speak with one voice on this issue.

Perhaps with a special kind of appropriateness the issue also contains the obituary of the Rev. Johan Snoek who was, I believe, the first person to be appointed to the WCC staff with specific responsibility for Jewish-Christian relations.

I also want to thank Shanta for producing the report of the meeting, and, with the help of Ms Yvette Milosevic, for taking the initial steps to ensure the publication of these papers. Additionally I want to thank Ms Marietta Ruhland, the administrator in the department, for her intensive work in layout and dealing with the administrative side of the production, and Michael West of WCC publications who somehow has the gift of making things possible.

It is with pleasure and anticipation that I announce some good news: an additional colleague will join us shortly for the interreligious work of the WCC. The Rev. Dr Peniel Jesudason Rufus Rajkumar, currently a lecturer at the United Theological College in Bangalore, India, starts work here in Geneva in January 2013 as a Programme Executive. Peniel will focus particularly on concerns relating to Buddhism and Hinduism. I am very much looking forward to his arrival and to being able to work with him. (Perhaps this is also an opportunity to advertise a recent book edited by Peniel, Asian Theology on the Way: Christianity, Culture and Context. It is published in the SPCK International Study Guides series. It gives a good indication of Peniel’s wide interests).

Next year (2013) we will be working toward the forthcoming assembly of the WCC to be held in Busan, Korea in October-November. It promises to be an interesting period; I am sure this will be reflected in next year’s issues of Current Dialogue. 2

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism

Editorial

This issue of Current Dialogue was already well into production when news came on 13 November 2012 of the death of Rt Rev. Kenneth Cragg at the age of 99. As well as being a professional and intellectual inspiration, Bishop Cragg was also a personal friend of mine. With a friend and colleague Professor David Thomas I edited the Festschrift A Faithful Presence presented to Bishop Cragg by the Archbishop of Canterbury for his 90 th birthday in 2003. What I had not been fully aware of until I started to work for the WCC however, was the important role Bishop Cragg played in the 1960s and early 1970s in the development of the WCC’s own work in Christian-Muslim relations. I hope therefore that in a future issue of Current Dialogue it will also be possible to offer a tribute to Kenneth Cragg which will take seriously this aspect of his work and ministry.

Clare Amos

Programme Coordinator, Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism

Report of the Consultation

A Report of the Intra-Christian Consultation on Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to Judaism

Istanbul, Turkey - 17-20 June 2010 Rev. Dr Shanta Premawardhana

Introduction among, these diverse Christian perspectives. Taking account of the A consultation on Christian self- conviction that theological rigour requires understanding in the context of Judaism Christians to seek critical reflections from was convened by the World Council of colleagues who are adherents of other Churches in Istanbul, Turkey, 17-20 June religions, the consultation also included 2010. It was held immediately prior to, and Jewish observers. This broad Christian at the same location as, the annual participation as well as the presence of meeting of the International Council of Jewish observers constituted an Christians and (ICCJ), providing the intentional methodological step forward. participants an opportunity to attend that This document is intended to be a record event as well. of the proceedings and seeks to provide a foundation for future conversations. Acknowledging that over the years, Jewish-Christian relations have developed This consultation on Christian self- most extensively among those from the understanding in the context of Judaism, global North, this consultation sought to while valuable for its own sake, is part of a bring together Christian theologians from larger conversation on religious pluralism many parts of the world and from several and Christian self-understanding. confessional traditions. Christians with Following consultations on Christian self- expertise in forms of Jewish-Christian understanding in the contexts of Islam, dialogue familiar to European and North Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism, a American contexts engaged with Middle comprehensive document is expected to Eastern, including Palestinian, Christians be drafted in time for the World Council of as well as Christians from Asia and Latin Churches’ General Assembly in November America. Participants came from Roman 2013. Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, and Content of the Meeting Evangelical traditions. Jewish observers were also invited and participated in the On the first day of the consultation discussion. participants heard presentations from geographical regions, confessional Churches around the world have shaped traditions, and a variety of other their self-understanding in very different perspectives. These presentations are contexts of Judaism: some with little gathered together for publication in this direct experience of a living Jewish issue of Current Dialogue. Participants community, some in close engagement engaged in lively discussions in response with the State of Israel, some in long- to these thought-provoking contributions. standing shared cultural encounter with Jews, some in the shadow of the Shoah. At the end of the first day of the While the aim of the consultation was to consultation, a Listening Group reflected seek ways to expand theological space for back with questions which provided a 1 mutual affirmation between Christians and framework for the rest of the consultation. Jews, its methodology encouraged and required the participation of, and dialogue

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Report of the Consultation

On the second day, participants formed “supersession” carry proper descriptive three groups to discuss the following meanings in some, particularly Orthodox topics: Christian, traditions, these terms are categorically problematic when negatively 1. Are there biblical and theological applied vis-à-vis Judaism. Therefore, the justifications for replacement group welcomed the challenge of theology? If replacement theology developing new or rediscovered restricts theological space for mutual hermeneutical metaphors for the affirmation, can this consultation relationship between Judaism and create a framework that offers an Christianity which would allow for the alternative hermeneutic to the distinctiveness of Christianity and also churches? enlarge the space for Christian-Jewish 2. Are there biblical and theological encounter. Some examples are objections to affirming Jews as people companionship on the path to , the of the covenant? How would such an olive tree (Rom. 11:17-24), and the affirmation affect Christology, wrestling and embrace of the brothers Ecclesiology, and theologies of justice, Jacob and Esau (Gen. 32, 33). The mission, and evangelism? Would metaphor of Christianity as a translation of affirming Jews as people of the Judaism was offered as a potentially covenant require the privileging of productive one, although the consultation Jewish-Christian dialogue? did not have the opportunity to discuss it 3. Jewish-Christian relations and adequately. tensions are loaded with biblical language and metaphors that are used The consultation agreed that given their to give added weight to political theological heritage, serious grappling with positions. What criteria can this these key words continues to be a vital consultation propose for articulating a topic for Christian reflection. Concerning proper biblical hermeneutic that the new metaphors, the consultation overcomes the tendency to overload raised two questions: Does each of the the political discourse with religious metaphors open the door to expand language, and expands the theological theological space for mutual affirmation of space? How do Christian theological other religions? Do these metaphors perspectives aimed at expanding the preserve sufficiently the distinctiveness of theological space affect Christian Christianity which the “fulfilment” approach considerations of the modern State of seeks to express? The consultation Israel? commended deeper exploration of these concepts and metaphors. In the afternoon the groups reported the results of their conversation. The following Group 2 are summaries of their discussions. They should not be received as representing the The group reported its consensus that consensus of the consultation except while there are Christians who voice where it is indicated. objections to understanding Jews as remaining in covenant with God, such Group reports objections are far outweighed by biblical and theological perspectives that affirm Group 1 Jewish covenantal life in its distinctiveness. It was stressed that the The group discussed key words such as biblical covenantal tradition has universal “fulfilment,” “replacement theology,” and aspects that reach out to all humanity. The “supersessionism.” It agreed that ongoing covenantal faith of Jews can “fulfilment” may provide some capacity for affect how Christians understand basic developing Christian self-understanding. While “replacement theology” and 5

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism

Report of the Consultation theological categories while not negating manipulate the Bible for their own ends, previous Christian traditions. sometimes even to promote injustice, oppression, violence, and The consultation, acknowledging a dehumanization. Some biblical images general consensus in Jewish-Christian and theological themes have been relations that Jews should not be compromised by their role in the heritage specifically targeted for conversion to of Christian anti-Judaism. For example, Christianity, also recognized the impact of the modern State of Israel, a political this question on broader Christian entity, is sometimes instrumentalized to theologies of mission and evangelism. The promote Christian theological ends, such consultation also agreed that Judaism and as Christian Zionist readings of the biblical Christianity share many scriptures, text that construct Jews as characters in a traditions, and a common context from Christian eschatological drama. which the two traditions emerged, and that the Jewishness of when he lived on At the same time, the use of scripture to earth is an important point of yield powerful images of repentance and convergence. However the historical reconciliation and to affirm the Church’s development of Judaism and Christianity bond to the Jewish people must be as two distinct religions must be honoured. acknowledged. The mutual consultation of Christians from varied contexts, as Group 3 exemplified in this consultation, can be a helpful methodological practice, both to The group affirmed that biblical counteract the temptations to manipulate interpretation should be guided by a the texts and to lift up texts that make hermeneutic of justice and love; ours is a reconciliation possible. ministry of reconciliation because God’s concern is for all human communities (2 The consultation struggled with the Cor. 5:18 and Ps. 122:6). The group noted terminology as well as with the substance with appreciation the call in the Kairos of some questions. There was a great deal Palestine document to approach all of discussion, for instance, regarding the neighbours in love. The Bible must be question of whether some Christian read contextually. Interpretation must take theological perspectives developed since into account not only the context of the the singular contribution of Nostra Aetate story, its composition, and its interpretive (excluding evangelical ) history through the centuries, but also the have contributed to harming Palestinian context of the reader. Some Western interests, especially the interests of Christians have developed a tradition of . Some referred to interpretation in which the specific the body of thought as “Western post- contexts of the long history of systematic Holocaust theology,” but others objected , including the Shoah, to this label. While many participants are taken seriously. Arab/Palestinian agreed that this question was substantive, Christian interpretations have their own others felt that the terms needed more context, for example, Nakba and the precise definitions which do not diminish military occupation and life within its very important theological contributions predominantly Muslim milieux. When to Jewish-Christian relations. reading the Bible, Christians must expect to be challenged by the texts they Further Impulses encounter. The Bible will not always affirm its readers’ positions; it offers both hope In addition to the perspectives and and admonishment. questions raised by the discussion group reports and the resulting plenary The consultation agreed that Christians conversation, the consultation also pointed can suffer from the temptation to

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism

Report of the Consultation to the following questions for further respectful, grace-filled perspective on reflection: our relationship to them?

• How does the integral relationship Meeting in this ancient seat of Christianity, between Christianity and Judaism the consultation agreed to conclude its inform Christian understanding of how report by calling to mind the words of His God relates to people of other All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch religions? Bartholomew I: • Should Christians see Christology as the hermeneutical framework in which The common spiritual origins of Christians to understand the church and its and Jews seem today, more than ever, to relationship to Judaism and the Jewish offer a fruitful ground toward the rejection people, or should they see God’s of the consequences of mutual prevailing history with Israel as the hostility during the past, and the hermeneutical framework for establishment of a new relationship understanding Jesus Christ and the between them, genuine and authentic, church? rooted in the willingness to work towards • mutual understanding and improved In what ways might biblical and related 2 scholarship about the Jewishness of knowledge of each other. Jesus (in terms of his humanity) and the Jewish roots of early Christianity enrich the self-understanding of Christians everywhere? What does 1 The summary questions raised by the this work of Christian self- Listening Group on 18 June 2010, which were understanding in the context of then used as a resource for further discussion, Judaism mean to Christians who live were as follows: countries that have no contemporary Jewish presence? • What implications do various Christian 1. Churches around the world have self-understandings vis-à-vis Judaism shaped their self-understanding in have for the current situation in the very different contexts of Judaism: some thoroughly apart from a living Middle East and vice versa ? How can Jewish community, some in close Christians best carry out their vocation engagement with the State of Israel, as ministers of reconciliation within the some in long-standing shared cultural context of the Israeli-Palestinian encounter with Jews, some in the conflict? shadow of the Shoah, etc. To what • During this consultation, Palestinian extent do the insights from these participants communicated their contexts inform Christian self- perception that theological justification understanding in other settings? How of the State of Israel by some can all these experiences be received by the churches as mutual gifts? Christians has contributed to 2. Concerning definitions: is there a Palestinian suffering. How can the difference, and if so, what is it, among insights of Palestinian Christians fulfilment, replacement theology, and further Christian self-understanding? supersessionism? • Especially in situations of conflict, how 3. What are our sources for the formation can Christians find new ways to of Christian self-understanding? What explore how liturgy, lectionaries, is the relationship between this self- hymns, educational books, and other understanding and the questions of materials and practices in the life of ethnicity and identity? How do Jewish churches might counteract the understandings of Christianity influence our self-understanding? heritage of contempt toward Jews and Judaism and build a healthy,

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Report of the Consultation

4. What is the difference between and mission as these have previously “people of God” and “people of the been understood? Is there something covenant”? special about our relationship with 5. How does our theological self- Jews that precludes our evangelism of understanding translate into a them in ways that it would not be so relationship with national identities and with people of other faiths or of no political states? faith? Here we understand evangelism 6. Does a Christian accommodation of as having another person identify with Jewish messianic expectations Christian faith. necessarily dilute the Christian 2 distinctiveness? Is this Proceedings of the Third Academic Meeting accommodation a negative or positive between Orthodoxy and Judaism, 21-24 March development in Christian self- 1993 (Athens, Greece), “Continuity and understanding? Renewal” in Immanuel, vol. 26-27 (1994). 7. What does Christian witness mean in the world today if Christians move away from proselytism, evangelism,

List of Participants of the Consultation

Dr Nicolas Abou-Mrad P. Norbert Hofmann, S.D.B. Assistant Professor of Old Testament Commission for Religious Relations with St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology the Jews University of Balamand Vatican Lebanon Rev. Dr Jamal Khader Daibes Mrs Clare Amos Bethlehem University Anglican Communion Office Latin Patriarchate UK Israel

Prof. Dr Philip Cunningham Rev. Katja Kriener St. Joseph's University Rheinische Kirche Philadelphia Germany USA Dr Barbara Meyer Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Hebrew University, ) Ecumenical Partiarchate Israel France Dr Salim Mounayer Bishop (E) Aldo Manuel Etchegoyen Musalaha Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Argentina Jerusalem Argentina Israel

Dr Rosalee Velloso Ewell, Ph.D. Brazil

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Report of the Consultation

Rev. Dr John Pawlikowski, OSM Observers Catholic Theological Union Chicago Amy Eilberg USA USA

Rev. Dr Peter Pettit Prof. Susannah Heschel Muhlenberg College - IJCU Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies USA Dartmouth College USA Metropolitan Prof. Dr Gennadios of Sassima Dr Deborah Weissman Ecumenical Patriarchate ICCJ Turkey Israel

Prof. Dr Bernd Schröder WCC Staff Universität des Saarlandes Germany Mr John Baxter-Brown Consultant on Evangelism Rev. Dr Hermen Shastri World Council of Churches Council of Churches of Malaysia Malaysia Mr Michel Nseir Programme Executive Rev. Robert Smith Focus on Middle East Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Israel and Palestine USA World Council of Churches

Rev. Prof. Dr Jesper Svartvik Rev. Dr Shanta Premawardhana Lund University Programme Executive Centre for Theology & Religious Studies Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation Sweden World Council of Churches

Rev. Fr Demetrios Tonias Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston USA

Rev. Canon Guy Wilkinson Lambeth Palace National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser and Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury UK

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

Themes in Catholic Post-Nostra Aetate Theology

Dr Philip A. Cunningham

Introduction particular point, not exhaustively authenticate it. The Second Vatican Council’s 1965 declaration Nostra Aetate inspired a series Without discussing the relative weights of of official documents authority of the many germane Catholic about Jews and Judaism that continues to documents, it is helpful to appreciate the present. Vatican commissions, certain aspects of the hierarchical and national conferences of Catholic bishops, centralized authority structure of Catholic and Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI polity. The statements of the Second have issued numerous statements Vatican Council, a gathering of Catholic concerning Christian-Jewish relations. bishops from around the globe, including Although only partially internalized among the pope, the bishop of Rome, possess a Catholics worldwide, these texts have very high degree of teaching authority. developed over four decades into a Most important for this outline, of course, system of interlocking ideas. is its Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions It is no exaggeration to suggest that these (Nostra Aetate ). This text underwent a materials, together with their counterparts long gestation process and was in other Christian communities, represent extensively reported upon in the public an unprecedented Christian affirmation of media. Judaism’s positive theological significance for the Church—a constructive endeavor Participating in Nostra Aetate ’s authority to that has not been seriously pursued since a lesser degree are the implementing New Testament times. documents of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. This The concepts expressed in Catholic commission was established in 1974 by documents could be conveniently Pope Paul VI to put Nostra Aetate into organized into those that are negatively practice in the Church’s life and to be the phrased and those that are positively Vatican’s liaising agency with the Jewish phrased. In the former category are community worldwide. Its 1974 statements that reject elements of the “Guidelines and Suggestions for perennial Christian “teaching of contempt” Implementing the Conciliar Declaration, (to use Jules Isaac’s phrase). Positive Nostra Aetate , 4” and 1985 “Notes on the statements are those that make an Correct Way to Present Jews and Judaism affirmative claim about Judaism or about in Preaching and Teaching in the Roman the relationship between Judaism and Catholic Church” offered important Christianity. theological and historical principles for building the new relationship with Jews The pages that follow present a selection and Judaism. of pertinent quotations, but limited to Vatican documents or addresses made by The commission’s title concerning popes or Vatican personnel. Many more religious relations with Jews is noteworthy. relevant statements could be assembled It reflects a distinction introduced because from national conferences of Catholic of contentions at the time of the Council. 1 bishops from many parts of the world. Motivated by the ongoing Arab-Israeli Moreover, this summary does not cite conflict, some regional bishops were every possible reference. The quotations concerned about possible retaliation that follow are meant only to illustrate a against Christian minorities should the

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

Council issue a statement that might be from which are quoted below. Taking their viewed as pro-Israeli, while the direction from Pius XII’s insistence in 1943 governments of largely Islamic Middle that biblical scholars should make use of Eastern nations objected to any positive critical tools and methods in interpreting reference to Jews. Broadcasts such as the scriptures, these studies of the this one on Jordanian radio in January Pontifical Biblical Commission—conducted 1964, during Paul VI’s visit to the area, under the auspices of the Congregation were typical of state-sponsored rhetoric: for the Doctrine of the Faith—have made “Two thousand years ago, the Jews many relevant observations about the crucified Christ, and fifteen years ago they relationship between the Old and New attacked the people of Palestine… Truly of Testaments of the Christian Bible and all the world religions it is the Jews who about the dangers of reading the are the enemies of God, Truly, the crimes scriptures so as to promote antipathy to of the Jews shall never be forgiven them.” 2 Jews. Such polemic certainly underscored the need for authoritative Catholic teaching It should be noted that a few of the about Jews and Judaism that would quotations that follow are presented in repudiate the perennial “teaching of square brackets. These denote current or contempt,” and likely contributed to the cutting-edge concepts expressed by Council’s overwhelming 1965 vote in favor individual Catholic officials that do not of Nostra Aetate by 1763 to 250. (yet) possess the higher degree of teaching authority commanded by the However, recognizing the charged other quotations. They are included in atmosphere in the Middle East, the order to show the developing trajectory of declaration asserted a difference between thought and where further research is political and religious matters, which would needed. A discussion of some current later be maintained in the title of the theological questions follows in Part II. eventual Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews: Part I: Quotations from Vatican and “Furthermore, in her rejection of every Papal Statements persecution against any person, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she A. Ideas expressed negatively shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's 1. The Jewish people cannot be held spiritual love, decries hatred, collectively responsible for the persecutions, and displays of anti- crucifixion of Jesus. “[W]hat happened Semitism, directed against Jews at any in [Jesus’] passion cannot be charged time and by anyone.” 3 against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Thus, Nostra Aetate and the documentary Jews of today.” 4 trajectory it launched were seen by 2. The Jewish people are not doomed by bishops from around the world as a divine curse to wander the earth demanded by religious fidelity to the without a homeland, living on the Gospel. The distinction between the margins of (Christian) society. spiritual and political realms would also “Although the Church is the new reappear in the 1985 “Notes” when that people of God, the Jews should not be document discussed the significance of presented as rejected or accursed by the Land of Israel for Jews (see I, B,2,c God, as if this followed from the Holy below). Scriptures. All should see to it, then, Also important to this developing teaching that in catechetical work or in the trajectory were studies conducted by the preaching of the word of God they do Pontifical Biblical Commission, sentences not teach anything that does not

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

conform to the truth of the Gospel and in the Christian world. There were the spirit of Christ.” 5 expulsions and forced conversions. Literature propagated stereotypes, 3. is “opposed to the very preaching accused the Jews of spirit of Christianity.” 6 every age of deicide; the ghetto 4. “The history of Israel did not end in 70 which came into being in 1555 with A.D. It continued, especially in a a papal bull became in Nazi numerous Diaspora which allowed Germany the antechamber of the Israel to carry to the whole world a extermination.” 12 witness—often heroic—of its fidelity to b) “For Christians, the “heavy burden the one God.” 7 of conscience [for the collective 5. Biblical interpreters must “avoid behavior] of their brothers and absolutely any actualization of certain sisters during the Second World texts of the New Testament which War must be a call to penitence.” 13 could provoke or reinforce unfavorable c) “At the end of this Millennium the attitudes toward the Jewish people.” 8 Catholic Church desires to express 6. “The Old Testament and the Jewish her deep sorrow for the failures of tradition must not be set against the her sons and daughters in every New Testament in such a way that the age. This is an act of repentance former seems to constitute a religion of (teshuva ), since, as members of only justice, fear and legalism, with no the Church, we are linked to the appeal to the love of God and sins as well as the merits of all her neighbor.” 9 children.” 14 7. “It would be wrong to consider the d) “But it may be asked whether the prophecies of the Old Testament as Nazi persecution of the Jews was some kind of photographic not made easier by the anti-Jewish anticipations of future events. All the prejudices imbedded in some texts, including those which later were Christian minds and hearts. Did read as messianic prophecies, already anti-Jewish sentiment among had an immediate import and meaning Christians make them less for their contemporaries before sensitive, or even indifferent, to the attaining a fuller meaning for future persecution ... against the Jews by hearers.” 10 National Socialism ... ?” 15 Since Christian readings of Israel’s e) “[C]utting itself off from its Jewish scriptures are “retrospective … It roots for centuries weakened the cannot be said, therefore, that Jews do Church, a weakness that became not see what has been proclaimed in evident in the altogether too feeble the text, but that the Christian, in the resistance against the [Nazi] light of Christ and in the Spirit, persecution of Jews.” 16 discovers in the texts a surplus of 11 meaning that was hidden there.” 2. The proper Christian disposition toward Jews today B. Ideas Expressed positively 1. Historic Christian sinfulness toward a. “We recognize with utmost clarity Jews that the path along which we should proceed with the Jewish a) “There can be no denial of the fact religious community is one of that from the time of the Emperor fraternal dialogue and fruitful Constantine on, Jews were collaboration.” 17 isolated and discriminated against

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

b. Christians must “strive to acquire a and, most importantly, that better knowledge of the basic Judaism is as a sacrament of components of the religious every otherness that as such the tradition of Judaism; they must Church must learn to discern, strive to learn by what essential recognize and celebrate.” 20 ] traits Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious 3. The Jewishness of Jesus experience.” 18 c. “Christians are invited to a. “Jesus was and always remained a understand [Jews’] religious Jew … fully a man of his … attachment [to the Land of Israel] environment—the Jewish which finds its roots in Biblical Palestinian one of the first century, tradition, without however making the anxieties and hopes of which their own any particular religious he shared. This cannot but interpretation of this relationship. underline both the reality of the Incarnation and the very meaning The existence of the State of Israel 21 and its political options should be of the history of salvation…” envisaged not in a perspective b. “Jesus' human identity is which is in itself religious, but in determined on the basis of his their reference to the common bond with the people of Israel. By principles of international law. The taking part in synagogue permanence of Israel (while so celebrations where Old Testament many ancient peoples have texts were read and commented disappeared without trace) is a on, Jesus also came humanly to historic fact and a sign to be know these texts; he nourished his interpreted within God's design. mind and heart with them, using We must in any case rid ourselves them in prayer and as an of the traditional idea of a people inspiration for his actions. Thus he punished , preserved as a living became an authentic son of Israel, argument for Christian deeply rooted in his own people's apologetic.... long history.” 22

We must remind ourselves how the 4. The “Old Testament” has great non- permanence of Israel is christological revelatory value. accompanied by a continuous spiritual fecundity, in the rabbinical a) “Typological reading [of Israel’s period, in the Middle Ages and in scriptures] only manifests the modern times, taking its start from unfathomable riches of the Old a patrimony which we long shared, Testament, its inexhaustible so much so that ‘the faith and content and the mystery of which it religious life of the Jewish people is full, and should not lead us to as they are professed and forget that it retains its own value practiced still today, can greatly as Revelation that the New help us to understand better Testament often does no more certain aspects of the life of the than resume.” 23 Church’ (John Paul II, 6 March 1982).” 19 b) “In Judaism, [scriptural] re- readings were commonplace… [As a result of decades of dialogue, What is specific to the Christian re- “we Catholics became aware with reading is that it is done ... in the greater clarity that the faith of light of Christ. This new Israel is that of our elder brothers,

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

interpretation does not negate the single voice and ‘serve him original meaning.” 24 shoulder to shoulder’ (Zeph. 3:9).” 28 5. Biblical interpretation b) “[I]n underlining the [unfinished] eschatological dimension of a. “Christians can and ought to admit Christianity we shall reach a that the Jewish reading of the Bible greater awareness that the people is a possible one, in continuity with of God of the Old and the New the Jewish Sacred Scriptures from Testament are tending towards a the Second Temple period, a like end in the future: the coming or reading analogous to the Christian return of the Messiah—even if they reading which developed in parallel start from two different points of fashion. Each of these two view. It is more clearly understood readings is part of the vision of that the person of the Messiah is each respective faith of which it is not only a point of division for the a product and an expression. people of God but also a point of Consequently, they cannot be convergence.” 29 reduced one into the other.” 25 c) “Jewish messianic expectation is b. “The fundamentalist approach is not in vain. It can become for us dangerous, for it is attractive to Christians a powerful stimulus to people who look to the Bible for keep alive the eschatological ready answers to the problems of dimension of our faith. Like them, life ... Without saying as much in we too live in expectation. The so many words, fundamentalism difference is that for us the One actually invites people to a kind of who is to come will have the traits intellectual suicide. It injects into of the Jesus who has already life a false certitude, for it come and is already present and unwittingly confuses the divine active among us.” 30 substance of the biblical message with what are in fact its human d) [“But whilst Jews expect the limitations.” 26 coming of the Messiah, who is still unknown, Christians believe that c. “The Gospels are the outcome of he has already shown his face in long and complicated editorial work Jesus of Nazareth whom we as ... [S]ome references hostile to the Christians therefore confess as the Jews have their historical context Christ, he who at the end of time in conflicts between the nascent will be revealed as the Messiah for Church and the Jewish community. Jews and for all nations.” 31 ] Certain controversies reflect Christian-Jewish relations long 7. Christianity and Judaism are after the time of Jesus. To intrinsically linked. establish this is of capital importance if we wish to bring out a. “It understood that our two the meaning of certain Gospel 27 religious communities are texts for Christians today.” connected and closely related at the very level of their respective 6. Futurist eschatology and messianic religious identities.” 32 “The Jewish expectations religion is not ‘extrinsic’ to us, but in a certain way is ‘intrinsic’ to our a) “[T]he Church awaits that day, own religion. With Judaism known to God alone, on which all therefore we have a relationship peoples will address the Lord in a which we do not have with any

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

other religion. You are our dearly in their religious tradition they are beloved brothers and, in a certain in line with God's plan, which for us way, it could be said that you are comes to its historical completion our elder brothers.” 33 in Jesus Christ.” 36 ] b. “The Church and Judaism cannot 8. Jews and Christians both have a … be seen as two parallel ways of duty to prepare the world for God’s salvation and the Church must kingdom of justice and peace. witness to Christ as the Redeemer for all, while maintaining the strictest respect for religious a) “As Christians and Jews, following liberty…” 34 the example of the faith of Abraham, we are called to be a c. “Deep down, those vicious [Nazi] blessing for the world [see Gen. criminals, by wiping out this 12:2ff.]. This is the common task people, wanted to kill the God who awaiting us. It is therefore called Abraham, who spoke on necessary for us, Christians and Sinai and laid down principles to Jews, to be first a blessing to one serve as a guide for mankind, another.” 37 principles that are eternally valid. If this people, by its very existence, b) “We must also accept our was a witness to the God who responsibility to prepare the world spoke to humanity and took us to for the coming of the Messiah by himself, then that God finally had working together for social justice, to die and power had to belong to respect for the rights of persons man alone... By destroying Israel, and nations and for social and by the Shoah, they ultimately international reconciliation. To this wanted to tear up the taproot of the we are driven, Jews and Christian faith and to replace it with Christians, by the command to love a faith of their own invention: faith our neighbor, by a common hope in the rule of man, the rule of the for the Kingdom of God and by the powerful.” 35 great heritage of the Prophets. Transmitted soon enough by d. [“The universality of Christ's catechesis, such a conception redemption for Jews and for would teach young Christians in a Gentiles is so fundamental practical way to cooperate with throughout the entire New Jews, going beyond simple Testament … that it cannot be dialogue (cf. Guidelines , IV).” 38 ignored or passed over in silence. So from the Christian perspective Part II: A Current Theological the covenant with the Jewish Exploration of Christian Self- Understanding in Relation to Judaism 39 people is unbroken (Rom 11:29), for we as Christians believe that It is evident to Catholic theologians around these promises find in Jesus their the world that Nostra Aetate has given rise definitive and irrevocable Amen (2 to challenging and still unresolved Cor. 1:20) and at the same time religious questions, especially concerning that in him, who is the end of the the relationships among Jesus Christ, the law (Rom. 10:4), the law is not covenantal status of the Jewish people, nullified but upheld (Rom. 3:31). and understandings of salvation. In this This does not mean that Jews in section, I would like to summarize the order to be saved have to become work of one sustained research project Christians; if they follow their own into these subjects. conscience and believe in God's promises as they understand them

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

From 25 to 28 September 2005, an , and Israel, exploring these international conference was held in Rome questions: at the Pontifical Gregorian University, “Nostra Aetate Today: Reflections Forty • What is the significance of the Years after Its Call for a New Era of belief that the Word of God Interreligious Relationships.” Hints of an became incarnate as a Jew? emerging consensus in papers delivered • How do we understand at this conference led the organizers to “salvation”? initiate a transatlantic theological research project with the encouragement of • What is the relationship between Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the covenant and salvation? Pontifical Commission for Religious • How is Jesus Christ constitutive of Relations with the Jews. The participants salvation? were primarily Roman Catholics because the purpose of the consultation was to • How does the Shoah (Holocaust) pursue a core question for Christian challenge how Christians think of theology from within a Catholic Christ as saviour? perspective. However, the group greatly In pursuing these and other matters, a benefited from the participation of some number of overarching theological Lutheran and Jewish scholars. Its principles became increasingly apparent meetings over the next five years focused and a general consensus about them on this question generated by Nostra emerged. These can be outlined as Aetate : follows: How might we Christians in our time A. Principles when theologizing about reaffirm our faith claim that Jesus Christ is the Church of Christ and the Jewish the Savior of all humanity, even as we people affirm the Jewish people’s covenantal life with God? 1. There is a need for profound humility. This “meta-question” was studied in the context of forty years of post-Nostra a. God’s transcendence and freedom Aetate developments, which included the must always be acknowledged publication of the important teaching (Note Rom. 11:33: “O the depth of documents summarized above, the the riches and wisdom and flowering of extensive dialogue between knowledge of God! How Catholics and Jews on several continents unsearchable are his judgments among both leaders and ordinary and how inscrutable his ways!”). members of both communities, an b. Both the Church and Israel are intensive promotion of Catholic-Jewish “mysteries,” in the theological relations during the long pontificate of sense of that word. There is a John Paul II, the establishment of transcendent aspect to their diplomatic relations with the State of existence that humans cannot fully Israel, and perhaps most iconically the grasp. sight of a pope praying, both at the Vatican and at the Western Wall, for God’s c. There are limits to the abilities of forgiveness for Christian sins against human minds to fathom the Holy Jews, and committing the Church to One and to what human language fellowship with them. is able to express about transcendent realities. Tensive Consultations occurred in subsequent language is unavoidably used as in years in Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Chalcedon's “united but unmixed”

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham

description of the human and habit, to delegitimize Judaism after divine natures of Christ. the time of Jesus. d. The Holy One has not fully c. Although the New Testament revealed to either Israel or the contains the seeds of an eventual Church everything that God might split into two religious be doing within the other communities, no New Testament community. Christian theologians book definitively rejects the Jewish should recognize that they have tradition but sees the Church as certain “blind spots” with regard to connected to it. the Jewish people's covenantal life 3. Salvation is relational, eschato- with God since they do not logical, and intertwined with experience God in the exact same covenant. ways that Jews do. Essential in this regard is the Vatican’s a. “Salvation” is so multi-layered and injunction “to learn by what textured that the Catholic Church essential traits Jews define has never specified a formal themselves in the light of their own definition. In the Christian tradition, religious experience” [1974 the experience and anticipation of “Guidelines,” Preamble]. salvation has been richly described in terms of redemption, e. A shameful history of the Christian reconciliation, sanctification, and vilification, oppression, and incorporation into the divine life, or marginalization of Jews precludes as being freed from sin, triumphalism or “boasting” (Note oppression, meaninglessness, or Rom 11:25: “[L]est you become death. wise in your own conceits”). b. Salvation involves relationship with f. We are “only at the beginning of God, both as individuals and the beginning,” in the words of communities. Cardinal Walter Kasper, of developing a Christian theology of c. Salvation leads toward the reign of the Church's relationship to God, which is mysteriously Judaism and the Jewish people. experienced as both “already” and “not yet.” 2. History is essential for the work of Christian theology and the Bible d. In official Catholic teaching since must be interpreted with historical Nostra Aetate there is a recurring and literary critical methods. recognition of an innate spiritual bond between Christianity and a. “[C]utting itself off from its Jewish Judaism. Both are distinctive roots for centuries weakened the covenantal communities that Church, a weakness that became cannot be seen as totally apart evident in the altogether too feeble from one another. resistance against the [Nazi] persecution of Jews” –Cardinal 4. All aspects of the “Christ Event” Walter Kasper, 24 May 2010]. reveal the word of the saving God. b. There were historical a. The incarnation of God’s Word in consequences of the long-lived the first-century Jew, Jesus. assertion that Jews were b. The ministry of Jesus as a faithful collectively cursed by God for all son of Israel, making the reign of time because of the crucifixion of God tangibly present among his Jesus. Even today, the Gospel people and exemplifying life in passion narratives might be Covenant. carelessly construed, almost out of

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c. His execution in service to the painful ignorance of the history and coming of God’s reign. traditions of Judaism, of which only negative aspects and often d. His resurrection to transcendent caricature seem to form part of the life, which brought the Church into stock ideas of many Christians” being as an assembly sustained in [CRRJ, “Notes,” VI, 27]. the Covenant through the Spirit of the living Christ present in its 7. Christian theology can no longer midst. ignore the Jewish religious experience. 5. The trinitarian tradition pertains to the relationship of Christ and the Therefore during the consultation's Church to Israel. work, various Jewish colleagues participated in order to ensure a. It is possible to develop a trinitarian accuracy when speaking of the Jewish narrative of salvation history in tradition and to share insights from which person-in-relationship, not Jewish traditions of thought. substance, is the ultimate ontological category and God’s “to- Conclusion be” is “to-be-in-communion.” b. If Jews dwell in covenant with God, Even this cursory overview of post-Vatican then—from a Christian viewpoint— II Catholic teaching and one recent they must be in an enduring research initiative illustrates that an relationship with the Triune God, enormous amount of renewal has including God’s Word, which is occurred from the days, not too long ago, inseparably united with the now- when a draft of a papal encyclical could glorified Jew, Jesus. argue that there existed an “authentic basis of the social separation of the Jews 6. Nostra Aetate has implications for from the rest of humanity. This basis is all branches of Christian theology directly religious in character. Essentially, and life, including ecclesiology, the so-called Jewish question is not one of liturgy, and education. race, or nation, or territorial nationality, or a. Ecclesiologically, Vatican II’s citizenship in the state. It is a question of religion and, since the coming of Christ, a sacramental understanding of the 40 Church and its description of the question of Christianity.” Such reasoning Church as the people of God is literally unthinkable in Roman opened new vistas for seeing the Catholicism today. Jewish people of God as However, the process of renewal is still dynamically related to the Church. ongoing. Deep-seated assumptions and b. Liturgically, how can the paschal attitudes that have prevailed for nearly two mystery be enacted so as to better millennia cannot be not transformed in 45 celebrate the whole saving work of years. It might be argued that in some God from creation to its fulfillment? parts of the world the Christian encounter with living Judaism has given rise to c. Educationally, “religious teaching, questions little considered since the time catechesis and preaching should of the New Testament, questions that be a preparation not only for touch upon the central nervous system of objectivity, justice, and tolerance Christian self-understanding. As the but also for understanding and Commission on Faith and Order of the dialogue. Our two traditions are so World Council of Churches expressed it in related that they cannot ignore 1967, “There is no doctrine of Christian each other. Mutual knowledge theology which is not touched and must be encouraged at every level. There is evident in particular a

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Catholic Post Nostra Aetate Theology – P. A. Cunningham influenced in some way by confrontation 41 with the Jewish people.” 14 Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, “We Remember: A This visceral impact of today’s Christian Reflection on the Shoah,” 1998, V. engagement with living Judaism can deter 15 Ibid., IV. further dialogue or further research. 16 Walter Kasper, “Recent Developments in Ongoing political conflicts and injustices Christian-Jewish Relations,” Liverpool Hope that involve Jews, Christians, and Muslims University, 24 May 2010. can also impede continued renewal. 17 John Paul II, “Address to Representatives of Despite these real difficulties, faithfulness Jewish Organizations,” 12 March 1979. to the gospel requires that Christians 18 PCRRJ, “Guidelines,” Preamble. Note that continue to travel along the challenging one can hold that Jews remain the “Chosen road of rapprochement with the kinfolk of People” and still disregard Jewish self- Our Lord Jesus Christ, “authentic son of understanding: “Israel remains the chosen Israel.” 42 people, for its election has never been revoked … [St. Paul] holds out still the possibility of salvation to the Jews, once they are converted from their sins, and return to the spiritual 1 See the online collection of Christian tradition of Israel, which is properly theirs by documents on the website of the Council of their historic past and calling…” Georges Centers on Jewish-Christian relations at: Passelecq and Bernard Suchecky, The Hidden http://www.ccjr.us/dialogika- Encyclical of Pius XI (New York: Harcourt, resources/documents-and-statements . Brace, and Co., 1997), 251, 250. 19 2 New York Herald Tribune , 5 January 1964; PCRRJ, “Notes,” VI, 25. quoted in John M. Oesterreicher, The New 20 Walter Kasper, “Address on the 37 th Encounter Between Christians and Jews (New Anniversary of Nostra Aetate ,” Rome, 28 York: Philosophical Library, 1986), 182. October, 2002. 3 Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate , §4. 21 PCRRJ, “Notes,” III, 12. Emphasis added. 22 John Paul II, “Address to the Pontifical 4 Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate , §4. 5 Biblical Commission,” 11 April 1997. Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate , §4. 23 6 PCRRJ, “Notes,” II, 7. Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations 24 PBC, “Jewish People,” II, A, 2 - §19. with the Jews, “Guidelines and Suggestions for 25 Implementing the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Ibid., II, A, 7 - §22. 26 Aetate , No. 4,” 1974, Preamble. PBC, “Interpretation,” I, F. 27 7 Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations PCRRJ, “Notes,” IV, 21, A. with the Jews, “Notes on the Correct Way to 28 Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate , 4. Present Jews and Judaism in Preaching and With this phrase the Council fathers intended Teaching in the Roman Catholic Church,” to postpone any hopes for the conversion of 1985, VI, 25. Jews to Christianity into God’s mysterious 8 Pontifical Biblical Commission, “The plans for the eschatological future. Interpretation of the Bible in the Church,” 1993, 29 PCRRJ, “Notes,” II, 10. IV, A, 3. 30 PBC, “Jewish People,” II, A, 5 - §21 9 PCRRJ, “Guidelines,” III. 31 Walter Kasper, “The Commission for 10 Pontifical Biblical Commission, “The Jewish Religious Relations with the Jews: A Crucial People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Endeavour of the Catholic Church,” Boston Christian Bible,” 2001, II, A, 5 -§21. College, 6 November 2002, 3. 11 Ibid., II, A, 6 -§21 32 John Paul II, 12 March 1979. 12 Edward Idris Cassidy, “Reflections on the 33 John Paul II, “Address at the Great Vatican Statement on the Shoah ,” 28 May Synagogue of Rome,” 13 April 1986, 4. 34 1998. PCRRJ, “Notes,” I, 7. 35 13 John Paul II, “Address to the New Benedict XVI, “Address at Auschwitz,” 28 Ambassador of the Federal Republic of May 2006. Germany to the Holy See,” 8 November 1990. 36 Kasper, “Crucial Endeavour,” 3.

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37 John Paul II, “Address on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, ” 6 April 1993. Dr. Philip A. Cunningham is Director of the 38 PCRRJ, “Notes,” II, 11. 39 Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations of This section is adapted from the Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, “Introduction” of Philip A. Cunningham, Joseph USA, where he is also Professor of Sievers, Mary C. Boys, Hans Hermann Henrix, and Jesper Svartvik, eds., Christ Jesus and Theology in the Department of Theology the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of and Religious Studies. Theological Interrelationships (Grand Rapids, He serves as a Vice-President of the MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company International Council of Christians and / Gregorian and Biblical Press, 2011). Jews (ICCJ) and as Secretary-Treasurer of 40 The quote is from a draft encyclical, the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian provisionally entitled Humani Generis Unitas , Relations (CCJR). He also is the that was prepared in 1938 for Pope Pius XI. webmaster of the online resource library in The pope died before the draft could be Christian-Jewish relations called reviewed. See Georges Passelecq and Dialogika , a joint project of the CCJR and Bernard Suchecky, The Hidden Encyclical of Pius XI (Harcourt, Brace, and Co., 1997), 246- Saint Joseph’s University. He has also 259, esp. 247. served on the advisory committee on 41 “The Church and the Jewish People,” V. Catholic-Jewish Relations for the United 42 John Paul II, “Address to the Pontifical States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Biblical Commission,” 11 April 1997.

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith

Replacement Theology, Christian Zionism and the Anglo-American Protestant Tradition of Judeo-centric Prophecy Interpretation

Rev. Dr Robert O. Smith

The development of Christian self- Although Hagee was eventually able to understanding through the context of convince several major Jewish Judaism is an important agenda for organizations that his support for the State Christian theology. This agenda is a of Israel did not come at the expense of relatively recent movement within Jewish souls, he was less successful with Christian theology. Within Western his fellow Evangelicals. In 2006, the Christian contexts, both Roman Catholic Jerusalem Post reported that Hagee and and Protestant, it is only within the past Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg, also of San 150 years or so of biblical study and 70 Antonio, had convinced fundamentalist years or so of theological reflection that leader Jerry Falwell that Jews did not this agenda has taken hold and borne need to have faith in Jesus to enjoy the important fruit. On the other hand, benefits of salvation. Falwell countered, Christian theologies of Judaism—or more calling the claim “categorically untrue.” 2 precisely, Christian theologizing about While some leaders, like Anti-Defamation Judaism—have a much longer pedigree, League (ADL) director Abraham Foxman, and not just in Western Christianity but in continued to express suspicion regarding Christianity as a whole. This presentation Hagee’s ultimate motives, Hagee was will discuss the contemporary American invited to deliver a keynote address to the Christian Zionist rejection of replacement March 2007 American Israel Public Affairs theology and explore how this movement Committee (AIPAC) policy conference. 3 is nevertheless based on a theological The Jewish community’s approach to tradition that constructs Jews for its own Hagee can be seen as a pragmatic theological purposes. embrace. “I don’t like his politics or his theology,” , a prominent rabbi When John Hagee, of Cornerstone said of John Hagee before speaking at Church in , Texas, was Christians United for Israel (CUFI)’s 2007 introduced to national audiences in 2005, gathering in Washington, DC. “But we live he was surrounded by leaders of the in a time when friends of Israel are few organized Jewish community in the United and far between. We have to recognize States. As his organization, Christians that we are receiving support from the United for Israel (CUFI), was unveiled, Evangelical community that we are not Hagee participated in an intense vetting receiving from our traditional friends.” process with several prominent Jewish When asked if Evangelical theology made leaders. Hagee’s commitment to him uncomfortable, he responded, “I’ll be supporting the political proclivities of the happy to talk about the theological context State of Israel was not in doubt. The after we achieve a safe and secure Jewish leaders’ concerns focused more Israel.” 4 on the question of whether or not Hagee believed that Jews needed to convert to For his part, Hagee is no less pragmatic. Christianity in order to be in right Indeed, Hagee epitomizes the movement relationship with God. This long-standing now known as Christian Zionism, which I Jewish concern 1 regarding Evangelical have come to define as political action, support for the State of Israel was boiled informed by specifically Christian down to one question: Did he support commitments, to promote or preserve proselytizing Jews? Jewish control over the geographic area

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith claimed by what is now the State of Israel. the vast majority of unbelievers, including While Moline’s pragmatism is political, Jews, will perish. Nevertheless, some Hagee exhibits a doctrinal pragmatism as Jews will survive: “God promises that by he seeks to thread the needle between his His sovereign grace a ‘remnant’ would be Jewish and Evangelical audiences on the saved by the grace of God, a group of question of whether or not Jews need survivors who have the opportunity to Jesus to be in right relationship with God. receive Messiah, who is a rabbi known to the world as Jesus of Nazareth.” Most Hagee’s pragmatic journey begins with his Jews, Hagee says, cannot convert now, repudiations of “replacement theology,” before the Tribulation, because “God, by attacks that resonate with many concerns His own hand,” has caused “divine raised by mainline Western scholars blindness concerning the identity of engaged in Jewish-Christian theological Messiah to come upon the Jewish dialogue in the post-Holocaust era, what people.” Jews “have been judicially has also been called “Christian Holocaust blinded to the identity of Messiah.” 9 theology.” 5 Although he does not quote him, Hagee would probably agree with Between Jerusalem Countdown and Franklin Littell’s observation that “[t]o Hagee’s next book, In Defense of Israel teach that a people’s mission in God’s (2007), we see a dramatic shift in the providence is finished, that they have pastor’s portrayal of the identity of the been relegated to the limbo of history, has Messiah. Following his spirited argument murderous implications which murderers against the medieval logic that Jews, as a in time will spell out.” 6 One response to people, are responsible for Jesus’ this theological mystery has been to crucifixion and thus are to be persecuted, propose that God may have more than Hagee sets out to prove that Jews did not one covenant for different peoples. Irving reject Jesus as their messiah, a theme Greenberg, for instance, has proposed a presumably favorable to Hagee’s Jewish form of “covenantal pluralism.” 7 It is friends. In contrast to his book of the difficult for many Christians (and no doubt previous year, one of Hagee’s first proofs many Jews as well) to square this “dual in the later book is a distinction between covenant” solution with the biblical Jesus and Moses: “If God intended for witness. Hagee offers a different way. Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel, why didn’t he authorize Jesus to use In his 2006 book, Jerusalem Countdown , supernatural signs to prove he was God’s Hagee takes a strong stand against Messiah, just as Moses had done?” 10 replacement theology: “Paul makes it very Several of Hagee’s concluding statements clear that the root of the tree is Jewish, represent his point well: “The Jews were and many natural branches (the Jewish not rejecting Jesus as Messiah; it was people) are yet attached to the olive tree. Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah Israel has a prominent and equal place in to the Jews.” “He refused to be their the economy of God forever. Paul’s Messiah, choosing instead to be the description demolishes replacement Savior of the world.” “The Jews did not 8 theology.” What Hagee puts in its place, reject Jesus as Messiah; it was Jesus who however, keeps Jesus squarely at the rejected the Jewish desire for him to be center of Jewish suffering and redemption. their Messiah.” 11 The conclusion Hagee Hagee highlights “the promises of draws from all of this argumentation is that redemption to be fulfilled by Messiah, who the gospel of Jesus (not quite the Christ) is Jesus Christ” and offers 18 annotated was intended for Gentiles alone: “That’s comparisons between Jesus and Moses why the Great Commission commanded, that establish them “as God’s appointed ‘Go ye [Jews] into all the world and preach vessels to the nation of Israel.” In the the gospel to every creature...’ Gentiles coming global tumult known in were considered creatures. Jesus even dispensational theology as the Tribulation, referred to the Gentiles as dogs. The 22

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith message of the gospel was from Israel, in response to the ambivalence and not to Israel!” Therefore, proselytizing of hostility toward the Jewish state that has Jews is a fruitless endeavour: “It is time come to characterize the Christian for Christians everywhere to recognize mainstream,” regularly informed by a that the nation of Israel will never convert “compensatory Christian Zionism [that] is to Christianity and join the Baptist church often accompanied by a less than critical in their town.” 12 A second edition of In perspective on Middle Eastern politics,” 14 Defense of Israel was published soon its primary Christian motivation is after the first, the result of a loud outcry repentance for the sins of Christians from Hagee’s Evangelical constituency. In against Jews. Endorsement of Jewish the chapter addressing these topics, now empowerment in the State of Israel and titled “The Myth of Replacement defense of that state within Christian Theology,” Hagee completely revises his spheres therefore becomes a historically theology of Jesus’ messianic vocation and informed moral responsibility. While one reintroduces the concept of “judicial may disagree with the theological and blindness” that was absent in the book’s policy recommendations that emerge from first edition, perhaps to the chagrin of the perspective of Christian Holocaust Jewish friends, who often do not take well theology, it is a movement sincerely to long-standing antisemitic tropes. committed to redressing the wrongs of Christianity against Jews from a stance of Whatever the reason for these dramatic permanent penance. The Christian shifts in Hagee’s understanding of Jesus’ Zionism promoted by John Hagee is far purpose and identity, one gets the sense more self-concerned. that debates about church dogma are not his central concern. Indeed, despite these In John Hagee’s writings, it is clear that discrepancies (in the span of one year), the State of Israel is less important for the there is much that is common between the benefits it brings to Jews than for the two books and Hagee’s other writings. verification that nation-state provides to What is consistent in Hagee’s critique of the system of prophetic interpretation on replacement theology is his insistence that which Hagee’s faith is founded. The State God’s covenant relationship with the of Israel is for Hagee the point of children of Israel was not changed by the theological reference par excellence , both life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. “If against replacement theology and for his God is a covenant breaker, he lied to dual covenant views. 15 As he says, “On Abraham and to David,” Hagee insists. “If May 15, 1948, a theological earthquake God is a covenant breaker and has cast leveled replacement theology when aside the Old Covenant for the New national Israel was reborn after nearly two Covenant, how can we be sure he won’t millennia of wandering.” It is this State—in cast aside the New Covenant...? That is its founding, expansion, and the message of replacement theology. I preservation—that provides Hagee’s reject that message!” 13 On this point, prophetic keynote: “Their rebirth was Hagee does not diverge much from the living, prophetic proof that Israel has not consensus built by the “Holocaust been replaced.” Since the Israelite theology” of the past few decades; covenant holds, so too does “God’s blood Hagee’s Christian Zionism, however, covenant with Abraham for the royal land diverges in kind from the “liberal Christian grant of Israel.” 16 Hagee then spends Zionism” Stephen Haynes has identified much of the remainder of In Defense of as a prominent outcome of Israel doing precisely that, even twice theology movement. explicitly defending the policy of preemptive military strikes against Although, according to Haynes, “Christian suspected threats. Holocaust Theology represents a renewed theological and practical backing for Israel

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith

In his more theologically-oriented directed less at the well-being of Jews Jerusalem Countdown a year before, than it is at the preservation and Hagee offered five “biblical reasons” verification of Hagee’s own Christian Christians should support Israel, which theological perspective. This is so included the observations that “Ishmael, because if Israel were truly under father of the Arabs, was excluded from the existential threat, or if the State of Israel title deed to the land in Genesis” meaning were somehow to cease to exist, Hagee’s that “therefore, modern-day entire worldview would crumble and his have no biblical mandate to own the land” system of prophecy interpretation would and the assurance that “when you do be invalidated, leveled by a theological things to bless the Jewish people and the earthquake. State of Israel, God will bless you.” Even when more theological, Hagee’s vision The theological system that informs the remains thoroughly political. He includes Christian Zionism of John Hagee and this warning within his biblical reasons: many others is fundamentally tenuous “America, the Arabs, the European Union, since it is dependent on the vagaries of the United Nations, Russia, China— political developments. Just as it claims to indeed, all nations—are in the valley of have been confirmed by political decision. Every nation that presumes to developments, it can be disproven in the interfere with God’s plan for Israel, same way. While this theopolitical including the United States, stands not predicament could generate anxiety, the only against Israel but also ultimately system depends presently on maintaining against God. God is rising to judge the the status quo in which Israel freely nations of the world based on their projects its hegemony in the region and treatment of the State of Israel.” 17 thoroughly manages any international Christians, it seems, must recognize not process toward peace with its Palestinian only that has Israel not been replaced in neighbours. From this perspective, the God’s economy, but that Israel is the sole only peace to be expected is a false criterion of righteousness and salvation. peace brokered with a gullible State of Israel by the coming . 18 The State of Israel provides the logic of Hagee’s theological system because the On its surface, Hagee’s repudiation of state is a fulfillment of prophecy or, more replacement theology appears to echo precisely, because the renewal of Jewish and adopt the theological conclusions of political sovereignty over the Holy Land is mainstream post-Holocaust Jewish- a verification of the system of prophecy Christian dialogue. Those theological interpretation on which contemporary conclusions include the commitment of Christian Zionism is based. This analysis Christians to refrain from theologizing holds for Hagee and for many other about Jewish existence and purpose, Christian Zionists, whether or not they are given the historically confirmed effects of explicit Christian Zionists like him. that area of inquiry. By contrast, Hagee’s Replacement theology—which, in its self-concerned and self-verifying approach various forms, accords little or no to Jewish-Christian relations does not Christian theological significance to the hesitate to construct Jewish existence State of Israel—is fundamentally (along with past and future Jewish incompatible with this belief system. suffering) for expressly Christian Hagee is sincere in his belief: for him, the theological purposes. As Israeli journalist State of Israel seems as essential to his Gershom Gorenberg has noted, Christian Christian faith as it is for the self- Zionists like Hagee see “Jews as actors in understanding of many Jews. a Christian drama leading toward the end Nevertheless, this sincerity, and the of days... [R]eal Zionism, as a Jewish political activity it engenders toward the movement, is a movement aimed at taking preservation of the State of Israel, is Jews out of the mythological realm and 24

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith making them into normal actors in history, early expressions of the English controlling their fate and acting for Reformation. These commitments were pragmatic reasons connected to the here imported into North America along with and now. So what’s called Christian Puritan pilgrims and their spiritual leaders Zionism,” Gorenberg concluded, “is (including John Cotton and Cotton actually very distant from Zionism.” 19 Just Mather). 20 Rather than understanding as Hagee’s theology is incompatible with today’s Evangelical Christian Zionists as replacement theology, it is irreconcilable exponents of peculiar nineteenth-century with Christian Holocaust theology that theological commitments, it is important to works to preserve Jewish empowerment understand them as heirs of an Anglo- and self-determination in the post- American tradition of Judeo-centric Holocaust era. The list of concerns grows prophecy interpretation. when one considers Hagee’s statements and writings regarding the divinely In the United States, John Hagee has ordained purpose of the Holocaust, the gained as much notoriety for his anti- status of the Roman Catholic Church, and Muslim and anti-Catholic views as for any perhaps of greatest contemporary teaching concerning Jews. In fact, his importance, Hagee’s virulent endorsement positive and negative constructions of of the most hawkish policies for Israeli and religious others are intertwined. This American military forces. It seems that for characteristic is consistent with the Anglo- some Jewish leaders, especially in the American tradition of Judeo-centric United States, the combination of Hagee’s prophecy interpretation, in which militarized and politically mobilized faith constructions of Jews as friends are and his commitment not to proselytize dependent on similar constructions of Jews is enough to excuse the rest of his enemies. Since the tradition was forged in positions. the crucible of the Reformation era, it is not surprising that Muslims and Roman However distinct Hagee’s perspective may Catholics would be cast in the roles of the be in the contemporary theopolitical enemy: as Luther put it, the Turk and the scene, it has a strong pedigree in English Pope were the two heads of the Antichrist. and American Protestant thought. Many English Protestants, more focused than have sought to locate the theological either Luther or Calvin on the book of foundations of contemporary Christian Revelation, added to standard Protestant Zionism in the nineteenth-century resistance to the “Turko-Catholic threat” 21 movement of premillennial a positive role for Jews within Christian formulated by Irish eschatological expectation. The resulting preacher John Darby and his associates construction of theopolitical reality finds its (Edward Irving, James Brookes, Cyrus contemporary echo in thinkers like John Scofield, and others). Although Hagee and Hagee. many other contemporary American Christian Zionists do indeed hold to many The first full-length, English-language elements of Darbyite dispensationalism, commentary on the book of Revelation, including Darby’s relatively unique belief in contained in John Bale’s The Image of 22 the any-moment of the truly both Churches , was published in 1545. faithful, I have grown convinced that Seeking to celebrate England’s growing dispensationalist doctrine alone does not Protestant commitments, Bale largely adequately explain today’s movement. In echoes themes from Luther and Calvin fact, my research has convinced me that concerning Catholicism, Islam, and the Protestant interest in constructing Jews as Antichrist. At the same time, he departs central figures for Christian eschatological significantly from Luther and Calvin by expectation and the tendency to allow introducing a new field of thought those convictions to inform political concerning Jews and their place within speech and action are both present in Christian apocalyptic hope. Although Bale 25

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith does not envision any Jewish return to an al the world, in giving to a nation now earthly Jerusalem and is confident that the scatered over al the face of the earth, & true Protestant church has fully replaced dwelling no where but by leave; their Judaism as God’s chosen people, the fathers habitations, wherein they shal national conversion of Jews to true serve Christ purely and sincerely, Protestant faith is nevertheless, for him, according to his owne ordinance onely. 24 part of God’s cosmic plan in human history. Bale had a close relationship with This national conversion is not for its own fellow exile John Foxe, whose Actes and purposes alone. Through their conversion, Monuments (first ed. 1563, often known Jews will be conscripted into a Puritan as the Book of Martyrs ) had a profound army central to the realization of effect on English national consciousness. Protestant eschatological hopes: “after the Through these seminal theologians, a Conversion ... Gog and Magog , that is the debate regarding the place of Jews within Turke and the Tartar with all the wicked Christian eschatological expectation Mahumetanes shall utterly perish by the began among English Protestants. This sword of the Converted and 25 debate was sustained for several decades returned Iewes .” Brightman drew a line despite the fact that Jews had been around Puritans and Jews against officially expelled from England in 1290 by Catholics and Muslims. This line Edward I. Aided, perhaps, by the relative separated two English opponents, absence of one of its primary subjects, Puritans and Anglicans (in the guise of Judeo-centric prophecy interpretation Catholics), while pairing each of them with quickly became a theme within English a mythologized companion, Jews for the Protestantism. virtuous Puritans and Turks for the popish heretics. Refusing to accept Jews as The next major step in the development of Jews, Brightman instead constructs Jews the Anglo-American tradition of Judeo- as reified proto-Puritans who function for centric prophecy interpretation came with the outworking of his own apocalyptic Thomas Brightman’s Apocalypsis vision within his own apocalyptic drama. Apocalypseos , another full-length commentary on Revelation first published Brightman’s contribution was extended by in 1609. 23 Brightman’s Apocalypsis Henry Finch, whose commentary on presented a realized and realizable selected prophetic themes was published eschatological vision that called Puritans anonymously in 1621 as The Worlds to be heavily involved in manifesting their Great Restauration, or, The Calling of the millennial hopes; at the same time, he Iewes . Finch focuses on a dual restoration assigned a central role to Jews in for Jews: their national conversion to defeating the Turko-Catholic threat. Protestant faith, and their being restored Brightman’s interpretation of Revelation to the Holy Land. In Finch’s vision, the 16:12—“The sixth angel poured his bowl Church of Jews becomes primary, while in on the great river Euphrates, and its water the New Jerusalem, Gentiles will be the was dried up in order to prepare the way Jews’ servants and helpers: “All the Kings for the kings from the east”—interprets of the Gentiles shall bring their glory into those kings to be Jews, who will convert they citie, and fall downe before thee ... as a nation to Protestant faith: Blessed shall they be that blesse thee, & cursed shall they be that curse thee.” 26 It But what need there a way to be prepared was this political vision that caused Finch for them? Shal they returne agayn to to run afoul of King James. Finch Ierusalem? There is nothing more sure: sharpened both the English Protestant the Prophets playnly confirme it, and beat commitment to the Jewish restoration to often upon it. Yet not to the end that the Palestine and the literalist hermeneutics ceremonial worship should be restored: that read this political restoration into the but that they mercy of God may shine unto prophetic narrative. While literalism was a

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith feature of the Protestant interpretive Jews as natural allies against all threats. tradition, Finch presents a very specific As Hagee said during his 2007 AIPAC point of literal interpretation that provides policy conference keynote address, “If a the key to his entire interpretive universe: line has to be drawn, draw the line around “Where Israel, Iudah, Tsion, both Christians and Jews; we are united; Ierusalem, &c. are named, the Holy Ghost we are indivisible.” meaneth ... really and literally of the Iewes.” 27 Finch’s literalism—limited to the The millenarian visions articulated by functions of Jews within prophetic Brightman and Mede became very interpretation—is carried forward by the popular among English Protestants after literalisms of premillennial the breakdown of Parliamentary dispensationalism, Fundamentalism, and censorship in 1640. Brightman’s and contemporary Evangelicalism, including Mede’s writings were published by the biblical approach adopted by John Parliament, partially as a means for Hagee. wresting the biblical foundations of authority away from the throne. The Joseph Mede stands with Brightman as a popularization of millenarian and Judeo- primary shaper of Puritan prophetic centric themes in these tension-filled interpretation and eschatological hope. years would prove explosive. One Although Mede was not as politically outcome was a January 1649 petition to involved as Brightman, his eschatological Thomas Fairfax and the Protestant War system, best known for its nascent Council, requesting “that this Nation of premillennialism, amplifies his Judeo- England, with the inhabitants of the centric approach. Mede’s hope for the , shall be the first and the national conversion of Jews to Protestant readiest to transport Israel’s sons and faith is inextricably tied to his hope for the daughters on their ships to the land ultimate extermination of the enemies of promised to their forefathers, Abraham, the faith. Mede thus completes the Isaac and Jacob for an everlasting process of transposing the enemies of inheritance.” 29 This petition is, by the Christendom into being also the natural definition I have proposed, the first enemies of Jews, who are presumed, as example of Christian Zionism. proto-Puritans, to be natural allies, so that the “conversion and restoration of Israel” In that same climate, Menasseh ben will be synchronous with the “destruction Israel, a rabbi in Amsterdam likely in of the Turkish empire.” For Mede, the two conversation with many Baptists and other parts of the future composite church of non-conformist English Protestants Gentiles and Jews will have “its own residing there—including the authors of peculiar enemy; the former the Roman the petition received by Fairfax—began beast, with its uncircumcised origin; the exploring the possibilities of turning latter, the Mohammedan empire, over a English Protestant interest in Judeo- circumcised people, and of an Ismaelitish centric prophecy interpretation to the origin, ominous to the descendants of benefit of his own people. Ben Israel’s Isaac.” Mede is certain that the coming book, Hope of Israel (1650), was an effort “extermination of both [enemies]” will be to compile testimony concerning the “accomplished at the coming of Christ.” 28 whereabouts of the ten “lost” tribes. If The rhetoric employed by John Hagee Daniel 12:7 was to be interpreted to mean echoes Mede both in its identification of that Christian eschatological hope could Arabs, including Palestinians, as being not be realized until Jews were scattered racially descended from Ishmael (thus throughout the earth, then England’s ban delegitimizing any claim they have to land on Jews would have to be rectified before presumed to be covenanted to the Jesus could return. This Jewish descendents of Abraham through Isaac interpretation of Christian hope formed the alone) and in Hagee’s understanding of 27

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith basis of ben Israel’s correspondence with easy task. This fact complicated the long- Oliver Cromwell. standing timeline of national conversion leading to national restoration to For this discussion, the most salient point Palestine. It became clear that restoration in ben Israel’s book is the theological to the land rather than conversion to essay by the book’s Christian translator, Christianity was the more pressing need Moses Wall. Wall’s “Considerations Upon for Christian eschatological expectations. the Point of the Conversion of the Jewes” Thus we see a shift in English Protestant provides an interesting turning point in thought between the 16 th and 19 th history of Judeo-centric Christian centuries, between the assertion that “the speculation about the ultimate purpose of conversion of the Iewes ... may be more Jews in God’s plan for God’s church. For desired then our owne salvation” 32 to Wall, the fact that Jews have not yet serious considerations in 1815 that “it converted in large numbers is the last sign seems most likely that the restoration of that remains to be fulfilled before Christ’s the Jews to their own land, will take place kingdom can be established. before their conversion to Christianity.” 33 Nevertheless, the lack of contemporary evidence is no cause for joining those who The latter view was likely inspired by the believe in “the hopelesnesse of their writings of George Faber, who speculated repentance,” for it has become apparent a few years earlier that while “a large body that “their Conversion shall be the work of of the Jews will be restored in a converted God” similar to their deliverance from state by some great maritime power,” Egypt. Instead, Christians “ought much to presumably the British empire, “Another minde their Conversion, exercising considerable body of the Jews ... will be thereupon our faith, our prayers, and also restored by land and in an unconverted our enquiries.” 30 After these introductory state by the Antichristian faction; and that remarks, Wall, in a manner strikingly for mere political purposes.” 34 By the time similar to Hagee’s, offers several reasons William Blackstone synthesized early 20 th to “love the Jewish Nation.” There, Wall century premillennial dispensationalism in returns to the hope of Jewish conversion: the 1908 edition of his magnum opus, “That of the ordinary way of Christianizing Jesus is Coming , listing “the gathering of a person, or people, seemes to me not of Israel, in unbelief” as one of the signs use here,” he says. After “many ages” of pointing to the coming Rapture, this applying those methods to Jews, the goal gathering had become a matter of has not been accomplished. “I then historical fact through the secular Jewish conclude, that their conversion shall be in political movement known as Zionism.35 an extraordinary way, it shall be the worke Even with these shifts, the Anglo- of our Lord Jesus, and of his good American tradition of Judeo-centric Spirit.” 31 Wall’s irenic attitude toward Jews prophecy interpretation, with its focus on and general lack of concern for active constructing friends and enemies for efforts to proselytize and convert these faithful Christians and for God, remained “brethren in Abraham” can be understood central to American popular Christianity. both as a natural path of Judeo-centric These beliefs and the eschatological approaches to Christian hope and as a significance they accord to political dramatic reversal of longer-standing movements involving Jews and the State comprehensions of Jewish-Christian of Israel remain a consistent feature of relationship. His attitude is an important American popular consciousness. The precursor to the views of many in the contemporary mobilization of Christian contemporary Christian Zionist movement. Zionism in the form of Christians United for Israel, among other organizations, English Christian engagement with Jews seeks to draw from this deep tradition proved that Jewish conversion as a nation within American culture and popular to the Protestant faith would not be an religious thought. 28

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith

As I was drafting this paper, a Jewish Christian faithfulness and self- friend reminded me that a discourse is understanding. interesting not because of its factual reality or its logical structure but because 1 society takes it as a valid option; that fact See especially Yaakov Ariel, Evangelizing alone makes it by default interesting to the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in analyze. There is no doubt that America, 1880–2000 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2000) and idem contemporary American Christian Zionism Philosemites or Antisemites? Evangelical has been accepted as a valid option within Christian Attitudes toward Jews, Judaism, and North American religious and political the State of Israel , Analysis of Current Trends thought. Beyond that reflection of some in Antisemitism 20 (Jerusalem: Vidal Sassoon basic American commitments, Christian International Center for the Study of Zionism draws our attention because it is Antisemitism, 2002). a discourse that profoundly affects the 2 Ilan Chaim, “Falwell: Jews Can Get to lives of many in the Middle East, including Heaven,” Jerusalem Post , 1 March 2006. Israelis and Palestinians. It can do this Falwell’s response was reported widely. See because organizations like CUFI have “Falwell Denies Report That He Believes Jews Don't Need Jesus,” Associated Press, 2 March great levels of access to policymakers and 2006. opinion shapers. CUFI conferences have 3 Abraham H. Foxman, “Jews and been addressed by sitting United States Evangelicals: Support for Israel Isn’t senators and representatives (including Everything,” Time Magazine Online , Rick Santorum, and Sam (www.time.com), 16 January 2007 and James Brownback) and by former Israeli prime D. Besser, “Hardline Pastor Gets Prime AIPAC ministers such as Shimon Peres and Spot,” Jewish Week (New York), 9 March 2007. Benjamin Netanyahu and have featured a 4 “Middle East Briefing” presented by former James D. Besser, “Growing Acceptance CIA director James Woolsey and former Seen Of Fiery Pastor,” The Jewish Week (New York), 4 May 2007. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff 5 See Stephen R. Haynes, “Christian Moshe Ya’alon. In that company, calling Holocaust Theology: A Critical support for Israel “God’s foreign policy” Reassessment,” Journal of the American serves to reinforce certain American and Academy of Religion 62, no. 2 (Summer Israeli patterns of engaging the world, 1994): 553–85. Haynes’s first note admits that patterns that have far-reaching there is some objection to this phrase. consequences for global wellbeing. Given 6 Franklin Littell, The Crucifixion of the Jews the export of Christian Zionist (New York: Harper & Row, 1975), 2. There are commitments through American of course many similar observations from a Evangelical missionary enterprises, the large group of scholars, including John Pawlikowski, Alice and Roy Eckhart, and movement has become a global concern 36 Franklin Sherman, among many others. as well. Moreover, since contemporary 7 See Irving Greenberg, “Judaism and American Christian Zionism is built on a Christianity: Covenants of Redemption,” in foundation formed by a centuries-old Christianity in Jewish Terms , ed. Tikva tradition of Judeo-centric prophecy Frymer-Kensky et al .(Boulder, CO: Westview, interpretation and that tradition’s self- 2000), 141–58. referential constructions of Jews, Muslims, 8 John Hagee, Jerusalem Countdown: A and other Christians (including Roman Warning to the World (Lake Mary, FL: Front Line, 2006), 185. Catholics and, today, Palestinian 9 Christians who are suspected of being Ibid., 133, 144, 158, 170, 175. 10 John Hagee, In Defense of Israel: The nothing other than dhimmis —members of Bible’s Mandate for Supporting the Jewish a protected but restricted religious State , 1 st ed. (Lake Mary, FL: Front Line, community under Islam—forced to support 2006), 137. Islamist political aspirations) the 11 Ibid., 140, 143, 145. movement raises profound questions for 12 Ibid., 134, 148, see also 145.

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith

13 Ibid., 164 . Millennialism”; Stephen J. Stein, “A Notebook 14 “This posture, which can be called liberal on the Apocalypse by Jonathan Edwards,” Christian Zionism or ‘Christian Israelism’ (a William and Mary Quarterly , Third Series, 29, term coined by A. Roy Eckardt), is one the no. 4 (Oct. 1972): 623–634; Reiner Smolinski, Holocaust Theologians regard as a “Israel Redivivus: The Eschatological Limits of distinguishing characteristic of authentic post- Puritan Typology in New England,” The New Holocaust Christianity as well as a prerequisite England Quarterly 63, no. 3 (Sept. 1990), for meaningful Jewish-Christian dialogue. 357–395; idem, “ Israel Redivivus: The Conversely, they argue, Christian opposition to Eschatological Limits of Puritan Typology in Israel is in reality the familiar disease of New England,” The New England Quarterly Christian anti-Judaism in a more subtle, but no 63, no. 3 (1990): 357–95; and Reiner less virulent form.” Haynes, “Christian Smolinski, ed., The Threefold Paradise of Holocaust Theology,” 562, See also ibid., 568, Cotton Mather: An Edition of “Triparadisus” 15 The fulcrum of his theology is certainly not (Decatur: University of Georgia Press, 1993). the cross of Jesus, nor, as we have seen, the 21 For this phrase and its meaning, see Nabil messianic mission of Jesus. Matar, “The Idea of the Restoration of the 16 Hagee, In Defense of Israel , 149, 150, 162. Jews in English Protestant Thought: From the 17 Hagee, Jerusalem Countdown , 196, 197, Reformation until 1660,” The Durham 201. University Journal 78 (Dec. 1985), esp. 25. 18 See John Hagee, The Beginning of the End: 22 John Bale, The image of bothe churches The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the after revlacion of saynt Iohan the evangelyst Coming Antichrist (Nashville, Thomas (Antwerp: S. Mierdman, 1545). A second, Nelson,1996). At the time, Hagee was expanded edition was published in London in convinced that the rhetoric within Israel 1570: John Bale, The image of regarding the achievement of a peace both Churches after the most wonderfull and agreement to honor Rabin’s memory opened heauenly Reuelation of sainct Iohn the the door to the establishment of the peace Euangelist, contayning a very fruitfull agreement with Israel that would 1) signal the exposition or paraphrase vpon the same. approaching beginning of the seven-year Wherin it is conferred vvith the other period of Tribulation, and 2) the imminent scriptures, and most auctorised histories. Rapture of the church. Compyled by Iohn Bale an exyle also in thys 19 “Gershom Gorenberg on Christian Zionism,” lyfe, for thefaithfull testimony of Iesu , 2 nd ed. “Fresh Air,” public radio station WHYY, 18 (London: Thomas East, 1570). September 2006, available at www.npr.org. 23 Thomas Brightman, Apocalypsis See also Gershom Gorenberg, “Unorthodox apocalypseos. Id est, Apocalypsis D. Ioannis Alliance: Israeli and Jewish Interests Are analysi et scholiis illustrata: ubi ex scriptura Better Served by Keeping a Polite Distance sensus, rerumque pr ędictarum ex historijs from the Christian Right,” Washington Post , 11 eventus discutiuntur. Huic synopsis præfigitur October 2002, A37. universalis: & refutatio Rob. Bellarmini de 20 On the importing of this tradition into the Antichristo libro tertio de Romano Pontifice, ad American context and the American context’s finem capitis decimi septimi inferitur fundamental continuity with English Puritan (Francofurti: Prostat apud viduam Levini Hulsij, thought, see Richard W. Cogley, “The Fall of 1609), first published in English as Thomas the Ottoman Empire and the Restoration of Brightman, A revelation of the Apocalyps, that Israel in the ‘Judeo-centric’ Strand of Puritan is, the Apocalyps of S. Iohn illustrated vvith an Millenarianism,” Church History 72, no. 2 analysis & scolions where the sense is opened (June 2003): 304–32; Sarah Hutton, “The by the scripture, & the events of things Appropriation of Joseph Mede: Millenarianism foretold, shewed by histories. Hereunto is in the 1640s,” in Millenarianism and prefixed a generall view: and at the end of the Messianism in Early Modern European 17. chapter, is inserted a refutation of R. Culture: The Millenarian Turn , ed. J.E. Force Bellarmine touching Antichrist, in his 3. book of and R.H. Popkin (Alphen aan den Rijn, The the B. of Rome (Amsterdam: Iudocus Hondius Netherlands: Kluwer, 2001); Theodore Dwight & Hendrick Laurenss, 1611). All citations are Bozeman, To Live Ancient Lives: The from this first English edition. Primitivist Dimension in Puritanism (Chapel 24 Brightman, A revelation of the Apocalyps , Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1988), 440–41. esp. chap. 6, “First Phases of Puritan 30

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Replacement Theology – R. O. Smith

25 Thomas Brightman, A commentary on the 36 See Steve Brouwer, Paul Gifford, and Canticles or the Song of Salomon wherein the Susan D. Rose, Exporting the American text is analised, the native signification of the Gospel: Global Christian Fundamentalism words declared, the allegories explained, and (New York: Routledge, 1996), esp. 145–48. the order of the times whereunto they relate See also Paul Gifford, “The Complex observed / by Thomas Brightman ; unto which Provenance of Some Elements of African is added brief notes out of severall expositors Pentecostal Theology,” in Between Babel and of the Revelation touching the rising and fall, Pentecost; Transnational Pentecostalism in progresse and finall destruction of the enemies Africa and Latin America , ed. Andre Corten of the church with some other observations out and Ruth Marshall-Fratini (New York: Hurst, of divers writers (London: John Field for Henry 2001), 62–79. Overton, 1644), 1055. 26 Henry Finch [Anon.], The Worlds Great Restauration, or, The Calling of the Iewes (, 1621), A4. The Rev. Dr Robert O. Smith is 27 Ibid., 8. Program Director for the Middle East 28 Mede, Clavis Apocalyptica , 430, 431, 429, and North Africa for the Evangelical 396, 397–98, 396–97. Lutheran Church in America. He holds 29 The petition was sent by Ebenezer and a doctorate from Baylor University and Joanna Cartwright, who were English Puritans is co-author of Christians and a Land residing in Amsterdam Called Holy (2006). 30 Moses Wall, “Considerations Upon the Point of the Conversion of the Jewes,” in Menasseh ben Israel, The hope of Israel (1651) ?] , 46, 47, 48. 31 Ibid., 49–54. 32 Thomas Morton of Berwick, A treatise of the threefolde state of man wherein is handled, 1 His created holinesse in his innocencie. 2 His sinfulnesse since the fall of Adam. 3 His renewed holinesse in his regeneration (London: R. Robinson for Robert Dexter and Raph Jackeson, 1596), 336. 33 Anonymous, “Of the return of the Jews to their own land in the Millennium; being a brief answer to the difficulties suggested in a piece written by the late Dr. Edwards, and republished in the U.C. Mag. Vol. 11. No. 10,” The Utica Christian Magazine 3, no. 1 (July 1815): 37–8. 34 George Stanley Faber, A Dissertation on the Prophecies, that Have Been Fulfilled, are Now Fulfilling, or will Hereafter be Fulfilled, Relative to the Great Period of 1260 Years; The Papal and Mohammedan Apostacies; The Tyrannical Reign of Antichrist, or the Infidel Power; and the Restoration of the Jews , Volume 1, first American ed. (Boston: Andrews and Cummings, 1808), 268, 247. This book was immensely influential. After several editions, it was renamed and reprinted in three volumes in 1828 as The Sacred Calendar of Prophecy , 3 vols. (London: C. & J. Rivington, 1828). 35 William E. Blackstone, Jesus Is Coming , presentation ed. (Chicago: Fleming H. Revell, 1916), 228.

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik

Contemporary Christian Self-Understanding:

Populus Dei or Corpus Christi ?

Rev. Dr Jesper Svartvik

From its inception the World Council of In Christian teaching, the historic events Churches has addressed the crucial and which led to the Crucifixion should not be critical issue of Jewish-Christian relations. 1 so presented as to impose upon the Already at its first Assembly in Amsterdam Jewish people of today responsibilities in 1948, the WCC called upon “all the which must fall on all humanity, not on one churches … to denounce anti-Semitism, race or community. Jews were the first to no matter what its origin, as absolutely accept Jesus and Jews are not the only irreconcilable with the profession and ones who do not yet recognize him .3 practice of the Christian faith. Anti- Semitism is a sin against God and man.” 2 It is interesting to note that this statement Given that its Sitz im Leben was Europe— commences with the deicide accusation, the continent where Christendom had but concludes with a soteriological formed generation after generation for announcement. To paraphrase it almost two thousand years—and that it provocatively as an admonition: “Please was issued only three years after the end remember that not all Jews are like the of the Second World War and its Jews, and also that there are non-Jews unprecedented antisemitism in abhorrent who are like the Jews; Judaism is wrong, practice, this statement is powerful, brave, but please remember that not only Jews and remarkable. Nevertheless, all those are wrong.” who concur with this statement have to ask themselves: what does it mean “to Hence, what is lurking around the corner denounce anti-Semitism, no matter what is—as is so often the case—soteriology. its origin”? What are the practical The thorny issue of Christian mission to consequences? the Jewish people was addressed in the so-called Bristol Report. This report, which 4 We find a number of answers to those was presented in 1967 , argued that if the questions in another well-known Church uses the corpus Christi (body of statement, issued in early post-war times Christ) discourse when defining itself, and by the International Council of Christians if the body of Christ is ”the definitive and Jews (ICCJ) in 1947, the Seelisberg community of salvation,” then the Jewish declaration. The ten points of the people will necessarily be outside of this Seelisberg declaration can be community, and will somehow have to be summarized as two emphases: (1) the “made fit” to be included in the revoking of the deicide charge and (2) the soteriological entity. However, if the re-Judaizing of Jesus of Nazareth. On Church uses the populus Dei (people of these two directives hangs the entire God) discourse, then Jews as Jews can declaration. Those are important tasks: to be understood as being included in the oppose the vitriolic blood libel and to people of God. The Bristol document encourage biblical scholars and states: theologians to present Judaism not as Jesus’ theological contrast but as his [I]it is possible to regard the Church and historical context. the Jewish people together as forming the one people of God, separated from one The third Assembly of the World Council another for the time being, yet with the of Churches, in New Delhi in 1961, promise that they will ultimately become addressed the deicide charge: one. Those who follow this line of thinking 32

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik would say that the Church should consider the Palestinian people. Not even Christian her attitude towards the Jews as Palestinians, i.e., sisters and brothers in theological and in principle as being Christ, are of interest to those groups who different from the attitude she has to all support settlements in the West Bank and other men who do not believe in Christ. It Jewish extremist movements. By should be thought of more in terms of identifying the Jewish people as “the ecumenical engagement in order to heal people of God,” numerous Christian the breach than of missionary witness in Zionists become immune to the plight of which she hopes for conversion. 5 those who are in need.

In short, the Bristol document suggests It should be added, however, that that the populus Dei theme is better than Christian Zionism is not identical with what the corpus Christi motif. However, this Jews refer to as Zionism. As a matter of article challenges that assertion. I am fact, Christian Zionism actually has very inclined to go in the opposite direction, i.e. little in common with Jewish Zionism. to argue that the populus Dei discourse— Christian Zionism, a phenomenon found to a much higher degree than the corpus primarily within Evangelical Christianity, Christi discourse—circumscribes the has three distinctive features: possibility to provide “theological space” for non-Christians. 6 i. a focus on territoriality in the Middle East, especially the State of Israel, 1. Some Problematic Aspects of the particularly on Jerusalem, and even more Populus Dei Discourse on the Temple Mount, al-Haram ash- Sharif. Although the populus Dei discourse is time-honoured and cherished, I suggest ii. Furthermore, it is a distinctly Christian that it is intrinsically problematic. apocalyptic discourse, a. The most obvious disadvantage of the iii. in which Judaism and the Jewish idea of being the people of God is that this people are instrumentalized for a higher, peoplehood becomes a possession of the apocalyptic (i.e. Christian) purpose. We members of a faith community. Pluralism see here clearly the fundamental by definition becomes a theological threat: difference between Jewish Zionism and if we are too dissimilar, we cannot both Christian Zionism: whereas Jewish belong to the inside group. This problem Zionism is an inner-Jewish reflection of will not be solved simply by including the Jews’ self-understanding in and outside of Jewish people in the epistemologically Israel, Christian Zionism is about the role Christian people of God, i.e., to say that which the “other” plays in one’s own Judaism is a Christianity. In addition, it theological scheme. It is not a self- should be added that early Christian understanding, but an other- writers actually seemed to argue in favour understanding. This observation should of the opposite. If we apply the give us pause, as Jews for two thousand anachronistic terms “Judaism” and years have been the theological “other” in “Christianity,” it is most likely that Paul in Christian theology. Romans 9-11 argues that Christianity is a Judaism, not that Judaism is a c. There is, however, another problem as Christianity. 7 well which must not be forgotten. Not only Christian Zionists are insensitive to the b. Another disquieting drawback of the self-understanding of the peoples in the populus Dei discourse becomes manifest Middle East. The non possumus (“we as we scrutinize the phenomenon of cannot”) theology governed Roman Christian Zionism. Many who identify Catholic theological understanding of a themselves with that movement seem to Jewish presence in the Middle East until be completely indifferent to the plight of the Second Vatican Council, perhaps 33

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik even up until the beginning of the 1990s. By way of conclusion, we have to ask In our post-Nostra Aetate times we easily ourselves whether it is actually possible to forget the centrality of a supersessionist describe the Church as “the new people of Christian theology for the political refusal God” and, at the same time, to assert that to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish “the Jews should not be represented as presence in the Middle East. rejected by God or accursed, as if that would follow from Holy Scripture.”13 The What is truly remarkable is that a number only possibility to maintain that the Church of non-Catholic theologians seem to have is the new people, without stripping Israel inherited this non possumus theology. It is of its covenantal peoplehood, is to say often argued that particularistic Judaism that there are—at least--two peoples of ceased to exist two thousand years ago, God, which means that the Church cannot and was superseded by a universal be described as the people of God, only a Christian mission, as described in the New people of God. 14 If we, as Gerald O’Collins Testament. In these theological texts one suggests, choose to refer to non- detects a narrow reading of some of the Christians as “God’s other peoples,” we antagonistic passages in the Gospels, of thereby also state that there is not only the Pauline epistles and of some of the one people of God. 15 In short, the Church 8 chapters in the epistle to the Hebrews. In cannot be both the people of God and the short, some Christian theologians seem to new people of God at the same time. argue that there is no theological room for a Jewish self-understanding after Christ.9 2. The Theological Interplay between In other words, for political reasons, a the Stories of Fall and Revelation number of theologians want to delegitimize the Jewish people in order to We have seen that there are several good delegitimize the State of Israel reasons for seeking an alternative to the theologically. However, it is easy to side populus Dei discourse. Before addressing with Gerard S. Sloyan here: not to the corpus Christi discourse, it might be consider the Jewish people when talking worthwhile to reflect on the relationship about the people of God is “perilously like between revelation and fall. Historically playing Hamlet without the Prince of speaking, Christianity—as well as Islam— Denmark.” 10 has been considerably more universal in its discourse than has Judaism. This could d. In addition to these contemporary be ascribed to historical reasons. reflections, we also need to remember Whereas Christianity became the most that a growing number of scholars powerful religion in Europe after no more challenge the assertion that ethnicity than three centuries, Jews have lived as played an insignificant role in early second-class citizens all over the world for Christianity. Historically speaking, the first millennia. According to this line of thought, generations of Christians did not define Judaism had to cultivate a theology which Christianity in opposition to the category of corresponded to the historical context. But ethnicity; on the contrary, when using the in addition to this historical explanation, “people” (Greek genos ; Latin genus ) there is also something in the discourse, they understood themselves as historiography—the interpretations of the a people distinct from other kinds of past—of the two religions which deserves peoples. 11 The confessions of the martyrs our attention. How do Jews and Christians Christianus sum and Christiana sum are relate revelation and fall (i.e. the master not expressions of their indifference to the story of human fragility) to each other? genos/genus discourse, but of its very The word order here—“revelation and fall” centrality and its reinforcement. 12 In short, as different from “fall and revelation”—is of ethnicity is not the dividing line between importance. an alleged “tribalistic” Judaism and an assumed “universal” Christianity. The Jewish master story is, undoubtedly, the exodus from slavery to freedom. It is 34

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik revived at each year’s Seder table with 14:10 and Mark 14:43 it is explicitly stated biblical texts, traditional songs, and that Judas is “one of the twelve” (Greek: symbolic food. According to Jewish heis tôn dôdeka ). Two of Jesus’ disciples historiography, the story about the Golden play important roles in the passion Calf is exceptionally central (see Ex. 32; narrative: Peter the denier and Judas the Deut. 9:6-29), but this event takes place traitor. Peter, too, is one of the twelve. after the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. In other words, revelation precedes We have here a striking discrepancy the fall. The focus is on the people which between the Gospel narratives and the accepts the Torah but fails to live up to its reception history of the very same demands. Gospels: whereas Judas is remembered as the traitor, Peter was soon to be In traditional Christian historiography the rehabilitated. 18 One is reminded of the course of events is the opposite: whereas interesting question posed by Edgar Lee the exemplary text on human fallibility is Masters: “How did you, Peter … the found in the Hebrew Bible (Gen. 3), fisherman, worthy of blame, arise to this revelation is linked to the proclamation fame?” 19 and person of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament. In short, while revelation Many a Bible reader of would answer that precedes the fall in Jewish historiography, Peter is a model, not in his rejection, but in according to Christian historiography the his repentance. It is astonishing that the fall precedes revelation. This fact may, of Gospel of Mark probably was written for course, serve as an illustration as to what the Christians in Rome, the city where extent Jews and Christians read the same Peter, according to the Christian tradition, stories in different ways, but there is more was the Vicar. here than immediately meets the eye. It is the universality of Christology that What I suggest in this article is that prompts Christians to look for a mirror text Christians concentrate less on the third in the Hebrew Bible. Paul calls Jesus of chapter in the book of Genesis and more Nazareth ho deuteros anthropos (“the on the New Testament’s astonishingly second man”), thereby constructing an forthright narratives about the fallible exceedingly influential Genesis-Jesus followers of Jesus, hence allowing dichotomy. 16 Not all members of the revelation (Jesus’ calling of the disciples) scholarly community acknowledge this to precede the fall (the defectiveness of “from-solution-to-plight” paradigm, but a the disciples). 17 growing number of scholars do. Hence, 3. The Theological Potential of the the third chapter in Genesis is not the Corpus Christi Discourse starting-point for this line of thought, but a Christological reflection. It is now appropriate to return to the corpus Christi discourse which, I argue, is Now, what if Christians sought to to be preferred to the description of the articulate a theology which allows Christians as “the people of God,” “the revelation to precede the fall? I would new people of God,” or “the true people of suggest that there is an excellent parallel God.” There are several good reasons for in the Gospels’ presentation of the this option: disciples, the fallible followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Many readers of the Bible are a. First, this discourse is very old. As a so used to the depiction of Judas Iscariot matter of fact, we find it in the oldest as the traitor (see Matt. 10:4, Mark 3:19, Christian texts, the Pauline epistles, e.g., and Luke 6:16) that they might forget what in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (a passage is truly astonishing: the traitor belonged to which is a prelude to the important 13 th the inner core; he was actually one of the chapter on faith, hope, and love) and also twelve. This is especially obvious in the in Romans 12:3-8. oldest narrative account: in both Mark 35

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik b. Secondly, this is a discourse which d. One of the more important questions to presupposes and focuses on the ask in interreligious discussions is how manifoldness in the Christian community. God reveals Godself. A Muslim will point “If all were a single member, where would at the Qur’an and a Jew at the Torah the body be? As it is, there are many scroll—and a Christian will narrate the members, yet one body” (1 Cor. 12:19ff.). Christ event. The New Testament is The corpus Christi metaphor helps us important because of Jesus of Nazareth; it detect the perils of uniformity. is not the other way around. When asked Furthermore, it is an inherently anti- by Muslims and Jews about my Christian hierarchical metaphor. Only Christ can faith, I often state that Jesus Christ is as and should be the head of the corpus important to me as the Qur’an and the Christi . It should be added that, although Torah are to them. This answer indicates the encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi of that I appreciate the central roles that the Pope Pius XII understands the metaphor Qur’an and the Torah play in the life of differently, it is not difficult to argue that Muslims and Jews, and it is also an this emphasis on ecclesiastical hierarchy invitation to them to respect my reverence is actually against the grain of the as much as I respect their faith. What, metaphor. When the text refers to “the then, could be better than presenting the Vicar of Jesus Christ” as “the Supreme Christian community as the visible Head” it is not an assertion stemming from presence of the invisible Christ? Hence, the Pauline metaphor, but a line of thought fourthly and finally, corpus Christ i is a which is imported from other discourses. 20 discourse that does not present Hence, the corpus Christ i metaphor, if Christianity as the antithesis or the anything, sustains ecumenism. replacement of other faith communities. Jews understand themselves as the Israel c. Thirdly, the corpus Christi discourse of God; why should not Christians think of emphasizes the importance of incarnation themselves as the body of Christ? Two to Christian theology and liturgy. The faith communities cannot understand Christian kerygma is that Christ is God’s themselves both to be the people of God, presence in this world, that the Eucharist but the members of each group could is Christ’s presence in the leitourgia , and think of themselves as constituting a that Christians are to be Christ’s presence genus electum (see Ex. 19:6 and 1 Pet. in the diakonia. The doctrine of the 2:9). incarnation is often presented as a stumbling-block in Jewish-Christian 4. “There Is No Longer … Barbarian, relations. It is, therefore, worthy of note Scythian...” (Col. 3:11) that Jewish philosopher and theologian Michael Wyschogrod thinks of it as a Of all the New Testament statements that stepping stone for a better understanding “there is no longer Greek and Jew …” the of his own tradition: one most worthy of note is found in Col. 3:11, as it also refers to “barbarian [and] The doctrine of the incarnation thus Scythian.” The Greek word barbaros was separates Jews and Christians but, coined by someone who thought that properly understood, also sheds light on foreigners’ language simply sounded like incarnational elements in Judaism which “bar-bar,” that their way of expressing are more diffuse than the Christian version themselves was gibberish. The word but nevertheless very real. If the Christian skythai referred to the nomadic groups, move was a mistake—and I believe it considered as being cruel and primitive, was—it was a mistake that has helped me that lived north of the Black Sea in better understand a dimension of modern-day Ukraine. Hence, it is Judaism—God’s indwelling in the people interesting to note that the words Israel—that I would probably not have “barbarian” and “Scythian” are not each understood as clearly without the Christian others’ opposites, as are “circumcised” mistake. 21 and “uncircumcised.” but two terms which 36

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik both refer to outsiders. The theological bottom line seems to be that the Christian 10 Gerard S. Sloyan, “Who Are the People of kerygma must not be expressed in such a God?” in Standing Before God: Studies on way that other people and peoples are Prayer in Scriptures and in Tradition with described as theological outsiders. Can Essays in Honor of John M. Oesterreicher , ed. the corpus Christi mysticum discourse Asher Finkel and Lawrence Frizzell (New York: Ktav, 1981), 103-114, especially 113. help us in this endeavour? I would like to 11 See Denise Kimber Buell, Why This New think so. Race: Ethnic Reasoning in Early Christianity (New York: Columbia University Press, 2005),

1 8ff. and 164. See also e.g., Gay L. Byron, For a presentation of these three WCC texts Symbolic Blackness and Ethnic Difference in from 1948, 1961, and 1967, see, e.g., Franklin Early Christian Literature (London and New Sherman, “The Road to Reconciliation: York: Routledge, 2002). For an important Protestant Church Statements on Christian- study of the role of racism in the study of early Jewish Relations,” in Seeing Judaism Anew: Christianity, see Shawn Kelley, Racializing Christianity’s Sacred Obligation , ed. Mary C. Jesus: Race, Ideology and the Formation of Boys, (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, Modern Biblical Scholarship (London and New 2005), 241-251, particularly 242. 2 York: Routledge, 2002). See e.g., www.jcrelations.net/en/?item=1489 . 12 3 Buell, Why This New Race , 54-56. See,e.g.,www.ccjr.us/dialogika- 13 Nostra Aetate , par. 4. resources/documents-and- 14 Kogan, Opening the Covenant , 241: statements/ecumenical-christian/736- “Instead of being the chosen people, my wcc1961 . 4 people begin to see themselves as a chosen The “Bristol Report” resulted from a meeting people. Instead of the true church, Christians of the WCC Faith and Order Commission, held come to see themselves as a true church.” in Bristol, England. Although wide-ranging in 15 Gerald O’Collins, Salvation for All: God’s its scope it included a section on “The Church Other Peoples (Oxford: Oxford University and the Jewish People.” 5 Press 2008), vii. See, e.g.,www.abrock.com/Birmingham.html . 16 6 See 1 Cor. 15:47. For the expression “theological space,” see 17 E. P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Tony Bayfield, “Making Theological Space,” in Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion Dialogue with a Difference: The Manor House (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1977), 554-556. Group Experience , ed. Tony Bayfield and 18 This can be seen already in the Matthean Marcus Braybrooke (London: SCM, 1992), 15- redaction of the Markan narrative; see, e.g., 28. See also Michael S. Kogan, Opening the Jesper Svartvik, “Matthew and Mark,” in Covenant: A Jewish Theology of Christianity Matthew and His Contemporaries , ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 240: David C. Sim and Boris Repschinski (London: “There is no one theology for all. Every group’s Continuum, 2008), 27-49. theology must recognize and make room for 19 Edgar Lee Masters, the poem “Simon the theologies of others” (emphasis added). 7 Surnamed Peter” quoted in Roland Bartel, See, e.g., Kogan, Opening the Covenant , 32 “Two Biblical Passages That Have Appealed and 113. 8 to Poets,” in Biblical Images in Literature , ed. For a study of the role of anti-Jewish Roland Bartel, J. S. Ackerman, and T. S. theology in the political discussions about the Warshaw (Nashville and New York: Abingdon, Middle East conflict, see Peter A. Pettit, “The 1975), 289. Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” in 20 Mystici Corporis Christi , par. 69: “the Covenantal Conversations: Christians in Supreme Head, that is, the Vicar of Jesus Dialogue with Jews and Judaism , ed. Darrell Christ on earth.” See also par. 25, 27, and 40. Jodock (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2008), 147- One might add that neither is the mariological 174. 9 emphasis towards the end of the document an For a study on the interplay of belief and indispensable part of the metaphor. national identity, see Anthony D. Smith, 21 Michael Wyschogrod, Abraham’s Promise: Chosen Peoples: Sacred Sources of National Judaism and Jewish-Christian Relations . Identity (Oxford: Oxford University Press, ed.and introd. R. Kendall Soulen (Grand 2003). Rapids and Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2004), 178.

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Populus Dei or Corpus Christi? – J. Svartvik

The Rev. Dr Jesper Svartvik is the first holder of the Krister Stendahl Chair of Theology of Religions at Lund University, Sweden, and at the Swedish Theological Institute in Jerusalem. He received his doctoral degree from Lund University in 2000. His teaching and research have included quests for the historical Jesus, early Gnosticizing interpretations of Christianity, reception history of the biblical texts, biblical hermeneutics, and interreligious relations, especially Jewish-Christian relations. He is one of the editors of Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of Theological Interrelationships (Eerdmans, 2011) and of Religious Stereotyping and Interreligious Relations (Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming 2013). He is currently writing a book on Christology and interreligious relations.

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos

Text, Tribulation and Testimony:

The Bible in the Context of the Middle East

Dr Clare Amos

God of mystery, fashion, on Charles Wesley’s great hymn, Strange opponent of our long night, “Come O thou traveller unknown.” whether we are near or far, in difficulty or in danger, A few years after I first read those words I your face is always turned towards us in found myself at a missionary college at love and compassion. Selly Oak preparing for work as a Church Grant us the grace to look upon you, Missionary Society (CMS) mission partner and to trace your likeness at St George’s College, Jerusalem. It was in the shapes of others, not an altogether happy time—partly both lovely and unloved. because I was not quite sure exactly what Struggle with our fear and shame, I was meant to be doing at Selly Oak. I And do not let us go, had just spent two years at the Ecole Until the day breaks, Biblique in Jerusalem doing post-graduate And you have given us your blessing. biblical studies. This led to my being Amen. offered the position at St George’s College and in turn to the link with CMS, which In the struggle is the blessing. required a few months at their training Among the dozen or so books that have college in Selly Oak. With my existing most influenced me is a classic volume on background in theology as well as recent prayer, The Use of Praying, written by the experience of the region to which I was Methodist minister and writer on returning, I expect I was a difficult and spirituality Neville Ward. I can still cussed customer for the tutors to have remember coming across it in my late around. However, there can always be teens. The concluding paragraph in the unexpected and pleasant surprises in life. book had—and still has—for me a peculiar Mine at that time was a series of lectures frisson. Neville Ward wrote: “Sometimes on the Old Testament given by Dr Dan faith confidently and easily interprets Beeby, himself recently returned to Britain experience as from God; sometimes only after years as a Presbyterian missionary slowly and after much argument with itself in Taiwan. It would be false modesty to and life. And sometimes it simply has to suggest that Dan taught me many basic hold on, like the troubled wrestler by the facts about the Bible that I did not already dark river, trusting that when the light know. But what he certainly did was breaks it will appear that the imagined inspire me with a vision of how to teach enemy was Love all the time.” Many times and interpret the Bible for others. One of in the last 25 years I have used these Dan’s unforgettable lectures was on that sentences, with their allusive reference to dark contest of Jacob by the brook the story of wrestling Jacob, to introduce Jabbok. The lecture was entitled “In the ministers in training to the spirituality of Struggle Is the Blessing” and I suspect the Old Testament. I think I glimpsed that that the seeds of much of my later thinking particular allusion to Genesis 32 on the were sown in what I heard that day. Dan very first occasion that I read Neville pointed out with a clarity that I had not Ward’s book, though I have to confess previously seen how important this story that, Anglican innocent as I was at the was, not simply as a keystone in the saga time, I did not initially realize that Ward of Jacob and his brother Esau, but also as was himself drawing, in good Methodist a metaphor for the whole history of the people of God. As Gerhard Von Rad puts 39

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos it, “Israel has here presented its entire themselves. Daringly this would also history with God almost prophetically as ... suggest that the blessing that Jacob is a struggle until the breaking of the day.” offered at the end of the struggle is Such an interpretation is surely justified by contingent upon the goodwill of those the granting of the very name Israel at the such as Esau’s descendants. Thus, if climax of the encounter. The blessing Israel turns its back on either a which Jacob demands is somehow linked relationship with God or a relationship with to the entitlement to this name, which the “foreign nations” symbolized by Jacob’s descendants will bear for Esau/Edom, it becomes less than Israel. generations to come and carry into nationhood. Yet as Dan Beeby also But who or what is Israel? Invigorated by suggested, it is only as long as Israel is the wisdom of people like Dan Beeby, I prepared to continue to struggle in returned to Jerusalem to take up my relationship with God that it can justifiably position at St George’s College. I was claim the name or title of “Israel,” literally soon to discover, if I did not already know, “the one who struggles with God.” that the identity of “Israel” could never be However, as the author of Genesis makes simply an academic question in the Middle clear, that is not the whole of the story. East in the second half of the 20th For there is a profound link made between century. In 1975, when I began teaching this nighttime encounter and the meeting at St George’s College, the Anglican that takes place the next morning between diocese of Jerusalem was undergoing a Jacob and his long-estranged brother key transition. After decades of British Esau. In the one encounter Jacob sees Archbishops and Vicars General, a new God “face to face” and so names the province of the Anglican Communion was place “Penuel.” In the other encounter, being formed, that of Jerusalem and the which takes place after the long night is Middle East, and the intention was that for ended and dawn has broken, there is at the first time in history the Anglican Bishop last enough light for Jacob to see Esau in Jerusalem (we Anglicans with a face to face and make the amazing selective display of humility officially hold statement “truly to see your face is like that our Anglican bishop is “in” rather than seeing the face of God, with such favour “of” Jerusalem!) should be an indigenous have you received me” (Gen. 33:4-10). member of the Arabic-speaking Anglican Picking up on this clear hint in the biblical community. It was not an easy transition narrative, rabbinic tradition drew a link for a variety of reasons: apart from quite a between Esau and the divine figure with strong expatriate presence whose whom Jacob had wrestled the night members did not welcome this before. It was, some suggested, the development with open arms, there were guardian angel of Edom, the future nation also clergy and others in the diocese who of which Esau was the ancestor. regarded their primary role as ministering Significantly, in rabbinic interpretation the to people of Jewish origin; associated with names “Esau” and “Edom” also came to them there was a small yet symbolic symbolize the foreign nations that were group of Hebrew-speaking Christians. regarded with suspicion or hostility, and They too looked with some trepidation to this adds yet another dimension to the what lay ahead. story. So it was not a comfortable mix. The Perhaps therefore the relationships of tensions were reflected in a variety of Jacob become Israel must be triangular, ways. One practical example was linked to between Jacob/Israel, the divine wrestler, the drawing up of a lectionary for use in and Esau/Edom, so that the vocation of the diocese. The group charged with this Israel is to wrestle both with God and with responsibility included a Palestinian the world of national and political realities clergyman working on the West Bank, a in which God's people have found British expatriate responsible for the cathedral in Jerusalem, and a Dutch 40

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos minister who had been appointed by the hostility in the passion narratives ought previous Archbishop to liaise closely with not be connected in any way with the the Jewish community. I was not privy to modern Judaism which developed out of the discussions, but I gather they were the rabbinic movement of the 2 nd and 3 rd lively! The Palestinian concern naturally centuries CE. enough centred on those sections of the Old Testament which focused on the But language does not exist hermetically conquest of the land at the time of Joshua, sealed in a vacuum, protected from the which felt in Palestinian eyes only too political and social realities of the day. analogous to the events of the Six Day Even though it might be extremely War which had taken place less than a convenient to do so, it is, I think, ultimately decade before. There was also antipathy naive to pretend that there can be to a number of the New Testament absolutely no overlap between biblical and canticles which normally form a regular modern “Israel,” nor indeed between part of Anglican worship. It is quite difficult attitudes toward the Jewish community to sing the canticle known as the expressed in the New Testament and Benedictus or Song of Zechariah, with its Jewish-Christian dynamics today. History opening lines, “Blessed be the Lord God has an impact on the present, especially of Israel who has visited and redeemed when it is history held with such passion his people” and its later reference to the as is the case in the Middle East. And Abrahamic covenant, if your perspective is language is creative and intentionally that of a Palestinian whose family has formative—which is why I as a woman been dispossessed of land and home. care deeply about the use of inclusive Even the much cherished Nunc Dimittis or language in the life of church and society. Song of Simeon feels uncomfortable when I am quite certain, for example, that the seen through Palestinian eyes—“a light to use in Israeli official circles during the lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your 1970s of the term “Judaea and Samaria” people Israel” can offer raw resonances to to describe what is today referred to as which many people in Britain are “the West Bank” or “Palestine” was an completely oblivious. But there were also attempt, albeit ultimately unsuccessful, to Jewish sensitivities to consider as well. affect domestic and international There the concern centred on those parts perceptions regarding this territory and its of the New Testament, perhaps ownership. So it is precisely because particularly in the Gospels of Matthew and there are those in both the Jewish and John, where the hostility expressed to the Christian communities who see a clear people called “the Jews,” especially at the continuity between biblical and modern time of Christ’s trial and crucifixion, had Israel, that the issue of what this concept been a terrible and diabolic justification for “Israel” means has to be addressed the centuries of Christian anti-Judaism seriously rather than dismissed abruptly and antisemitism which culminated in the by theologians—and it is equally because Holocaust. By the time everybody’s some people in the Christian world are still concerns had been addressed, it was prepared to seek support for antisemitic perhaps a miracle that there was much of attitudes from gospel texts that it is the Bible left to read at all! dangerous to disregard the difficult question of possible anti-Judaism in the You can of course say that both New Testament. I will be returning to Palestinians and those who sympathized these issues later. with Jewish concerns were misunderstanding biblical language and My primary role at St George’s College terminology—that of course “Israel” in was to work with people from all over the both the Old and New Testaments does world, clergy and lay people, who came to not mean the modern State of Israel, and study with us for up to three months. For that the term “the Jews” used with such them we offered courses such as "The Palestine of Jesus” or “The Bible and the 41

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos

Holy Land today.” It was both a privilege Romans.” They could take the path and a responsibility to introduce them to chosen by those hostile to Rome, loosely the Holy Places of the Old and New referred to as Zealots, people such as Testaments, conscious as one was doing Theudas and Judas or eventually “the so that it could not or should not be an Egyptian” whose revolt is specifically experience in a vacuum, or one that did linked to the wilderness in Acts 21:38. not take account of the realities among Inevitably these people left far fewer which they temporarily found themselves. physical traces, though further south in the Ultimately these people had come to wilderness the citadel of Masada would Jerusalem because of their faith in the eventually be their infamous last redoubt. incarnation, yet that very incarnational Yet their ghosts were there in the winding faith demanded that they meet living tracks that led up through the wilderness stones–as well as historical ones–during where they might have hidden from the their stay and that they too wrestle with authorities in caves and possibly preyed the possible political dimensions of the on travellers in order to fund their fight for gospel, and not least its implications for freedom. Those two contrasting ways of the land where they were (for the moment) “reacting to the Romans” must have residents. For without this struggle there weighed heavily on Jesus as he neared could be no blessing. the city, for someone who had gained his apparent notoriety could not avoid the There were two special themes that were choice between them. prominent in what I sought to share with our students; one was linked to the There was yet another alternative, again wilderness of Judaea, the other to the city reflected in the wilderness, which must of Jerusalem. have seemed very attractive as the drumbeats of decision pressed in upon First, the wilderness. During my years Jesus. That was quite simply to remain living in the Holy Land I acquired a special there in the wilderness, for the wilderness love for the wilderness outside Jerusalem is par excellence the place of withdrawal and took groups to visit the sites of from society. In the Byzantine period the Byzantine monasteries and Herodian Judaean wilderness teemed with palaces and fortresses located in or near monasteries; one ancient writer it. This wilderness was of course the commented how the monks had “made traditional site of Jesus’ temptation—and the desert a city,” and even in New contained the way, at least according to Testament times the Dead Sea Scrolls the synoptic gospels, of his final journey suggest a similar understanding of the role after leaving the city of Jericho and of the wilderness, particularly if the site of climbing up to Jerusalem. And as I walked Khirbet Qumran near where the scrolls and talked with our students, it seemed to were found was indeed some kind of me that this wilderness contained within it Jewish monastic settlement. The elements that symbolized the different wilderness, the place of Jesus’ initial paths that Jesus could have chosen to temptation, could have provided a take in those last weeks of his life on seductive temptation of a different sort in earth. There were in this wilderness the Jesus’ last days: stay here, make straight extensive physical remains, strangely the way of the Lord here in the wilderness, including even magnificent palaces, of and you will be able to avoid making the Herod’s grandiose vision—and his debt to difficult and tangled choices that lie ahead the Roman authorities and way of life. once you crest the brow of the Mount of They spoke to me of one possible path for Olives. Jesus—that of collaboration with the Roman authorities and their local clients. Certainly, as Luke, in particular, presents the last journey to Jerusalem, the political But the wilderness also reminded us of dimension of this journey—and its another way people might “react to the choices—comes to the fore. Jesus has 42

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos stopped in Jericho, the city on the edge of disciples, and us, “You think I am a king. the wilderness just before the steep climb But my kingship is not like Archelaus’s up to Jerusalem begins, and has kingship, reflected in this palace of his. It befriended Zacchaeus, a tax collector, is a realm of peace, rather than brutality, symbol of the repressive Roman rule. As that I am seeking to inaugurate.” Of Jesus leaves the city, Luke 19:11 tells us course, as the Lukan parable itself that he “went on to tell a parable, because reminds us, the transitoriness of he was near Jerusalem, and because they Archelaus’s own vision would also be supposed that the kingdom of God was to visible, for those who saw the palatial appear immediately.” Luke then presents buildings would know that their erstwhile his retelling of the parable of the talents lord had, by the time of Jesus’ ministry, (19:11-27). In his version we hear of a been living in exile for twenty years or vicious king who travels to a foreign land more. to have himself appointed king there. We also read of the citizens who did not want So when Jesus finally crested the Mount him as their king because of his brutality of Olives, having renounced the and who sent a counter-delegation after temptation of wilderness withdrawal on his him. These are clear allusions to events journey from Jericho to Jerusalem, the that had taken place a generation before moment of decision could no longer be the time of Jesus’ ministry. Archelaus, the delayed. What was this Kingdom that was son of Herod the Great, had travelled to so different from that of Archelaus/Herod Rome after his father’s death to demand or Rome? What about those alternatives the kingship of Judaea. The Pharisees, which the wilderness had presented so knowing his savage reputation, had also sharply to Jesus? Did it mean that he travelled there to plead with the Roman should react to the Romans by apparent Emperor Augustus not to appoint him. But collaboration or by militant opposition? It Archelaus returned as king in triumph from has always seemed to me that what led Rome and took revenge on these from Palm Sunday directly to Good Friday opponents (see Luke 19:27). Yet he was was precisely Jesus’ refusal either to not to last long: after less than ten years of succumb completely to or to reject entirely suffering his viciousness, the people rose each of these two options. He challenged up and finally succeeded in having him and threatened the political authorities, yet exiled. It is quite extraordinary that Jesus at the same time refused to play the apparently recounted this story just as he Zealot game. And it was precisely left Jericho. During the time that I lived in because he refused to take one clear-cut the Holy Land, one of the most interesting path that he was in effect torn in two by archaeological excavations was at the site the crucifixion. I do not want simplistically of Herodian Jericho. A magnificent and to analogize from the situation of New luxurious winter palace, probably first built Testament times to the present day in the by Herod the Great but then certainly Holy Land, but it has always seemed to enlarged by his son Archelaus, was me that at the very heart of Christian unearthed. It was, and is, a visible witness in any political context is the reminder of the values and necessity of not opting for the one easy oppressiveness of the Herodian dynasty. obvious solution; rather, Christian witness Even though on the academic level I have holds together diverse and even questions about the dating and historicity contradictory viewpoints in what may of Luke’s gospel, I find it remarkable that sometimes be a very uncomfortable and this parable should be presented as being possibly dangerous tension. Dietrich told at this very moment, with the palace Bonhoeffer certainly knew something of of Archelaus apparently clearly visible, just this. In the context of the Middle East, the as Jesus begins the route that will take words of the Roman Catholic layman him up to Jerusalem and his own destiny. Donald Nicholl, who was Rector of the It is as though Jesus is telling his Ecumenical Institute of Tantur, near 43

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Bethlehem are pertinent: “The job of the Once again it is Luke’s gospel which Christian is not to be neutral—but to be seems to be most aware of this torn in two.” Nicholl also once said, dimension. It is Luke, for example, who in speaking about the atrocities that continue his account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to infest the Middle East, that “if your appears to pun on the very name immediate spontaneous reaction—if the Jerusalem, linking it to the Hebrew word movement of your heart—upon hearing of for peace, shalom . In fact it is this gospel some tragedy, is an ideological one rather alone that refers to “peace” in relation to than a human one, then your heart has the events of Palm Sunday, and it does so become corrupted and you should leave with almost exquisitely painful irony. The straight away and go on pilgrimage until it word is first used by the disciples of Jesus is cleansed.” These are, as I well know, as they greet their king with the words difficult words to live up to, but they are “Peace in heaven, and glory in the words that not only Palestinians and highest” (Luke 19:29-40). Their words are Israelis, but their respective supporters in a paradoxical counterpoint to the song of other parts of the world, would do well to the angels at Jesus’ birth. Yet the angels hear. It is certainly an ongoing struggle, had sung “Peace on earth,” while the but a necessary one. For without this disciples chant “Peace in heaven.” “Surely struggle there will be no blessing. we should be on the side of the angels: it is peace on God’s earth we need and are And now, a reflection on Jerusalem, the called to struggle for! “Peace in heaven” city once described by Pope Paul VI as can all too easily become an escapist ”the earthly point where God came into diversion. Peace-making has to happen contact with humankind, and where on earth, and it is an activity that can be eternity crossed history.” There is an old very costly to those who are brave enough Jewish proverb, “Ten portions of beauty to engage in it. Yet the consequences of gave God to humankind, nine to lack of peace are dreadful indeed. That is Jerusalem and one to the remainder. Ten made clear in the next reference to peace portions of sorrow gave God to in the same chapter of the gospel of Luke. humankind, nine to Jerusalem and one to In the moving account of how Jesus the remainder.” In the contexts of events weeps over Jerusalem, Luke ascribes to in other parts of the world such sentiments him the lament, “Would that even today can feel exaggerated, yet there is also an you knew the things that make for peace! important truth about them. The medieval But now they are hidden from your sight” mapmakers knew this when they created (Luke 19:41-44). Jerusalem, called and their maps which showed Jerusalem at named to be a vision of peace, has often the centre of the world. For the and tragically been a theatre of war. In the intermingling of the beauty and the sorrow next few sentences the knife goes deeper in Jerusalem is a parable or perhaps a still as the apparent prophecy is uttered sacrament of the human condition. It is a that the city will be destroyed and her visible symbol of our longing, our highest children “dashed” to the ground. and best desires, our love of beauty, and our desire to worship God, but it is also a To understand what is being said here powerful reminder of how this best can go one needs to be aware just how well Luke so tragically wrong, precisely because we knew his Old Testament, for the words in find it so difficult to love without also Jesus’ mouth are an allusion to Psalm seeking to possess. Jerusalem is the 137. That psalm the very epitome of the place where this conundrum is squeezed passionate feelings that Jerusalem can into a sort of prism, so that it can be inspire in her lovers: “By the waters of viewed in sharp focus. One could not live Babylon we sat down and wept when we for five years in Jerusalem, as I did, remembered Jerusalem” concludes with without wrestling frequently with such an appalling curse—that the children of thoughts. Babylon, Jerusalem’s oppressor, will be 44

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“dashed” to the ground. The same very personal encounter exactly what was (and rare Greek verb, edaphizo, “to dash,” sadly still is) the problem. The incident to occurs both in Luke 19 and in the which I am referring actually happened Septuagint version of Psalm 137—only of while I was living in Jerusalem. It course in Luke it is Jerusalem’s own happened to a middle-aged, middle class children who will suffer this fate. Over the Palestinian woman who was a friend of years I have come back many times to mine. She is a well-known poet and the reflect on this strange congruence. I have wife of a senior Anglican pastor, then come to believe that Jesus’ words in Luke living in Ramallah, a town just north of are there as a salutary warning that the Jerusalem. Her experience exemplifies kind of love that leads to the degree of the kind of attitude that many Christian hate expressed in Psalm 137 is Palestinians still have to deal with far too destructive and dangerous, but ultimately often. On the day of the incident I met my most destructive to the party who is doing friend, who was gasping in disbelief from the hating. The curses of Psalm 137, Luke an encounter she had just had with a seems to be suggesting, fall back on Christian tourist from the West. On a visit those who are doing the cursing. It is to Jerusalem, she had had a conversation difficult not to be aware what this might with this person who, on discovering that mean in the Middle East of today, where she was a Christian living on the West this city, holy to three world faiths, has Bank, had informed her quite categorically been loved so hatefully. Yet it is perhaps that “she couldn’t be a real Christian, this all too apparent failure of Jerusalem because if she were a real Christian she that may provide the seeds of hope. As a would of course have been willing to leave Christian I believe that Jerusalem is the her hometown, since she would know that place where God is crucified by the God had given the land to the desires and aspirations and passionately descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and held beliefs of men and women. Yet I also Jacob.” She was incredulous, and I was believe that it is this same cross, painful mortified for her—and angry on her behalf. result of humanity’s peace-less-ness, Ever since, I have held this episode before which can and must become the way to me as a stark reminder as a teacher of the peace and blessing. Old Testament, seeking to explore those abused biblical texts in a way that offers After my marriage I left Jerusalem to live justice to my Palestinian friend and to for five years in Beirut. There too, many of those, both Christian and Muslim, against the theological issues with which I had whom they have been employed as a struggled in Jerusalem remained with me, weapon. not least because I had as a lecturer at the Near East School of Theology in The problem has been succinctly stated Beirut the unique and daunting task of by Canon Naim Ateek, the Palestinian teaching the Old Testament to a number Anglican priest who is the founder of of Palestinians training for ministry in the Sabeel, an organization dedicated to church. In Beirut in the 1970s and 1980s, exploring liberation theology from a the study of the Old Testament and the Palestinian perspective. Naim Ateek question of biblical interpretation with the writes: “In Israel-Palestine today, the Bible students were not simply an is being quoted to give the primary claim archaeological or intellectual exercise: over the land to Jews. In the mind of many they were all too relevant to present life religious Jews and fundamentalist and death. Once again, it was a major Christians the solution to the conflict lies in challenge to make theological sense of a Palestinian recognition that God has given part of the Bible that had been used by the Jews the land of Palestine forever. some to undermine the legitimacy of my Palestinians are asked to accept this as a students’ self-understanding. Let me try basic truth... Palestinian Christians must and explain graphically and from a tackle the land from a biblical perspective, 45

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos not because I believe that the religious Christianity throughout most of its history argument over the land is of the bene over the past 2000 years. esse of the conflict, but because we are driven to it as a result of the religious- My own challenge to Bishop Riah—as it political abuse of biblical interpretation.” 1 would also be to those who think very differently from him in the replacement Over the last decade I have found myself theology/supersessionist debate—would caught up in the debate about what is be to argue that there is in fact not a often referred to these days as single biblical position on this question. ”replacement theology,” though I still There is rather a range of views prefer the more technical term of expressed within the New Testament “supersessionism.” The basic question is canon on the question of whether whether Christianity is, or at least Christianity has superseded Judaism. perceives itself to be, a replacement for Matthew probably holds to what we could Judaism—whether, for example, the very call a supersessionist viewpoint, although physical promises which Genesis 15 and whether he found space in his scheme of 17 suggests were given to Abraham have things for Gentile Christians who were not been fulfilled in the life and ministry of prepared to adopt the accoutrements of Jesus Christ in such a way that they no Judaism I am far from sure. In other longer apply today in any concrete words, for Matthew traditional Judaism dimension. As I suggested earlier, it may may not be superseded by Christianity, be illogical, but whether we like it or not, but by messianic Judaism. John’s gospel our answer to such a question seems to clearly expresses hostility to Jewish affect our view of the rights and wrongs of institutions and customs at least in their events in modern Palestine/Israel. A official form, though the word I would rather tendentious 2002 article by Melanie choose to use to describe his attitude is Phillips in The Spectator quotes the Rt “invalidate” rather than “supersede.” Rev. Riah El Assal, the Anglican Bishop in Taking Luke-Acts as a whole, I think that Jerusalem, as saying, “We are the true there are supersessionist views expressed Israel ... no one can deny me the right to in this corpus of writings. However, Paul’s inherit the promises, and after all the writings are not consistently promises were first given to Abraham and supersessionist. They may be illogical and Abraham is never spoken of in the Bible inconsistent at times—for Paul’s heart as a Jew. He is the father of the faithful.” often ruled his head—but any reasonable interpretation of Romans 9-11 would Undoubtedly the bishop’s views on this suggest that there is an ongoing role subject have been affected by his own within Paul’s theological schema for those identity and situation: he is a Palestinian whom he describes as “Israelites.” Christian who ministered in Nazareth for Similarly, a good case can be made that almost 30 years before his election as Paul’s sudden benediction of the “Israel of bishop in Jerusalem, and his theological God” in Galatians 6:17 refers to non- views are coloured by his experience of Christian Jews. So even leaving on one struggling for justice for his community, in side New Testament writings such as a political context in which this community James and Hebrews, we can say that, was and is constantly discriminated although supersessionist views may be against. However, Melanie Phillips is quite dominant within the New Testament simply wrong when she refers critically to corpus, they are certainly not the only statements such as those of Bishop Riah canonical response to the question of the as an “attempt by Arab Christians to relationship between Christianity and reinterpret Scripture in order to Judaism—a question which has bedeviled delegitimise the Jews’ claim to the land of (the word is used deliberately) Christian Israel.” Bishop Riah’s views are not a history for the last 2000 years. “reinterpretation.” They express the mainstream attitude of traditional 46

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To acknowledge this range of views or encourage them to be read in a way that diversity within scripture is a threatening challenges a facile Christian or Jewish stance for many. This seems to be religious Zionism. When I wrote a particularly true for Christians (and others) commentary on Genesis 2 I began to see who find themselves emotionally and that Genesis, apparently the crux of the sometimes physically engaged in the problem, actually provides a possible maelstrom of the Middle East. Diversity is solution, which can be found at the very not an easy option. It is something that heart of the narratives about Abraham, has to be wrestled with. Yet in this whose covenant is too often quoted in struggle is the blessing. It is also, justification for a particular political ultimately, a profoundly biblical option, for agenda. if the name of God is revealed as YHWH, “The I am who I am,” then an unpinnable- The story of Abraham begins with a downness, a refusal to be fitted into neat command: “Go from your country, and and tidy boxes, lies at the very heart of your kindred and your father’s house” scripture. (Gen. 12:1). It climaxes with the instruction “Take your son, your only son Of course the views of Bishop Riah Isaac, whom you love, and go to a quoted above have inevitably been mountain” (Gen. 22:2 ). In both cases the crystallized in a particular context—and in unusual Hebrew expression lech l’ha response to another strongly expressed (translated as “go”) is used. This repeated viewpoint, already hinted at in my story of expression and the two narratives thus my Palestinian woman friend, namely that introduced seem to be intended as a texts such as Genesis 15 and 17 sanction structural frame for the saga of Abraham. a particular political programme in In the one episode Abraham is being Palestine/Israel today and that the Israeli asked to sacrifice his past, and in the settler presence in areas such as Hebron other his future. Taking these two and Nablus/Shechem is legitimated by an incidents as a starting-point, a number of appeal to the Abrahamic promises. This is commentators have suggested that a view held both by representatives of a chapters 12 to 22 of the book of Genesis certain strand within Judaism and, are organized in a chiastic structure in perhaps equally strongly, by a number of which pairs of stories parallel each other, Christian Zionists. It is interesting how working in progressively to the very centre influential Christian Zionism has been in of this section. Normally in such a pattern this controversy. A case can certainly be the story in the middle is a focal point made that many Jewish settlers on the around which the rest of the narrative West Bank have actually been influenced revolves. What is this centre? It is chapter in the religious motivation for their actions 16, the account of the pregnancy of by fundamentalist Christians. Sometimes Hagar, the Egyptian surrogate wife of this influence is unconscious, at least on Abraham, leading into the birth of her son the part of the recipients; yet perhaps for Ishmael. Perhaps this is an unexpected that very reason, it is even more powerful. centre which at first glance appears to be This process has been going on for more a diversion, a sort of false trail, which than a generation, for the story of my irritatingly delays the arrival of Isaac, the Palestinian Christian friend’s experience favoured heir. Elsa Tamez, writing from took place in 1977. Latin America, has described Hagar ironically but approvingly as ”the woman If, unlike some who explore this topic, I who complicated the history of salvation.” cannot and do not want to take refuge in Looking more closely at the narrative, it an easy Christian supersessionism—I becomes clear that this is no dead end but respect the Jewish faith and insights too a pathway to a vision of God whose much for that—then I owe it to Palestinian justice refuses to be confined by national friends to wrestle with key biblical texts or tribal boundaries. within the Old Testament and to 47

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The first clue comes in the very name of for justice and compassion for all resident Hagar. In the Book of Genesis, names aliens—for whom Hagar is being and their meanings matter, and too little presented as an archetype—is being attention has been paid to Hagar’s name. written into the very fabric of the covenant; Hagar seems deliberately to remind us of the implication seems to be made that the ha-ger , a Hebrew word that is difficult to healthy continuance of this covenant translate but means something like relationship depends at least in part on the “sojourner,” “stranger,” or “resident alien.” willingness of Abraham and his family to In the law codes of the Old Testament, offer justice to others. just treatment for such people is a touchstone for people’s relationship with There are a number of indications in other God. “You shall not wrong or oppress a parts of the Pentateuch that support the resident alien, for you were aliens in the interpretation I am offering. For example, it land of Egypt,” says Exodus 22:21. is probably significant that the only other Significantly, the first time the noun ger episode in which Hagar appears (Gen. occurs in the Hebrew Bible is in the 21:1-21) is inserted between two chapter before the story of Hagar, narratives in which the meaning of Genesis 15. There, during the numinous Abraham’s own status as ger is explored episode which results in the establishment (Gen. 20:1 and 21:23,34 ). The laws about of a covenant between YHWH and the “alien” at various points in the Book of Abraham, threatening words are spoken: the Covenant may also be alluding to, or “Know this for certain, that your offspring punning upon, the story of Hagar. shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall I want to argue therefore that from within be oppressed for four hundred years” the pages of the Bible itself comes (Gen. 15:13) . It is interesting that this liberation from interpretations of scripture reference to the Egyptian experience of which foster privilege and particularity and which have so dominated our thinking Abraham’s descendants should come so th shortly before Hagar herself is introduced throughout the 20 century that they have to us, particularly as she is immediately affected the history of the entire Middle referred to as an Egyptian. Connections East region. are being woven. The links are reinforced I need not point the possible implications by the verb ‘anah , which in its intensive of such a reading for today, nor indeed form means “to oppress” or “to afflict.” who might be the equivalent of the This word too makes its first appearance “resident alien” in today’s Israel/Palestine. in Genesis in these chapters, first It is of course deeply embedded within describing the “oppression” of Abraham’s Islamic tradition that Hagar, as mother of descendants in Egypt (Gen. 15:13 ), but Ishmael, is the ancestor of the Arabs, next used to express the ill-treatment that which sharpens the analogy still further. Hagar receives at the hand of Sarah. The ties are strengthened by the fact that the Indeed, Ishmael’s own role in the story of same verbal stem appears twice more in Genesis provides another strand to Genesis 16: as a reflexive verb in 16:9 reinforce the view that in this biblical book, when Hagar is instructed by an angel to particularity is never allowed totally to return to Sarah and “submit” to her, and displace universality, and that the eventual as a noun in 16:11 as Hagar is promised destiny of Isaac's descendants will be that YHWH has heard her “affliction.” The affected by how Ishmael and his mother hint is surely being offered that the very are treated. In spite of the priority that is reason for the later slavery of Abraham’s clearly given to Isaac and his descendants in Egypt is the mistreatment descendants, Ishmael is not totally that was once meted out to a woman of excluded from the ongoing story; he Egypt at the hands of Israel’s founding stands alongside Isaac in Genesis 25:9 for father and mother. Somehow a demand the burial of their common father in 48

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Hebron—the two brothers standing I referred above to the importance of alongside each other in a way that would appreciating the diversity of scripture. be unthinkable to many of their present- Perhaps a related feature is scripture’s day spiritual descendants—and there are celebration of duality, a motif that is remarkable parallels between the fates written into the heart of the creation that both Ishmael and Isaac nearly suffer. stories and is then explored in the rest of The trials, almost unto death, of the two Genesis, as again and again brothers brothers, Ishmael in Genesis 21 and Isaac strive together to discover the essence of in Genesis 22, are told in such a way as to brotherhood. There is a midrashic tradition emphasize their parallels; both men, for that Genesis deliberately begins with the example, are ultimately rescued from word Bereshit because it starts with the danger by the voice of an angel speaking letter beth , the second letter of the from heaven. The author of Genesis thus Hebrew alphabet, which can also be used suggests that the destinies of Isaac and to represent the number two. The Jewish Ishmael are closely intertwined, that the tradition suggests that beth was chosen descendants of both still need each other. for this honour precisely because duality Back in Genesis 16:12, a mysterious birth- permeates our universe. oracle is uttered over Ishmael. Most I suspect that this is an insight with which modern biblical translations read it as the Christian tradition needs to wrestle suggesting that Ishmael would live at more seriously. It may be wisdom that we odds, in hostility, with his kin. Yet the need to learn from the Hebrew scriptures Hebrew here is ambiguous: another or from Jewish scholars such as possible translation is that one day Emmanuel Levinas, who has written so Ishmael would live “alongside his brother.” profoundly about the importance of the Is it too fanciful to suggest that the destiny other. It is interesting to observe how in of the Holy Land somehow lies held Galatians 4:24 Hagar, ironically in Paul’s between these two possibilities? There is eyes representing Judaism, is dismissed an exquisite poem written by the Israeli out of hand. This sharply contrasts with poet Shin Shalom which is used during the apparent affirmation of Hagar in the New Year festival in Reform Genesis. Sadly, Christianity has never synagogues of the United Kingdom. It is found it easy to cope with a possible presented as an utterance of Isaac, duality of truth. speaking to Ishmael his brother about a future that will—and must—include them For me the biblical tale which wrestles both. most profoundly with the divine dispensation of duality is the strange tale Here is part of the poem translated from of Jacob and Esau with which I began this the original Hebrew: presentation. If the reading that I suggested earlier is valid, as I believe it is, Ishmael, my brother, then I am positing that the very theological How long shall we fight each other? existence of those who claim the name of My brother from times bygone, Israel depends on a continuing willingness My brother, Hagar's son, to struggle to see God in the face of Esau My brother, the wandering one. and in the face of those like the foreigner One angel was sent to us both, whom Esau represents and symbolizes to One angel watched over our growth— this day. There in the wilderness, death threatening through thirst, The story seems to be suggesting that any I a sacrifice on the altar, Sarah's first. who claim the title of God’s people are Ishmael, my brother, hear my plea: required to live in a triangular relationship, It was the angel who tied thee to me… with God and with their brothers and Time is running out, put hatred to sleep. sisters. It is only those who are prepared Shoulder to shoulder, let's water our to continue their struggle with God who sheep . can see their “brothers” in their true light, 49

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism The Bible in the Context of the Middle East – C. Amos as God sees them. Conversely, it is when people wrestle for a more authentic relationship with their brothers and sisters Dr Clare Amos is currently Programme that they discover they are given God's Coordinator for Interreligious Dialogue blessing. Our relationship with God and and Cooperation at the World Council that with our brothers and sisters belong of Churches. When she presented this together; woe betide us if we try to paper at the Istanbul Conference in separate them. If we do, our faith has 2010 she was Director of Theological ceased to be biblical. Studies in the Anglican Communion Office, London, with responsibility for So let my final words read like a theological education and inter faith commentary on the story of those two brothers, Jacob and Esau. Appropriately, concerns. The paper itself was originally delivered as the Peake they are spoken by Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Galilean priest who claims Lecture at the Methodist Conference of Britain 2002 and was then published in Jesus as his fellow countryman and the slightly adapted form in the Journal for first disciples as his ancestors. Writing about the icon of the transfiguration, Political Theology in 2003. It was further adapted for the meeting in Father Chacour comments: Istanbul. “The true icon is your neighbour, the human being who has been created in the image and with the likeness of God. How beautiful it is when our eyes are transfigured and we see that our neighbour is the icon of God, and that you, and you, and I – we are all the icons of God. How serious it is when we hate the image of God, whoever that may be, whether a Jew or a Palestinian. How serious it is when we cannot go and say, ‘I am sorry about the icon of God who was hurt by my behaviour.’ We all need to be transfigured so we can recognize the glory of God in one another.” 3

In this struggle is our blessing.

1 Naim S. Ateek, “Biblical perspectives on the Land,” in Faith and the Intifada, ed. Naim Ateek, Marc H. Ellis, and Rosemary Radford Ruether (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1992),108. 2 Clare Amos, The Book of Genesis (Peterborough, UK: Epworth Press, 2004). 3 Elias Chacour with Mary E. Jensen, We Belong to the Land: The Story of a Palestinian Who Lives for Peace and Reconciliation (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2001), 46-47.

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias

Sharing the Inheritance: An Orthodox Christian View of the Church as New Israel in the Context of the Contemporary Jewish-Christian Dialogue

Rev. Dr Demetrios E. Tonias

In examining the Orthodox Christian self- as Israel. References to the church as the understanding of the church as the New true Israel permeate the writings of the Israel (or for that matter as Israel itself) 1 it fathers and the prayers and hymnody of is useful to begin by referencing a the liturgical services of the church. These document that has, more often than not, references are part of the intrinsic self- been considered problematic in the area understanding of the church as the of Jewish-Christian relations. In the fulfillment of both the covenant with Dialogue with Trypho , the Jew Trypho Abraham and the prophetic witness; it asks the Christian apologist Justin Martyr, influences how the church looks backward “What, then? Are you Israel?” 2 Both the at creation and forward toward the question posed by Trypho and the answer eschaton. The focus of this paper, offered by Justin Martyr are of central however, is to contextualize the Orthodox importance to my examination of this Christian self-understanding as the New subject. Justin’s particular response to Israel in such a way that we can “expand Trypho’s question and his general view of the space in which Jews and Christians the Church as New Israel are certainly can provide mutual theological affirmation couched in language that the to each other.” 3 It is my feeling that an contemporary ear would recognize as examination of how the Orthodox Church supersessionist. There exists, however, a appeals to the personages of the Jewish thread in Justin’s response that can be Bible as part of its self-understanding as useful in contextualizing the Orthodox New Israel can help provide for such an Christian self-understanding as the New expansion of the theological space in the Israel in light of the contemporary Jewish- present Jewish-Christian dialogue. Christian conversation. In the patristic consciousness, it was the In Justin’s response to the query, “Are you holiness and virtue of such historic figures Israel?” the second century apologist of the Jewish Bible that marked them as appeals to various figures of the Jewish true citizens of Israel. Whether it be Bible to support his position. “As therefore Gregory of Nyssa’s famous treatise on from the one man Jacob, who was The Life of Moses , Ambrose of Milan’s surnamed Israel, all your nation has been treatises on the patriarchs, or John called Jacob and Israel; so we from Christ, Chrysostom’s frequent appeal to figures who begat us unto God, like Jacob, and such as Abraham, the early Christian Israel, and Judah, and Joseph, and David, fathers never hesitated to identify the are called and are the true sons of God, virtue, faith, and righteousness of such and keep the commandments of Christ.” It important personages as worthy of is precisely this appeal to figures “like emulation and, indeed, foundational to the Jacob, and Israel, and Judah, and Joseph, identity of Christians as children of Israel. 4 and David” that will be the focus of my Setting aside the inherent historic and investigation into the Orthodox Christian theological differences between Judaism self-understanding as New Israel in light of and Christianity (especially in terms of the present Jewish-Christian dialogue. their differing eschatological visions), the holiness and virtue of the men and women One could easily write an entire book on described within the pages of the Jewish the Orthodox Christian view of the church Bible presents us with a point of 51

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias commonality in which Orthodox Christians services. If the patristic witness is have a valuable role to play in working foundational to Orthodox Christian together with Jews as part of a mutual theological norms, the importance of endeavour of tikkun olam , the “repair of liturgical usage is even more profound the world.” because it exists within the consciousness of the faithful as much as it does within Replacement Theology and the that of theologians. At baptisms a blessing Orthodox Church is given to the newly baptized, that they may behold the good things of Jerusalem Orthodox Christians are placed in a all the days of their lives. At weddings God unique position when addressing the is asked to bless the bride and groom as concerns of supersessionism or he blessed Abraham and Sarah, Isaac replacement theology in the contemporary and Rebecca, Jacob and all the Prophets, Jewish-Christian dialogue. In the present Joseph and Asenath, and Moses and conversation the discussion is often Zipporah and to protect them as he did centred on ways to interpret New Noah in the Ark, Jonah in the belly of the Testament supersessionist language (e.g., whale, and the three youths in the fire. In Acts 15:14, 1 Pet. 2:10) in a more the funeral rite, the names of the “holy and sympathetic light. The more refined glorious forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and replacement theology of the apostolic and Jacob” are invoked in the dismissal. postapostolic church is seen to originate Indeed, one need look no further than the solely from those early church apologetics ninth ode of the paschal canon in which and polemics contained in Scripture, and we hear, “Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem, thus the present discussion often for now on you is dawning glory from the assumes that, if the scriptural language risen Lord; dance now for joy, and be can be explained away, the later patristic glad, O Zion” to see how profoundly the language is itself automatically dealt with image of the church as Israel is made as well. Although various Orthodox manifest in the liturgical life of Orthodox theologians come down on either side of Christianity. these interpretative debates regarding the language of the New Testament, it must As mentioned at the onset of this be remembered that, for Orthodox discussion, the patristic and thus Orthodox Christian thought, the patristic tradition is view of the church is not so much of a as formative and normative as is the New Israel as it is of Israel herself. While apostolic and scriptural tradition. As a certainly such language is problematic for result, the Orthodox Christian theologian many, it also presents us with an cannot so easily dismiss supersessionist opportunity to expand upon the patristic language in the writings of authors like witness in such a way that the moral and Justin Martyr and Melito of Sardis as ethical qualities of Israel that endeared the simply polemics born out of historical fathers of the church become the focus of differences that have since lost their our dialogue and the departure point for relevance. our conversation between Jews and Christians. That the early (and later) This patristic witness that regards the church fathers embraced the mantle of church as Israel also manifests itself Israel and did not reject it should not be within the sacramental life of the church in viewed as inevitable, nor should its general and the eucharistic rite of the significance be underrated. The Divine Liturgy in particular, where the tendencies of a Marcion were certainly not priest leads the people in worship “to the 5 isolated and indeed persist in certain heavenly Jerusalem.” Indeed, there is corners of Christianity to this day. The scarcely a sacramental act that does not church fathers viewed figures like take place without some form of Abraham, Moses, Joseph, and the invocation of the church as Israel within prophets as models of virtue, worthy of both the prayers and the hymnody of the 52

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias emulation, and representative of the conversation. I will examine some of the Christian ethos—indeed, as proto- pertinent theological touch points, using Christians, as is made abundantly clear in the patristic regard for the holiness and the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the virtue of Israel and its great leaders as a Hebrews. The patristic tradition repeatedly lens for defining the Orthodox Christian makes reference to the Israelite “saints” self-understanding of the church as Israel. who endured temptation, persevered in It is my hope that the regard the early their faith, and led their people back to church fathers held both for Israel as a God. Such is the devotion to these holy nation and for its luminary figures as Israelite exemplars that the Orthodox models of virtue will provide us with a way Church has venerated and continues to to accommodate the Orthodox Christian venerate them as saints with prescribed self-understanding of the church as Israel feast days. within the context of the contemporary Jewish-Christian dialogue. While the idea of such an explicitly Christian veneration of Jewish figures may Holiness sound a jarring note to the Jewish ear (indeed, outright disdain would not be a In Jewish thought, the Noahide covenant surprising reaction), admiration and with its seven commandments ( mitzvoth ) extolling of such figures in Judaism is not forms the moral code by which the nations without precedent, albeit in a much (i.e. Gentiles) are judged and required to modified form. As Robert Cohn notes, live their lives. For Jews, Israel is a people “Biblical personalities have always and a unique nation and is therefore held occupied a special place in the Jewish to a higher standard than all others. imagination. Although no single one of Whereas the nations are judged by the them could properly be regarded as a adherence to the seven Noahide mitzvot , saint for ancient Israel, together they Israel is held to a more rigorous code of display a range of imitable and inimitable 613 laws derived from the covenant given qualities typical of saints… Thus Abraham to Moses at Sinai. It is significant, though, is a model of faith, Jacob of cunning, that in Jewish thought, Gentiles can live Joseph of wisdom, Moses of humility, virtuous and exemplary lives by adhering David of repentance, and of to the Noahide covenant and can compassion.” 6 These personalities of themselves become models worthy of 7 scripture, therefore, become a shared emulation. It was also not uncommon for treasure and a point of commonality from some Gentiles of antiquity to be enamored which we can view the early Christian with the God of Israel. Gentiles who (and thus Orthodox) self-understanding of professed such an admiration for the God the Church as Israel in a new light. Thus, of Israel were known as θεοσεβείς Jews and Christians can together present (theosebeis ), σεβόενοι τὸν Θεόν these figures to “all the nations” as both (sebomenoi ton theon ), and φοβούενοι tzadikim and hagioi —moral and virtuous τὸν θεόν ( phoboumenoi ton theon , “God- people who, in their time, led their people fearers”) to the Jews of the Hellenistic 8 back to God and, in our time, inform our period. Nevertheless, despite the understanding of how to do the same as acknowledgment of holiness in others, in part of our own, joint effort to repair the the early centuries of the Christian Era world. Israel was seen by Jews as a nation set apart and marked by its more rigorous It is my hope that the approach described adherence to the commandments of God. here will help enhance the theological space necessitated by the contemporary This adherence to the Mosaic covenant Jewish-Christian dialogue while at the and the associated separateness from the same time taking into account the nations ascribed to Israel a measure of particular needs associated with the holiness in the world. As Hannah Orthodox Christian participation in this Harrington observes, “ethical goodness is 53

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias an essential component of the rabbinic by the abiding presence of God definition of holiness, exhibited most (shekhinah ). At Sinai the moveable perfectly in the Holy One, blessed be he.” 9 Tabernacle assured this presence and Israel’s holiness, however, was derived later the Temple in Jerusalem assumed not only from her observance of the this function. In a similar fashion the early mitzvoth —indeed, the Jewish Bible is Christian community saw the presence of replete with stories detailing Israel’s God fulfilled in the eucharistic elements. 12 repeated straying from God’s Indeed, in the offertory prayer of Basil commandments—but because of her found in the liturgy that bears his name, close association with God, who chose the worship of the New Covenant is Israel to receive the mitzvot and the high placed in direct association with that which calling to holiness contained in the preceded it when the celebrant asks God covenant. As Harrington aptly concludes, to “accept it as You accepted the gifts of Israel was commanded not simply to be a Abel, the sacrifices of Noah, the burnt people set apart but to be holy as God is offerings of Abraham, the priestly offices holy, and thus to be close to God (Lev. of Moses and Aaron, and the peace 19:2). 10 It is this holiness, both in ethical offerings of Samuel.” 13 The Christian observance and in intrinsic relationship to eucharistic offering, as the sacrifice of God, that characterizes Israel as the New Israel, and the church within which people chosen by God, and it is this this bloodless sacrifice took place, were holiness that the great personages of seen to be directly in line with the sacrifice Israel exemplified. offered in the Jerusalem Temple. So profound was this association that Conversely, the traditional patristic view is Eusebius declared that the churches of to look toward the Abrahamic covenant as the fourth century were intentionally the source for Christian claims to be modeled after the Jerusalem Temple. In Israel. It is the promise to Abraham that he his oration to the Bishop of Tyre, Eusebius will be “a father to many nations” (Gen. refers to the Christian church as νέον 17:4-6) that informs the understanding of ἁγίου νεὼ θεοῦ (neon hagiou neo theou ), the fathers concerning what constitutes “God’s new Holy Temple). 14 While clearly Israel. For the fathers, the coming of holiness was associated with physical Christ fulfills the promise to Abraham and places, both Jews and Christians saw is the culmination not only of the their moral and ethical conduct as a Abrahamic covenant but also the Mosaic marker of their own personal holiness. In covenant of Sinai. The Abrahamic the period of the early church fathers the covenant was given to one man, was church participated in the holiness of the renewed at Sinai, and was then extended Israelite “saints” through their veneration to one people (Israel). The New Covenant, and prayer for these saints. Symeon of similarly, is seen as renewing and Thessaloniki described such prayer for the extending the Sinai covenant to all people saints as a way in which the church affording them the opportunity to become petitions God to increase their glory and “children of God”—Τεκνα θεου , tekna holiness. 15 theou — (John 1:12) and thus recapitulates and fulfills the Abrahamic The Halakhah was intended to preserve promise. Basil the Great affirms this such holiness by building a fence around fulfilment, describing Christ in his the Torah to guard against accidental eucharistic prayers as the “King of Israel” violation of its precepts. From the who “acquired us for Himself, as His prophetic tradition to the Maccabean chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy martyrs to the variegated sects of first nation.” 11 Once again, chosenness is century Judaism, there was a consistent associated with holiness. call within Judaism for renewal and heightened holiness. Christ acknowledges In both Jewish and Christian this desire in the Pharisees in the Sermon understanding, holiness is accompanied 54

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias on the Mount when he called on his exclusion, however, mattered little for the listeners to be even more righteous than early church fathers. For them, it was the the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20). There is sanctity and holiness of the Christian considerable debate concerning the exact community that marked it as the true meaning of the term “Pharisee .” The most Israel. While the early Christian approach common understanding, however, is that to sanctity was profoundly different from “Pharisee” referred to people who were the one prevailing in contemporaneous separate or set apart ( perushim ). Such Jewish traditions, the centrality of the separateness described those who were holiness of Israel remained entirely intact. “holy” in that they were set apart from impurity and known for their piety. The Virtue mark of holiness that marked the Pharisees as a separate and holy group The Fathers of the Church repeatedly had its own particular manifestation in first looked to the holy men and women of century Christianity and later on in the Israel as their spiritual ancestors and patristic era. The Didache , for example, viewed their Christian community as the begins with the bold proclamation that natural inheritor of that tradition. For the there are two ways, the “way of life and church fathers, the practice of virtue made the way of death” 16 and clearly identifies them the spiritual descendants of the the early Christian community with the great figures of the Jewish Bible. John former. The members of this group were Chrysostom makes such an argument called “holy” and the spiritual descendants concerning the sons of Samuel, Joel and of the “holy vine of David.”17 While Abijah, who did not “walk in [their father’s] Christianity maintained a more universalist ways,” (1 Sam. 8:2-3) when he asks, interpretation of the Abrahamic “what were the sons of Samuel covenant—one which envisioned the advantaged, tell me, by their father’s nobleness, when they were not heirs of incorporation of all the nations into a New 18 Covenant—the early Christian view of the their father’s virtue?” The church fathers Church as a “holy nation” nonetheless used the Greek philosophical category of upheld in the Christian concept of Israel a “virtue” ( ἀρετὴ, arete ) as a defining particularity and separateness similar to characteristic for the great figures of its Jewish counterpart. Israel. Chrysostom and other fathers (echoing the apostle Paul) saw the virtue In the decades following the destruction of of these individuals as the spiritual blood the Temple in 70 CE, both Christianity and that flowed through their veins. To be a Judaism struggled with articulating and citizen of Israel is to emulate the greatest defining how the adherents of their of God’s chosen people, an act which also respective faiths would work toward places the burden of responsibility upon achieving a sense of holiness. This those who desire to claim the mantle. “Do articulation found its eventual form in the you have a glorious ancestor?” asks New Testament for Christians and the Chrysostom, “If you emulate him, you Mishnah and oral Torah for Jews—the have profited; but if you do not emulate former with roots in the New Covenant of him, your noble ancestor becomes your Christ and the latter in the covenant of accuser, because you are a bitter fruit 19 Sinai. The messianic and eschatological from a righteous stock.” claims of the early Christian church along with the open incorporation of Gentiles The great figures of the Jewish Bible were into church communities were beliefs and transformative for early church hierarchs practices too divergent to allow Christians like Gregory of Nyssa. In writing on the life to remain under the large umbrella of of Moses, Gregory demanded that his Judaism—even by the rather broad flock study the life of Moses so that they “might benefit for the virtuous life from the standards of the variegated, sectarian 20 Judaism in the first century CE. This things mentioned.” Although it is Gregory who writes, he instructs the reader that in 55

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias reality it is “Moses [who] teaches us by his connotes actions such as glorious deeds, own example to take our stand with virtue wonders, and miracles. Plato and Aristotle as with a kinsman and to kill virtue’s would define the four cardinal virtues as adversaries.” 21 Like John Chrysostom, wisdom, temperance, courage, and Gregory of Nyssa saw Moses and other justice. 23 The Stoics, building on Aristotle’s figures of the Jewish Bible as kinsmen, work, saw virtue as a life lived according fellow members of Israel, after which the to reason, a task meant for all but most members of the New Covenant should especially for those who desired to be pattern their lives. leaders. Like holiness, the philosophical categories of virtue were markers for The emulation of virtuous figures is most describing the personal characteristics of certainly a staple of the Greek the great patriarchal and prophetic figures philosophical thought that was so of ancient Israel who embodied the profoundly influential on the early church individual categories of virtue. Thus, for fathers. These same fathers, however, Ambrose, Abraham is a model of justice, also looked to Philo, a Hellenistic Jewish Isaac a model of wisdom, and Joseph a philosopher of the first century, in applying model of temperance and strength in this type of philosophical language to the resisting temptation. 24 Such images historic figures of Israel. In the mode of resonated with Ambrose’s flock and the great Greek philosophers that helped contextualize and communicate preceded him, Philo sought to present an the scriptural text to his contemporary eternal truth that was of value to both Jew audience. As we have seen, associating and Gentile. Toward this end, Philo made different attributes with different scriptural use of the genre of the βίος ( bios ) or “life,” figures is not altogether foreign to the in which a politician, literary figure, or Jewish exegetical mindset. philosopher is put forth as a model worthy of emulation. In writing his βίοι ( bioi , The first century Roman Stoic philosopher “lives”), Philo took the Platonic notion of Musonius Rufus described virtue as being God as abstract perfection and the Stoic something that was “not simply theoretical concept of an earthly ruler who emulated knowledge, but ... practical application as this perfection and translated them to a well.” He noted that when a king lives a figure such as Moses, presenting him as life of virtue he becomes “preeminently an example of earthly perfection, as a godlike and worthy of reverence.” Thus, model of virtue. Indeed, there is a reflexive being virtuous, for the Stoics, made quality to virtue and perfection in Philo: for someone a good Roman and it was the him, to live a life of virtue is to seek virtue of the great patriarchs and prophets perfection. 22 of Israel, for the church fathers, that made them good Israelites. In surveying the While Philo’s use of Greek philosophical personages of the Hebrew Scriptures and categories such as virtue is certainly desiring to present these figures as representative of the fact that he was models to be emulated, it was only natural writing from a Hellenistic background and for Philo and for later Christians to for a Hellenistic audience, his language associate the idea of virtue with many of also reflects that of later Jewish scriptural the prominent figures of their respective writings of the Hellenistic period such as faiths. Indeed, within the Wisdom of 2–4 Maccabees and the Wisdom of Solomon, the Hellenic influence on the Solomon, texts which are generally author is readily apparent in the famous recognized as being originally written in verse speaking of virtue, saying, “Or if one Greek. At the same time, it should be loves justice, the fruits of her works are noted that the Jewish translators of the virtues; For she teaches moderation and Torah avoided the word ἀρετὴ (arête , temperance, justice and fortitude, and “virtue”) altogether. The concept of “virtue” nothing in life is more useful for men than is charged with a variety of meanings such these” (Wis. 8:7). The prominent figures of as goodness and excellence and 56

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias the Jewish Bible were a point of of the Jewish Bible such as Abraham and intersection for both the Jewish Moses for a Hellenistic Jewish and Gentile philosopher Philo and the early church audience. The appropriation of Philo by fathers who read his works. If these early Christians is evidence of the success scriptural figures provided such a common of his method. In a more contemporary point of reference that early Christian setting, we have another example to theologians felt free to appropriate from which we can refer. Philo, even though he fell outside of the Christological boundaries of their work, it Rabbi Joseph B. [Dov] Soloveitchik, would seem reasonable to consider that a steeped in Greek philosophical thought, similar intersection could occur in our appealed to Western authors such as contemporary endeavour to create a Kant and Kierkegaard in his presentation space for mutual theological affirmation. of Judaism for a contemporary audience. The reaction from the Jewish community Relevance to the Contemporary to Soloveitchik’s work was mixed and may Jewish-Christian Dialogue: Sharing the be a cause for reservation when Inheritance considering the proposed model. Some, like David Singer, believed that In reflecting on how the common Jewish Soloveitchik was putting “old Jewish wine and Christian appeal to the holy men and in new westernized wine bottles.” Others women of the Jewish Bible can help thought that Soloveitchik was simply create theological space in which a making an apology for Judaism in a contemporary dialogue can take place, I Western, modern context. David Hartman, am reminded of Jeffrey Siker’s work on however, believes that Soloveitchik was Abraham in early Christian controversy not so much making an apology for 25 entitled Disinheriting the Jews . While Judaism as he was constructing a Siker accurately describes the phenomenology of halakhah . apologetical arguments of early church fathers like Justin Martyr, such a focus Irrespective of Soloveitchik’s intent, it is limits the theological space necessary for clear that this scholar of Judaism—known the contemporary dialogue—most as HaRav or The Rav (the rabbi)—felt especially for the Orthodox Christian for very comfortable using the language of whom, as has already been non-Jewish sources in articulating his demonstrated, the early Christian views message of Judaism to the contemporary regarding the church as Israel play a world. A significant part of that message significant role in the theological and was Soloveitchik’s thought on the spiritual liturgical life of the church. One possible life of Jews living in the modern age, way to widen the theological space of our represented in a collection of works, dialogue would be to share the inheritance including Abraham’s Journey, Halakhic using the foundational figures of scripture Man , The Lonely Man of Faith , and which both Judaism and Christianity have Worship of the Heart . In these works, in common. Soloveitchik uses western, philosophical language, in order to construct an In sharing this inheritance, what is needed overarching anthropology of the individual is a contextualization of these foundational he describes as the “halakhic man” or the figures in an effort to develop a common “lonely man of faith” living in the modern understanding of the holiness and virtue of world. In his writings, Soloveitchik touches Israel and in turn present this common upon a variety of points that sound very understanding to the world as part of a familiar to the Orthodox Christian ear. joint endeavour of tikkun olam . Indeed, I have afforded some space in this Indeed, the entire language of discussion to the person of Philo because Soloveitchik’s God-human encounter this was essentially the task he was shows a remarkable similarity to Eastern engaged in—contextualizing major figures Christian norms, examples of which are 57

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias the finite creature meeting the infinite More than anything else, examples such creator, light and energy, ascent and as these demonstrate that a theological descent, communion, and the unity of space can be created in the Jewish- body and soul. In reading the works of Christian dialogue even when the voices Soloveitchik and those of the Eastern in dialogue speak to differing Christian spiritual masters—from Gregory eschatological ends. Certainly, in the of Nyssa to Gregory Palamas—it is contemporary context, Gregory of Nyssa evident that they share a common lexicon would be considered a supersessionist, of spirituality. A good deal of this yet the conversation between his theology commonality can be attributed to the and that of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik still Greek philosophical language upon which has profound relevance for the both drew heavily. It is, indeed, striking to contemporary audience. In this dialogue, note that they not only draw from a Moses and Noah do not represent the end common well, but even share a common of the discussion but rather the departure reaction to it. Soloveitchik and the Greek point from which we can explore deeper Christian fathers both freely appropriated theological questions. Greek philosophical language, but both were equally free in their disparagement The theological precepts that Rabbi of the philosophical discourse from which Soloveitchik sought to convey came from that language was drawn. 26 Like the fertile soil of the inherited Jewish Soloveitchik, the Christian fathers were tradition originating in the ancient Near articulating an anthropology that was in East. Orthodox Christians have a valuable opposition to the contemporaneous world role to play in the Jewish-Christian view and needed to speak in the language dialogue, if for no other reason than that of that world in order to communicate their the fact the roots of this historic Christian message. religion come from the same soil that gave birth to rabbinic Judaism. Indeed, the Like the church fathers, Soloveitchik often veneration, respect, and theological employed figures such as Abraham, importance of the patriarchal and Noah, Moses, and others to help support prophetic figures of the Jewish Bible his position. If one were to strip away the spoken of in this paper and preserved in Christological language of the Church the liturgical and theological life of Fathers in their treatises or introduce it Orthodox Christianity bear witness to this into the work of Soloveitchik, there are common soil. While all Christians can many instances in which the differences in claim this through the scriptures of the theological discourse would be difficult to New Covenant, Orthodox Christians make notice. When Soloveitchik describes his an even stronger claim since the faithful of halakhic “worship of the heart” as an this church have maintained a contiguous “intense stretching forth [which] is fully presence in the Holy Land since the age rewarded by the clarity of vision and of the apostles. As Nicholas de Lange apprehension,” 27 it is not altogether correctly observes, “The historical and difficult to hear in these words Gregory of sentimental history of Orthodoxy and of Nyssa’s description of Moses’ encounter Judaism overlap, and are wedded to each with God on Sinai in which the very same other to a far higher degree than we are language of epektasis or “stretching forth” normally aware.” 29 The historical and is used to describe the God-human cultural factors that influenced Judaism in encounter. Similarly, when Soloveitchik this region also influenced Orthodox refers to Noah’s encounter with “the Christianity, from the Bar Kokhba revolt to supranatural light emanated by the the rise of Islam and even the Crusades. Creator,” 28 it is not hard to imagine a Palamite reference to the “uncreated light” Conclusion of God. The language of the church as Israel and/or New Israel is embedded in the 58

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias theological and liturgical consciousness of end in itself. The use of figures like the church in such a profound way that Abraham and Moses to communicate removing this language is impossible. The theological norms was an approach taken embeddedness of such language in by Jewish luminaries such as Philo and Orthodox Christianity, however, is, in Joseph Soloveitchik to convey Judaism to many ways, a result of its close historical a non-Jewish audience and their choice to and cultural proximity to Judaism. If a do so should, in some way, inform how theological conversation involving Jews Christians and Jews can begin to carve and Orthodox Christians is to take place, it out theological space based on this must occur in full acknowledgment of this common ground. As we have seen, these reality, or else the dialogue runs the risk of figures were also profoundly important to degenerating into private speculation and the early church fathers (and thus the would lack any real coherence or practical Orthodox Church) in conveying a host of application. 30 While some may argue that theological precepts to the faithful. Indeed, a dialogue between Orthodox Christians it is not so much the figures themselves and Jews cannot be fruitful in light of the that lie at the centre of this theological Orthodox Church’s self-understanding of space but the holiness and virtue which the church as the New Israel, I am not so they represent. If we could return to pessimistic. It is my belief that the Soloveitchik one last time, it might prove dependence of the Orthodox Church on beneficial to consider his belief that “When the patristic tradition and adherence to a man creates himself, ceases to be a liturgical norms simply necessitates a mere species man, and becomes a man unique approach to the dialogue. 31 of God, then he has fulfilled that commandment which is implicit in the There is great potential in using the principle of providence.” 33 What Orthodox exemplary figures of the Jewish Bible as a Christianity and Judaism share is an departure point for our theological understanding that the patriarchs, discussion, since these figures were the prophets, holy men, and holy women of lens through which the early Christians the Jewish Bible were preeminent models viewed the Jewish Bible and were their of the “dynamic not static” nature of reference point for what Israel was in the holiness and virtue, forever moving and first place. In the patristic and midrashic never ceasing until they arrived at “the commentary on the principal figures of the pinnacle of the revelation of the Divine Jewish Bible there is much grist for the Presence.” 34 mill to be found in building such a theological discussion. In many ways, the Perhaps, in the end, the words of use of these figures constitutes a common someone like Justin Martyr, with whom we vocabulary through which Orthodox began this discussion, can prove useful in Christianity and Judaism can speak to one expanding the theological space of the another. David Hartman described the Jewish-Christian dialogue. Justin’s answer goal of this type of dialogue as one that to Trypho was to claim kinship with Jacob, seeks “to build shared meaning, shared and Israel, and Judah, and Joseph, and frameworks of understanding, and shared David as a “true son of God.” If Trypho experiences of solidarity with all of had been more than just a literary foil for humanity.” 32 Through these common Justin, he most certainly would have been figures we can begin to build such a surprised and taken aback by such a shared framework of understanding, and response since Justin was claiming those can thus explore issues of mutual individuals whom Trypho and his fellow theological importance including, but not Jews claimed for themselves. Both Justin limited to, spirituality, biblical exegesis, and Trypho claimed the same inheritance social ethics, and liturgical worship. and each thought of their people as the true children of God—the true inheritors of It must be emphasized that the use of this the holiness and virtue of the great methodology is a departure point, not an 59

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism Sharing the Inheritance – D. E. Tonias exemplars of the Jewish Bible. Perhaps the task of repairing the world that is thus sequence of the listing of these prominent central to both faiths involves recognizing scriptural figures is possibly from an external that the inheritance of holiness and virtue Jewish liturgical tradition. See Paul Gavrilyuk, to which both Justin and Trypho laid claim "Melito's Influence Upon the Anaphora of is a responsibility to be fulfilled, not a Apostolic Constitutions 8. 12," Vigiliae privilege to be possessed. Thus, as we Christianae 59, no. 4 (2005): 370. 6 Robert L. Cohn, "Sainthood on the Periphery: engage in the hard work of repairing the The Case of Judaism," in Sainthood , ed. world, as joint claimants, we can share Richard Kieckhefer and George Doherty Bond both the burdens and the blessings of this (Berkeley: University of California Press, common inheritance. 1988), 93. 7 A prominent scriptural example is that of the Egyptian midwives Shifrah and Puah, who 1 In this paper I shall use the terms “Israel” and spared the life of the infant Moses and thus “New Israel” interchangeably since the early became exemplars par excellence of righteous Church Fathers more readily identified among the nations; chasidei umot ha-olam themselves with the former rather than the (Ex. 1:17). latter. We see this, for example, in the 8 For more on this subject see Shaye J. D. Thanksgiving Prayer of the Apostolic Cohen, The Beginnings of Jewishness: Constitutions , which declares, “But Israel, Thy Boundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties (Berkeley: Church on earth, taken out of the Gentiles, University of California Press, 1999), 171ff. emulating the heavenly powers night and day, 9 Hannah K. Harrington, Holiness: Rabbinic with a full heart and a willing soul sings, ‘The Judaism and the Graeco-Roman World (New chariot of God is ten thousandfold thousands York: Routledge, 2001), 12. of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in 10 In the Orthodox Christian context, the Sinai, in the holy place.’” Apostolic concept of theosis or deification would seem to Constitutions , in A Select Library of Ante- be a natural cognate to Harrington’s echoing Nicene, Nicene, and Post-Nicene Fathers of of Lev. 19:2 in this context. the Christian Church , 38 vols., ed. Philip 11 Stefano Parenti and Elena Velkovska, Schaff (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999), L'eucologio Barberini Gr. 336 , vol. 2d ed, vol. 7, 473. Bibliotheca "Ephemerides Liturgicae" (Rome: 2 Dial. 123.7. Edizioni liturgiche, 2000), 62, 66. 3 Shanta Premawardhana, "Concept Paper for 12 Ignatius, in his letter to the church in Consultation on Christian Self-Understanding Philadelphia, says, “Take care, therefore, to in the Context of Judaism" (2010), 1. participate in one Eucharist (for there is one 4 John Chrysostom, for example, openly flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup recognizes how often he refers to Abraham which leads to unity through his blood; there is (and indeed other figures of the Jewish Bible) one altar, just as there is one bishop, together as models to emulate. In a homily on 1 with the presbytery and the deacons, my Corinthians he defends such repeated fellow servants), in order that whatever you do, references, saying, “let none accuse me of you do in accordance with God” tautology if I often make mention of him (Philadelphians 4:1). In both the life and the [Abraham], and on all occasions: this being letters of Ignatius, who was ordained bishop of that which most of all shows him wonderful, Antioch in 70 CE, we see the primitive and deprives them that refuse to imitate him of church’s liturgical formulation of priesthood, all excuse.” NPNF II, vol. 12, 213. centered around a bishop, presiding over a 5 “Εἰς τὴν ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴ” ( eis ten ano eucharistic celebration which was held over an Ierousalem ). Saint Germanus I, On the Divine altar. Liturgy , trans. Paul Meyendorff (Crestwood, 13 Parenti and Velkovska, L'eucologio NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1984), 90- Barberini Gr. 336 , 63. 91. The Anaphora of the Antiochene rite offers 14 NPNF II, vol. 1, 370. a description of salvation history through a 15 Casimir Kucharek, Byzantine-Slav Liturgy of litany detailing the blessings bestowed on the St John Chrysostom (Allendale, NJ: Alleluia posterity of Judaism beginning with the Press, 1971), 628. sacrifice of Abel to the suffering of Job to the 16 Michael W. Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: victory of Joshua over the seven nations of Greek Texts and English Translations (Grand Canaan. Paul Gavrilyuk has indicated that the Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 345. 60

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17 “τῆς ἁγίας ἀπέλου ∆αυεὶδ” ( tes hagias Challenges in Jewish-Christian Relations (New ampelou Daveid ). Ibid., 357. York: Paulist Press, 2006), 53. 18 NPNF II, vol. 10, 59. 30 In discussing the challenges associated with 19 John Chrysostom, On Wealth and Poverty , a Jewish-Christian dialogue, Rabbi trans. Catharine P. Roth (Crestwood, NY: St. Soloveitchik was clear about his belief that Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1984), 112. such a conversation could only take place with 20 Gregory Nyssa, ed. The Life of Moses , The the understanding there would be no doctrinal Classics of Western Spirituality (New York: compromise. A discussion on “matters of faith” Paulist Press,1978), 51. Gregory Nazianzus runs the risk that “one of the confronters will and Dionysius the Areopagite also make be impelled to avail himself of the language of reference to Moses as a model of virtue. his opponent. This in itself would mean 21 Ibid., 58. surrender of individuality and distinctiveness.” 22 See A. C. Geljon, Philonic Exegesis in The Orthodox Christian theologian would Gregory of Nyssa's De Vita Moysis , Studia agree with such an assessment. However, as Philonica Monographs (Providence RI: Brown David Hartman and others suggest, Judaic Studies, 2002), 31-36. Soloveitchik’s assessment does not preclude 23 Plato, Republic IV, ἡ σοφία ( sophia ) any dialogue but rather places more rigorous (428.b.1), ἡ σωφροσύνη ( sophrosune ) constraints when seeking to expand the (430.d.1), ἡ ἀνδρεία ( andrei a) (431.e.10), ἡ theological space for discussion. See Joseph δικαιοσύνη ( dikaiosune ) (427.e.1). Dov Soloveitchik, "Confrontation," Tradition 6, 24 Marcia L. Colish, Ambrose's Patriarchs: no. 2 (1964): 24. Ethics for the Common Man (Notre Dame, IN: 31 Nicholas de Lange makes another valuable University of Notre Dame Press, 2005). point when he notes that, “Tradition is one of 25 Jeffrey S. Siker, Disinheriting the Jews: the fundamental pillars of Orthodoxy, and I Abraham in Early Christian Controversy believe that Jews, particularly Orthodox Jews, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, must be sensitive to the problems that this 1991). raises.” De Lange, "The Orthodox Churches in 26 John Meyendorff, Jaroslav Pelikan, and Dialogue with Judaism," 55. others have noted that the early spiritual 32 David Hartman, Love and Terror in the God fathers of the Christian East also recognized Encounter : The Theological Legacy of Rabbi the inherent incompatibility of Greek Joseph B. Soloveitchik (Woodstock, VT: philosophical thought with Christianity but Jewish Lights Publishing, 2001), 164. nevertheless appropriated its language in 33 Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, Halakhic Man order to translate their message to their (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of contemporary world. America, 1983), 128. 27 Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, Worship of the 34 Ibid., 129. Heart: Essays on Jewish Prayer , ed. Shalom Carmy, Meotzar Horav Series (New York: KTAV Publishing House, 2003), 24. 28 Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, Abraham's The Rev. Fr Demetrios E. Tonias is Journey: Reflections on the Life of the Founding Patriarch (Jersey City, NJ: KTAV Ecumenical Officer of the Greek Publishing House, 2008), 94. Orthodox Metropolis of Boston, USA. 29 Nicholas R. M. De Lange, "The Orthodox Churches in Dialogue with Judaism," in

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism What Does the Church Gain? – B. Schröder

What Does the Church Gain in Affirming the Jewish People as People of the Covenant?

Dr. Bernd Schröder

1. Context and Starting Points in the modern State of Israel has also contributed and contributes considerably This paper reflects the point of view of a to our perception of Judaism. Protestant theologian who joins the process of revisiting and renewing At least two remarks must be added: (1) Christian theological thought on Judaism While Protestant and Catholic churches in which is going on in Germany and many Germany have reached a remarkable other countries, mainly in Europe and consensus on the issue of Jewish- North America. In Germany, this process Christian relations, 3 the renewed began with reflection on the Shoah as the understanding of Judaism has never been low mark of a history of anti-Judaism that unopposed. Theologies of supersession, lasted for centuries. Without any doubt, stereotypes of Jews, and even anti-Jewish was guilty of the Shoah. resentments are still to be found within our But reconsidering this history has shown churches as well as in German society; that there was also a remarkable amount they are still challenging the Churches’ of Christian anti-Judaism, relying in part commitment. (2) While the churches and on certain passages of the New individual Christians have succeeded in Testament. establishing a network of vital Christian- Jewish relations, the churches also have Horrified by this dark side of the history of numerous close contacts with Palestinian 1 Christianity, the new or rediscovered Christian communities. Many of these understanding of Judaism, gradually contacts emerged from European established since the 1960s, stresses missionary efforts during the 19 th century; God’s “uncancelled covenant” with the Palestinian Christian communities, such Jewish people as well as the unique, as those of the Evangelical-Lutheran integral relationship between Christianity Church of Jordan and the Holy Land and Judaism. It focuses on dialogue as (ELCJHL), have been connected with their the recommended way to look at what we former mother churches ever since. 4 have in common theologically without Churches and Christians in Germany are 2 denying our differences. To put it in a mostly aware of their various links to the nutshell, in light of a new reading of the “Holy Land,” to Palestinian Christians as New Testament, a dialogical, affirmative well as Jews. Therefore, they are by no relationship to Judaism has become an means insensitive to the political impact of integral part of Christian self- renewed Christian-Jewish relations on understanding. Israeli Jews and Palestinians in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. The willingness of Jews to meet Christians despite the history of Christian anti- This is, in short, the background against Judaism has become an important which I identify the question to be catalyst of this renewed understanding of answered. Christian-Jewish relations. Our knowledge of Judaism and our understanding of the 2. Identifying the Question and living faith of modern Jews primarily derive Presuppositions from encounters with Jews living in the diaspora : Germany, other European What does the church gain in affirming the countries, and North America. Jewish people as people of the covenant Nevertheless, multi-faceted living Judaism 62

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism What Does the Church Gain? – B. Schröder in the wake of God’s own affirming of the and prayer, and a shared hope for the Jewish people as people of the covenant? coming kingdom of God.

I am taking for granted St Paul’s vision of Therefore, the vocation of the Church the relationship between Jews and should not be turned against the Jewish Christians and three presuppositions I am people, just as God’s keeping faith with about to name . According to St Paul’s the Jewish people does not turn against epistle to the Romans, the Gentile the church. On the contrary, God’s loyalty Christian church has “been grafted in to the Jewish people is to the benefit of among [the olive branches], and ha[s] not only present-day Jewish people but come to share the same root and sap as also the Christian church . the olive.” Therefore it must not “make [it]self superior to the branches” (Rom. By asking for attention to what the church 11:17ff.). As a consequence of this biblical gains from this close relationship to the testimony, the Christian church: Jewish people, I would like to stress that Jewish-Christian dialogue should not only a. must not assume an attitude of deal with the clarification of biblical and disinheriting, substituting, or historical interaction between Jews and superseding the Jewish people as the Christians and with an analysis of their chosen people; relationship in the field of systematic b. has to avoid any anti-Jewish thinking theology, although these clarifications and proclaiming of the Gospel; and remain necessary at least for Christian c. has to renounce any missionary theology and Christian churches. Beyond approach to Judaism. 5 that, Christian-Jewish dialogue is a useful and suitable tool for the purpose of The New Testament—for the most part— understanding today’s tasks of Christian wants us to establish an affirmative churches in a world which has succumbed relationship between Christians and the to a large extent to a secularization of the Jewish people . The word of God as heard mind and to a far-reaching in the words of St Paul and the gospels commodification of everyday behaviour confirms the Lord’s covenant with his first- and thought. chosen people—and so should Christians! 6 In terms of methodology, this shift in subject and focus is to be understood as a In search of a hermeneutical metaphor demand to complement the theology of which can express the relationship Jewish-Christian dialogue with questions intended between the Christian of practical and ethical theology. Church(es) and Judaism, I would like to propose the following one: Christians and 3. What Does the Church Gain in Jews are to be seen as companions on Affirming the Jewish People as People their way through history. They are both of the Covenant? A Florilegium of rooted in the promises of the Old Answers Testament; both guided by the one God; different from one another, but having a 3.1 Making sure of the Lord’s remarkable range of theological issues in unflappable loyalty: the poimenic common: the Scripture called the Hebrew dimension Bible or Old Testament respectively; the According to the Scriptures the Lord has belief in the one God, creator of heaven “cut” (established) several covenants: and earth; and the belief in God’s presence in history, either guiding “Israel” - the covenant with Noah and all or incarnated in Jesus the Jew. They have humankind (Gen. 6:18 and 9:1-17); a set of common moral values focused on - the covenant with Abraham and his justice and love, essential forms of liturgy descendants (Gen. 15:7-21 and 17:1- 22); 63

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism What Does the Church Gain? – B. Schröder

- the covenant with the people of Israel - to the one God, creator of heaven and (Ex. 24:1-11 and 34:10ff.); earth; - the covenant with David, king of the - to the coming redemption and ancient state of Israel (2 Sam. 23:5). reconciliation of humankind and to the The biblical line of thought describing all kingdom of God; these covenants stresses that God keeps - to the Holy Spirit who is going to faith with all of them, even if God’s human renew human beings on behalf of the partners are going to break the promises Father. and obligations connected with their God wants us to live according to this entering the covenant. Those covenants mission which the Jewish people and the have been renewed in the past (2 Kings Christian church have in common. This 23:1ff.; Neh. 8) and they might be mission should be followed in words as renewed again in the future (Jer. 31), but well as in deeds. they will never be broken by the Lord. Therefore, Christians and Jews should not God’s reliability is to be seen as the work against each other. Instead, they pledge for future hopes not only for the should engage, wherever possible, side Jewish people, but also for humankind by side, in favour of their fellow human and the Christian church. It is precisely beings! God’s reliability regarding these former covenants which may reassure us in times This is my understanding of the biblical of trouble. It is precisely God’s unflappable idea of “election”: Neither the election of loyalty which may console us regarding Israel nor the vocation of the church is to our own untrustworthiness. It is God’s be understood as an exclusive priority trustworthiness in regard to the Jewish treatment by the Lord, but as a calling to people which can confirm our faith—if we stewardship (see Ex.19:5ff.). see ourselves grafted onto the olive tree 3.3 Differentiating between God and of God’s covenants through Jesus Christ, the born Jew, our Lord. idols: the (self-) critical dimension

3.2 Participating in the mission of One of the main issues the Hebrew Bible biblical Israel and the Jewish people: and the Septuagint deal with is the the missionary dimension distinction between the Lord, the one and only God, and any idols, worshipped The Leuenberg Church fellowship of either by parts of the people of Israel (see Reformation churches stated in 2001 in Ex. 32) or by other peoples like “Church and Israel”: “Both statements are Canaanites or Babylonians, either idolized true: God chose the people of Israel, and by ritual cults or betrayed by a violation of God chose the Church from Jews and the the laws of the Lord or a violation of nations and thus made it his own ethical behaviour. possession” (2.5.3). “The Church confesses that [it] is created by God’s It is very important to see that the biblical work of election and that it is thus ‘the tradition does not differentiate between people of God’—[together] with Israel” worship and idolatry by simply (2.5.10). “Of itself the Church cannot claim differentiating between Israelites and to be ‘the people of God’” (2.5.9). 7 Gentiles. On the contrary, there are Israelites worshipping idols and Gentiles Joining the covenant sola gratia (by grace praying to the Lord. alone), the church does not have any mission to Israel, but the church In other words, theological distinctions of participates in the mission of Israel. This the so-called Old Testament do not only mission consists of bearing witness contain a critical discrimination between Israel on the one hand and all the other peoples on the other hand, but also a self-

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Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism What Does the Church Gain? – B. Schröder critical attitude within and against the the Jewish people succeeded in people of Israel. In this remarkable self- cultivating the biblical heritage. Some of criticism you will find critics of the temple these aspects are: cult, critics of social injustice, critics of tyranny and usurpation, especially in the - the living culture of dialogical learning books of the prophets and also in the (Talmud Torah ), traditions dealing with Jesus the Jew, our - the tradition of narrative theology Lord. (Haggadah ), - the shaping of every-day-life according This tradition of theological self-criticism is to the “Torah” ( Halakhah ), still alive in modern Judaism. One can - the communitarian way of celebrating refer to the secularized Jewish thought of worship (“a kingdom of priests” Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud as well as according to Ex. 19:6; cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). to modern Jewish theologians like Jeshajahu Leibovitz or Emil Fackenheim. 3.5 Yearning for the kingdom of God: One can refer to for Human the dimension of hope Rights 8 as well as to sharp arguments between different Jewish movements like Judaism perceives the life and the Reform movement and modern resurrection of Jesus Christ neither as the orthodox Judaism. prelude of the kingdom of God nor as a fulfilment of God’s promises. All the more Christianity has inherited from biblical reason why Judaism had been yearning Israel the ability to differentiate between for the future kingdom of God from ancient service and idolatry. The Christian times, through the Middle Ages to the churches should become aware anew of present day. their obligation to make good use of this discrimination in dealing with economics One can see this by looking at Jewish and social injustice, with religions and history: the celebrating of Shabbat, the world-views, and with their own traditions daily prayer for redemption, messianic and practices. movements, and the struggle for human rights and “emancipation.” These may 3.4 Learning from the two-fold history serve as examples even if modern of God’s first testament: the Judaism has developed a wide range of educational dimension different positions regarding redemption, a future kingdom of God, return to Zion, and Both Judaism and Christianity have been other important issues of traditional part of the history of God with his chosen Judaism. To put it differently, learning people. More than that, they are still part from Judaism means learning to preserve of this history. a living hope.

In being coupled by the divine act of In the light of this biblically-rooted tradition election, Jews and Christians, first of all, of a living hope, Christians are required to have to learn about each other’s historical do two things. First, they are required to and theological narrative of God’s enter a protest against any theologia presence in history; second, they have to triumphans (which assumes that learn from the other’s narrative. Jews and redemption has already been fully Christians form a learning community accomplished in Jesus Christ). Second, (Lerngemeinschaft ), a community that they are required to revitalize their hope should spare no effort to understand the and commitment to the kingdom of God by word of God, the two communities’ acting in favour of the justice, love, and common mission and each other’s faith reconciliation which are to be brought traditions. For example, Christians have about by God’s will and deed. to perceive and recognize those aspects of Jewish history and theology in which 65

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3.6 The priority of action over means the ancient people (and nation) of theological reflection: the ethical and Israel referred to in the Hebrew Bible; ascetic dimension beyond that, it is a collective term for the Jewish people in the past and the present . Some of the most famous rabbinic stories The term “Jewish people” refers to the tell about the priority of action and entire Jewish people past and present, everyday behaviour over theological including those Jews living in the modern reflection. This priority is one of the State of Israel. common threads in rabbinic literature, but by making this point I do not want to A second remark: Appreciating theological reinforce the traditional misunderstanding figures, practices, and ideals of the Jewish of Judaism as a legalistic religion. On the people does not mean seeing them more contrary, it is the preceding grace of the or less realized in every single Jew, in the Lord, his faithfulness and wisdom, which modern State of Israel, or in the Jewish enable the Jewish people to behave people as a whole. Perceiving the plurality according to God’s Torah. of Jewish self-understandings, ways of living, and modes of behaving in view of Looking at the history and plurality of the vocation of “Israel,” and taking into Christian faith traditions, one cannot claim account the fallibility of human beings, that mainstream Christian faith neglects there is, of course, a natural hiatus ethics and asceticism. There have, between theological ideals and the real life however, been many movements and of the Jewish people, challenging and times in which ethics and the ascetic threatening the credibility of human dimension of Christianity have been believers and their theological ideas. I do neglected in comparison with the effort not want this remark to be understood as and interest given to detailed theological a reproach to any Jewish individual or distinctions offered by dogmatic theology. community, but rather as a description—a Think of the scholastic theology of the description that applies to individual Middle Ages or Lutheran theology in the Christians and Christian churches to the era of National Socialist Germany. Of same extent, if not even more. In this course, the exception proves the rule. respect, St Paul’s words might be fitting to characterize the struggle of Jews and Compared with this, Judaism has Christians to fulfil their vocation: “At continuously stressed halakhic action and present we see only puzzling reflections in behaviour, i.e. asceticism, ethics, and a mirror, but one day we shall see face to rituals. face” (1 Cor. 13:12).

There are probably further aspects of It is understandable that Palestinian Jewish tradition that could enrich Christian Christians might not be able to verify my self-understanding, Christian theology, reflections on the mission of the Jewish and Christian commitment. There may people in the lights of the politics of the also be aspects of the manifold Christian present government of the modern State faith traditions that might make an of Israel or of violations of their human impression on Jews and Jewish thought. rights by Israeli Jews. But they should But the latter do not belong to today’s bear in mind the maxim of ancient Roman subject. law: abusus non tollit usum, sed confirmat 4. Principal Reservations substantiam (“Abuse does not destroy the essence but confirms it.”). My first caution concerns definitions: When talking about “Israel” and “the 5. What Does the Church Have to Do as Jewish people,” I do not want to refer a Result of Its Affirmative Relationship foremost, let alone exclusively, to the to the Jewish People? modern State of Israel. “Israel” rather

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5.1 The Church has to answer in the If Christianity is to be seen as grafted onto affirmative to the biblical narrative of the olive tree of God’s presence in history being grafted in the olive tree (Rom. 11: as a younger branch, Christians should be 17-24) of God’s promises to biblical interested in the experiences, the Israel . practices and theological thoughts of the older branches, i.e. Judaism. Learning According to this biblical metaphor, the about and from Jewish faith traditions Church has to become humble. It has to belongs to the first obligations of a recognize that Israel was the first to be Christian’s way of life. called by God to live according to his Torah. The Church has to adopt a position 5.4 The Church has to appreciate the that might be characterized as Jewish “no” to Jesus as the Messiah. epistemological humility: the Church does not only depend on God’s revelation—“by When St Paul struggled with the fact that your light we are enlightened” (Ps. 36:9)— the majority of his Jewish contemporaries but also on moving into God’s history with did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, he his people of the covenant—“Remember declared it a divine secret: “this partial that Christ became a servant of the hardening has come on Israel only until Jewish people to maintain the faithfulness the Gentiles have been admitted in full of God by making good his promises to strength; once that has happened, the the patriarchs and by giving the Gentiles whole of Israel will be saved…” (Rom. cause to glorify God for his mercy…” 11:25). Shortly after, Paul added: “they (Rom. 15: 8ff.). 9 are God’s enemies for your sake ” (Rom. 11:28). Given the truth of this statement, 5.2 The Church has to build up and to we Christians must not negatively accuse cultivate both, a culture of memorizing Jews of remaining faithful to the Torah; the Jewish roots of Christian faith and rather Christians should appreciate this as its contemporary companionship to the expression of an eschatological Jewish people. reservation and an incentive to realize the legacy of Jesus Christ in our way of life, From the first century onward the Church our theological thinking and, last but not became a “Gentile Christian” church. least, in shaping the relationship with the Since then, the Church has often forgotten Jewish people. 10 its Jewish roots and its partnership with the Jewish people. 5.5 The Church has to fight against anti-Judaism in words and deeds; Therefore, one of the most important tasks theological thinking must renounce the of the Church today is the establishment idea of disinheritance. of a certain culture of memory. Every visitor to a Christian church community If Christianity is allowed to see itself as a should get the opportunity to perceive the companion to Judaism, called later by the commitment of the Christian church to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it is Jewish people. We should learn to speak obliged to fight against anti-Judaism and and act in a way which shows the to resist anti-Jewish theological thinking of affirmative ties between the Christian disinheritance. The spirit of charity, the church and the Jewish people—in the field spirit of Christianity, forbids disregard for of liturgy and homiletics, in the field of our Jewish companions; it forbids any religious education, in the field of ethical disinheritance of the Jewish people. commitment. 5.6 The Church has to see its 5.3 The Church has to arouse its relationship to the Jewish people as a members’ curiosity about the rich unique one, but this means neither that plurality of Jewish life-styles, Jewish it should disregard other religions and self-understandings, Jewish theologies peoples nor does it mean it should 67

Current Dialogue 53 (Special Issue) Christian Self-Understanding in Relation to December 2012 Judaism What Does the Church Gain? – B. Schröder close the eyes in front of the manifold other words: “ Brother and sister do not ethical challenges in the world. disregard friends. ”

In the light of Holy Scripture, there is no The biblical tradition calls us to see the other religion than Judaism which can be ongoing existence and spiritual richness of seen as the root of Christianity. This is a the Jewish people as signs of God’s historical finding as well as a theological ongoing allegiance to the Jewish people. correlation. There is no other religion God remains loyal to the Jewish people which could or should be seen as such a and we should do so as well. God’s close companion, in the historical, blessing of Israel will not be effective theological, and prospective sense of the without the struggle of the Jewish people word. Therefore we can and should to fulfill its mission; but there will also be speak of a unique relationship, a unique no blessing of the Christian churches companionship of Christians and Jews. without our cultivating of an affirmative This by no means allows us to disregard relationship to the Jewish people as our other religions and peoples. Nor does this companion, our elder brother or sister. allow us to ignore challenges of justice, “Remember that you do not sustain the peace, and the integrity of creation. 11 root: the root sustains you” (Rom. 11:18). Let us take a look at a serious and controversial example of this close 1 In this sense the Shoah has been the reason relationship and its implications. Whoever for reconsidering Christian theology, but not confirms the right of existence of the State the (main) subject of that renewed theology. of Israel as a place of refuge for Jews— Therefore, naming this new understanding of and Christians, especially those from Judaism and the renewed relationship to Germany) in my opinion are obliged to do Judaism “Holocaust theology” is unsuitable and polemical. so – has to confirm in the same breath the 2 A concise description and summary of this right of existence of the Palestinians, their process has been given by Hans Hermann right of political self-determination, and Henrix: Judentum und Christentum: 12 their claim to found a state of their own. Gemeinschaft wider Willen (Regensburg: Christians who confess the “uncancelled Matthias-Grünewald-Verlag, 2004) and covenant” between God and the Jewish Christina Kayales and Astrid Fiehland-van der people and their right to live in the land Vegt, eds., Was jeder vom Judentum wissen which was promised to their biblical muss (Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2007). ancestors—an idea which, by the way, 3 does not include a claim to certain territory See the broad collection of official documents concerning Jewish-Christian relations or borders and other political details— published by churches and Jewish bodies all have to be sensitive and supportive to the over the world, in Rolf Rendtorff and Hans fate of the Palestinians, especially to Hermann Henrix, eds., Die Kirchen und das 13 Palestinian Christian communities. We Judentum , vol. 1, Dokumente von 1945-1985 have to foster their spirituality, their (Paderborn: Bonifatius Verlag and Gütersloh: commitment to non-violence and justice, Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 1988), 231-320 and their educational efforts and social work, 527-622, as well as Hans Hermann Henrix and and their political struggle for self- Wolfgang Kraus, eds., Die Kirchen und das determination. Judentum , vol. 2, Dokumente von 1986-2000 (Paderborn: Bonifatius Verlag and Gütersloh: In sum, in the light of the biblical testimony Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2001), 340-428 and and of history, the relationship between 533-942. 4 Mitri Raheb, Das reformatorische Erbe unter Jews and Christians is to be seen as a den Palästinensern (Gütersloh: Gütersloher unique one, but this does not mean Verlagshaus, 1990) reminds us the history of disregarding either other religions or other this relationship; see also www.elcjhl.org. interfaith dialogues: the companions might 5 The term “missionary approach” means any be accompanied by others. Or to put in organized effort intending to convince Jews to become baptized. But the rejection of mission 68

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to the Jews does not mean imposing a ban on Audacities: Selected Essays , ed. Andreas answering questions concerning one’s Pangritz and Paul S. Chung, Princeton Christian faith or on bearing witness to each Theological Monographs Series 137 (Eugene, other in the framework of meetings, which in OR: Pickwick Publications, 2010), 3-30. my opinion is to be seen as a vital part of any 11 You might want to learn about keeping serious dialogue. aware of these challenges in the teachings of 6 The WCC and its “consultation on the church Martin Stöhr, e.g. Dreinreden (Wuppertal: and the Jewish people” adopted this Foedus, 1997). conclusion and most of the new findings 12 These suggestions are both to be seen as mentioned above in its affirmations “Toward a theologically founded political consequences, new understanding” (1988); see but they are founded in two different kinds of www.jcrelations.com/stmts/wcc_sigtuna.htm theological approach: the first is a biblical- and Henrix and Kraus, Die Kirchen und das systematic one, exclusively concerning “Israel” Judentum , 442-447. and the Jewish people; the other is a biblical- 7 Leuenberger Kirchengemeinschaft, Kirche ethical one, reflecting the commitment of und Israel: Ein Beitrag der reformatorischen Christians to the welfare of every human Kirchen Europas […], Leuenberger Texte 6 being. (Frankfurt am Main: Otto Lembeck Verlag, 13 Evangelische Kirche im Rheinland, Den 2001). (Leuenberg Church Fellowship, Church rheinischen Synodalbeschluss zum Verhältnis and Israel: A Contribution from the von Christen und Juden weiterdenken – den Reformation Churches in Europe to the Gottesdienst erneuern. Eine Arbeitshilfe Relationship between Christians and Jews , (Düsseldorf: 2008), 44ff. Leuenberg Documents 6.) 8 Rabbis for Human Rights, founded in 1988, seeks to prevent human rights violations in Dr Bernd Schröder, born in 1965, Israel and the Palestinian territories on the basis of the humanistic Jewish tradition and studied Protestant Theology and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Judaic Studies. He held the chair for their website is at http://rhr.org.il/eng/. The Religious Education at Saarland organization has a North American affiliate, University, Saarbrücken, Germany from Rabbis for Human Rights-North America, 2001 to 2011. In 2011 he became founded in 2002: http://www.rhr-na.org/. professor of Practical Theology at 9 See Dietrich Ritschl, Die Logik der Theologie: Göttingen University, Germany. From Kurze Darstellung der Zusammenhänge 2005 to 2011 he was chairman of the theologischer Grundgedanken (Munich: Kaiser “Committee for Jews and Christians” Verlag,1984), 161-167. Eng. ed. The Logic of in the United Church of the Rhineland. Theology: A Brief Account of the Relationship between Basic Concepts in Theology (London: Since 2008 he has been, together with SCM Press, 1986). a Jewish and a Muslim colleague, 10 See Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt: “Feinde engaged in a series of conferences um unseretwillen”: Das jüdische Nein und die called “Jewish, Christian and Muslim christliche Theologie, in Verwegenheiten: Educators in Dialogue about Religious Theologische Stucke aus Berlin (Munich: Education.” Kaiser Verlag, 1981), 311-336, 326ff.; Eng. trans. “‘Enemies for Our Sake’: The Jewish No and Christian Theology” (1977) in Theological

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Denominational Perspectives

Lutheran Insights for Christian Thus the Church begins its relationship with Judaism by recognizing that the Self-Understanding in the model and precedent for the church’s own Context of Judaism election and redemption lies in God’s gracious election of Israel and redemption from slavery. Further, the Church lives in Dr Peter A. Pettit this reality through faith that is modeled by Abraham. The pattern of God’s saving I cannot speak for all Lutherans, nor for ways is true for the church because it is Lutheranism; this is the statement of a true for Israel. The election and promise of Lutheran who is in good fellowship with the Church are eternal because the his Church and who thinks regularly about election and promise of Israel, the Jewish these matters from within a Lutheran people, are eternal. theological framework. 2. Incarnation and Sacrament “What is your starting point for Christian self-understanding in the context of A second starting point is the incarnational Judaism?” and sacramental character of God’s revelation and relationship to humanity. 1. Justification by Grace through Faith The power of God to free us from sin, Justification by grace through faith has to death, and the power of evil is present in be the starting point, the “article on which the human being Jesus Christ. It comes the Church stands and falls,” as classical to its saving effect in Jesus Christ’s death Lutheran theology puts it. and resurrection and it is received in the This means that God alone calls us into sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist being, confers on us our identity, and and in the preached word of the gospel. gives us the gift of life, extending that gift The truth that the Church knows is not to us even after our sinfulness has propositional, but relational, as the Church forfeited any basis for it—what Paul Tillich encounters the living word of God under called accepting our acceptance though forms of created existence in every age. we know ourselves to be unacceptable. Thus the experience of Israel in each of its Where would the Church get such an ages—biblical, early rabbinic, medieval, idea? Paul finds it in his Jewish heritage modern, and contemporary—holds and brings it into the Gentile realm to take something of interest and value for the root. Taken together canonically with church, but the church will seek its self- later New Testament writings, Paul finds understanding in relationship to Judaism God’s grace in the redemption from any especially through the lived encounter with other power that would be god—any Jews today . power to which one is enslaved. For the 3. Covenant Gentiles these were elemental powers or spirits, summarized as “sin, death, and the Just as the Church’s covenanted life with power of evil.” For the Jews this power God is eternal, grounded in God’s own was Pharaoh/Egypt. Paul finds the gracious promises, so too is the Jews’ paradigm of faith, of course, in Abraham: covenanted life with God eternal. These Abraham’s trust in God, when God called two peoples (Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9) have or elected him, marks him as righteous. both been called into being as covenant 70

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Denominational Perspectives partners by one God , working in two God by titling its document on relations distinct sets of historical experiences. with the Jewish people “God’s Ways” (Guds Vägar ). By encountering God in “What methodological insights does your others’ experience the church grows in its region or confessional tradition bring to self-understanding; by encountering the the table?” church through the presence of religious others God leads us toward a fuller 1. Ecclesia Semper Reformanda understanding of ourselves and of Godself A key methodological insight of Lutheran (Cardinal Walter Kasper has spoken of theology is the realization that the Church Judaism as “the sacrament of every is always in the process of reforming otherness.”) (ecclesia semper reformanda est ). The Jewish community is not an One of the greatest dangers to the church abstraction or a theologoumenon, but, like is the reification and idolization of the church, a concrete reality wherein the theological propositions and formulations, Church recognizes God at work . Its as though they were the essence of God experience of God is the experience of the or of the God-human relationship. Church’s God at work in a different Salvation does not lie in proper theology, context and idiom, even as our experience but in the gracious election and of God is the experience of Israel’s God at redemption of God, which are new every work in a different context and idiom. In our dialectical encounter God leads us day. It is not theology that leads to 1 salvation, but a living relationship with the both to grow into new self-understanding. saving God that gives life to the church 3. Humility and Partnership and leads it to self-understanding in transitory, inadequate, ever-reforming Lutherans, heirs of both Martin Luther and theology . (Thus the classical Lutheran the German church of the Nazi era, have forms of Bible translation, catechism, and particular reasons to realize the dangers confessions—all timely, contextualized of relegating Jews and Judaism to a articulations of the good news of God’s disembodied, mythic place in our gracious saving acts.) theological terrain. A posture of self-critical humility will always mark our theological Dialectical encounter is an essential claims, with such self-criticism perhaps aspect of a theology always in reform, as fostered best by the critical presence and every formulation faces the challenge of partnership of those who are implicated in adequacy in encountering circumstances our claims. other than those for which it was formulated. The Church works most The Church understands itself in relation creatively when it is living in the tension to the Jewish people, then, as two peoples between its own heritage and a partnered by God in difference , for the contemporary reality which that heritage sake of mutual growth and for the sake of does not comprehend well. Such that which transcends both Christian and encounter fosters a constructive humility Jewish identity: the world’s redemption. that welcomes growth and correction in the church’s self-understanding. 1 See George W. Forell, “How to Speak about God in a Pluralistic World” in Martin Luther, 2. Encountering God in the Concrete Theologian of the Church; Collected Essays of Experience of the Other George W. Forell , ed. William R. Russell, Word and World Supplement Series, vol. 2 The specific encounters with others who (1994)) and Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt, raise these dialectics for the Church can “‘Enemies for Our Sake’: The Jewish No and also be understood as acts of God. Thus Christian Theology” (1977) in Theological the Swedish church reflects well the value Audacities: Selected Essays , ed. Andreas of diversity in the human experience of Pangritz and Paul S. Chung, Princeton 71

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Theological Monographs Series 137 (Eugene, Understanding and Associate OR: Pickwick Publications, 2010), 3-30. Professor of Religion Studies at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. Dr Peter A. Pettit is Director of the Institute for Jewish-Christian

Starting Points: An Anglican Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which Perspective are called Moral. Dr Clare Amos Until fairly recently it is probably true that Anglicans read the Old Testament “What is your starting point for Christian liturgically to a greater extent than most self-understanding in the context of other Christian communions, since both Judaism?” morning and evening prayer (the staple diet of Anglican worship until the 1960s) I am seeking to answer this first question prescribed the use of an Old Testament both personally, as a biblical scholar, and as well as a New Testament reading. in my institutional capacity, representing Additionally there was, and is, substantial the Anglican Communion. use of the Psalter.

An appropriate starting point would be to Yet the honouring of the Old Testament affirm that the Old Testament has always did not necessarily lead to a parallel been authoritative and valued as part of honouring of contemporary Judaism. The Scripture by Anglicans. At the Old Testament was very much viewed as Reformation, this was firmly stated in “our” (Christian) book, properly Article Seven of the Thirty-Nine Articles. understood only in the context of the New. (The Thirty-Nine Articles are regarded as We Anglicans do not much like calling it a key statement of Anglican doctrine— the Hebrew Bible (which I as a good though they most often tend to be used to Anglican think is actually a misnomer prove a point against something!) Article when used by Christians). It is significant Seven reads: that until very recently the professors of Hebrew and Old Testament studies at VII. Of the Old Testament Oxford and Cambridge universities were required to be Anglican clergymen. There The Old Testament is not contrary to the was a flattening of historical perspective: New: for both in the Old and New the beautiful but soporific chanting of the Testament everlasting life is offered to psalms in Anglican cathedrals did not Mankind by Christ, who is the only necessarily lead to a real understanding of Mediator between God and Man, being their original historical or liturgical context. both God and Man. Wherefore they are (As a teacher of Old Testament producing not to be heard, which feign that the old a drama that sought to set some psalms in Fathers did look only for transitory their original form-critical context of a promises. Although the Law given from harvest festival journey to Jerusalem, I God by Moses, as touching Ceremonies was greeted by students who said “We and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor never thought of the psalms like this the Civil precepts thereof ought of before.”) The Old Testament for many necessity to be received in any Anglicans was “now and England.” commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no 72

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I can also remember seeing a book written the views of others to reinforce my own in the 1960s by an Anglican clergyman perceptions, but John Barton (Anglican who was an Old Testament scholar (I clergyman, international Old Testament believe it was Eric Heaton) about the scholar, Oxford professor) seems to me to Babylonian and Persian periods and express a view that I also hold, namely which referred to these eras as “Late that Anglicans cherish a certain Judaism.” The implication presumably was “unpinnable-down quality” in faith, and that that a couple of centuries later, in the New we owe this in part to the Old Testament Testament period, “Late Judaism” understanding of God as the elusive “I am transformed itself appropriately into the who I am.” So the concept of the Name New Testament of which it was the that is no name, clearly important in ancestor and could therefore gently die modern Judaism, presents an intriguing off, its task complete. The fact that starting point for Christian engagement Judaism was (and is) still around felt with Jewish faith. rather like an aged aunt who inconveniently refuses to quit this life and A recent book, The Internal Foe: Judaism insists on disrupting family parties! We are and Anti-Judaism in the Shaping of quite fond of her, but doesn’t she realize it Christian Theology , by Anglican priest and 3 is now time to pass on? She is inhibiting theological educator Jeremy Worthen, our style. perhaps takes this argument one stage further. Worthen suggests that Judaism The 1958 Lambeth Conference tried to be forces Christianity to engage with the forward-looking in its discussion of tragic dimension that it often seeks to Scripture but in doing so unwittingly suppress, that it is an “internal foe,” or to presented problems for Christian-Jewish use a mathematical metaphor, it can be relations. Resolution 2 of the Conference described as a surd! 4 Alan Amos, my states: husband and an Anglican priest with considerable experience of the Middle The Conference affirms that our Lord East, has referred to contemporary Jesus Christ is God's final Word to Judaism in the context of modern Israel as man, and that in his light all Holy “a living question mark.” In a variety of Scripture must be seen and ways, great and small, Judaism still insists interpreted, the Old Testament in on posing challenges for any too simplistic terms of promise and the New Christian theodicy. Testament in terms of fulfilment. “What methodological insights does my This is a resolution that has come to confessional tradition bring to the table?” increasing prominence in recent years in relation to the internal Anglican debate The recent Anglican report on interfaith about the use of scripture in relation to relations, Generous Love: The Truth of the issues of sexuality, but whether Gospel and the Call to Dialogue ,5 draws consciously or not, it actually marginalizes attention to Anglican theological method. It Judaism. points out (here I am paraphrasing) that it is distinctly Anglican to give considerable I suspect that in 2010 Anglicanism is a bit weight to a reasoned reflection upon our more subtle. Though Archbishop Rowan human experience in history which is Williams gave a brilliant talk in 2004 in informed by the study of Scripture, prayer Cambridge which reflected on the (worship), and shared discourse. I believe “covenant” issue, one or two, shared or that these are all resources that we 1 separate, I do not think that on the whole Anglicans bring to the present-day table in Anglican theology is deeply caught up in our discussion with Judaism. In spite of the covenant discussion. Many of us have my critique of certain Anglican views in the questions about too much of a focus on previous section, I also want to honour the 2 covenants. It may be that I am looking at Anglican scholarly tradition in relation to 73

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Judaism: the first English translation of the But the connections are very close and Mishnah was made by a scholarly were fostered by influential figures in the Anglican priest, Herbert Danby, long-term British establishment of the day such as resident at St. George’s Cathedral, Lord Shaftesbury. Indeed the appointment Jerusalem. of the first Anglican bishop of Jerusalem (a joint appointment with the Lutherans) Worship clearly is important in any was clearly influenced by Christian Zionist understanding of Anglican self-identity. aspirations, linked both to hopes for the Archbishop Rowan Williams once said Jewish “return” to the Holy Land and to that we “inhabit our doctrine” (in worship); the Jews’ eventual conversion to and singing those psalms (soporifically or Christianity. The first bishop, Michael not) is something that we share in Solomon Alexander, was largely chosen common with Judaism as part of our joint because he himself was a converted Jew. commitment to ortho-doxy (literally “right He was sent out to Jaffa on a British worship”). warship. He was originally going to be transported on a ship named “Infernal.” Like Judaism, the Anglican tradition However, the name was deemed believes that theology is shaped by history unsuitable for a vessel transporting a and context. Place is and has been bishop, so his travel was at the last minute important in much Anglican theology, switched to a ship that was called linked originally to its sense of rootedness “Devastation,” as this was considered in England—as it clearly is in more appropriate. contemporary Judaism, where the question of rootedness in Eretz Israel is a The second and very different example is significant focus. The ongoing dialogue the work of the Anglican clergyman James between the Anglican Communion and the Parkes. Parkes was deeply Anglican, Chief Rabbinate of Israel has, over the particularly in his social and incarnational past three years, in one way or another, vision. His life story shows how his focused on our understanding of “place.” theological engagement with Judaism was Connected implicitly with the importance influenced by his social concern for Jews of “place” is the Anglican sense of in the rising tide of antisemitism in Europe “establishment.” This is reflected not only in the 1920s and 1930s—and vice versa. I in the “established” Church of England but would argue that this interplay between also in the traditional links that many the practical and the theological is Anglican Churches in former British characteristic of the Anglican tradition at colonies have with government. Perhaps its very best. Parkes was the driving force Anglicans share something of modern in the formation in 1942 of the London- Judaism’s dilemma of the relation based Council of Christians and Jews, between religion and politics. In Israel one of the key originating groups of the itself the links are very clear, yet Diaspora Councils of Christians and Jews (CCJ) Judaism also understands the sense of movement around the world. In his embarrassment that many contemporary scholarly passion, his social commitment, Anglicans hold about being linked too his organizational vision – yet also a closely with “the powers that be.” With certain quirkiness and sense of being a respect to this matter of place, it is worth lone voice within an established church concluding by referring to two very secure enough to tolerate the unusual – different episodes in the history of Parkes’s life and work represents some Anglican relations with Judaism. key characteristics of the Anglican tradition. Regarding the first, many contemporary Anglicans would be horrified to be reminded of the fact that there is a link 1 See th between early 19 century Evangelical http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1040?q Anglicanism and early Christian Zionism. =judaism 74

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2 The establishment of a possible ‘Anglican http://nifcon.anglicancommunion.org/resources Covenant’ as a means of helping to resolve /documents/generous_love_A4_with_foreward internal tensions in the Anglican Communion .pdf . is a development which has been greeted with ambiguity and concern in some quarters. At the time of writing (November 2012) the eventual success of such a Covenant is Dr Clare Amos is currently Programme uncertain. . Coordinator for Interreligious Dialogue 3 Jeremy Worthen, The Internal Foe: Judaism and Cooperation at the World Council and Anti-Judaism in the Shaping of Christian of Churches. In June 2010, when she Theology (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge delivered this paper at the consultation Scholars Publishing, 2009). in Istanbul, she was Director of 4 In mathematics a surd is defined as follows: Theological Studies in the Anglican “A surd is a radical that is not evaluated, or Communion Office, with responsibility cannot be precisely evaluated”. 5 for theological education and interfaith Anglican Network for Inter Faith Concerns, concerns Generous Love: The Truth of the Gospel and the Call to Dialogue; An Anglican Theology of Inter Faith Relations (London: Anglican Consultative Council, 2008). Available online at

Orthodox Perspectives of prior relations between Jews and Orthodox Christians.) Under the initiative H. E. Metropolitan Emmanuel of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its Orthodox Centre in Chambésy, Geneva, a of France series of seven academic consultations has been jointly organized with the It is with great honour that I am International Jewish Committee on Inter- addressing this Consultation of the World religious Consultations (IJCIC). Council of Churches that is taking place here in Istanbul, a crossroad of cultures The starting point of the seven Jewish- 1 and civilizations for over two millennia. His Orthodox academic meetings was a All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch lecture given by His Eminence Bartholomew has kindly asked me to Metropolitan Damaskinos in 1976 before convey to all of you his greetings and to the Swiss Society for Christian-Jewish welcome you all to the See of the cooperation in Zurich on the theme “The Ecumenical Patriarchate. The topic of this Claim for Absolutism of both Christianity consultation, Christian self-understanding and Judaism and the necessity for in the context of Judaism, gives us the Dialogue between Them,” The first of the opportunity to express our views as seven meetings took place in Lucerne, Orthodox Church regarding our starting in 1977 on the theme “The point in the dialogue with Judaism. Notion of Law in Judaism and Christianity.” 2 A second was held in I would like first of all to recall that the Bucharest, Romania in 1979 on “Tradition Ecumenical Patriarchate and various and Community in Judaism and the Jewish organizations enjoy more than Orthodox Church” and a third in Athens, thirty years of fruitful collaboration in the Greece in 1993 on “Continuity and field of inter-religious dialogue. (We also Renewal.” 3 The fourth meeting took place must not underestimate the longer history at Ma’aleh HaChamisha near Jerusalem, 75

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Israel, in 1998 on “The Encounter of given nation may be, respect toward the Christian Orthodoxy and Judaism with religion of the minorities is necessary. In Modernity,” 4 the fifth occurred at the constantly expanding pluralist Thessaloniki, Greece in May 2003 on the composition of society in virtually all theme “Faithfulness to Our Sources: Our modern states, the legislative protection of Common Commitment to Peace and equality before the law and of all the Justice,” and the sixth in Jerusalem in internationally recognized social rights of March 2007 on “Religious Liberty and the religious “others” constitutes a factor for Relationship between Freedom and stability and social coherence. Religion.” The seventh meeting was held in Athens in November 2009 on the topic The seven academic meetings have “The World in Crisis: Ethical Challenges adopted common principles in order to and Religious Perspectives.” encourage the faithful to better understand one another. Some of these principles are The variety of topics addressed during the following: these academic meetings aimed at promoting the sincere mutual desire • Judaism and Christianity, while among Jews and Orthodox Christians to hearkening to common sources, get to know each other better and by inviolably maintain their internal doing so, to provide the faithful with the individuality and particularity. opportunity to understand that cooperation • The purpose of our dialogue is to and peaceful coexistence can only be remove prejudice and to promote a achieved by an open and sincere spirit of mutual understanding and dialogue. No one can deny that we share constructive cooperation in order to a common spiritual origin, and in the confront common problems. words of His All Holiness in his address to • Specific proposals will be developed to the third academic meeting in 1993, “This educate the faithful of both religions to common spiritual origin of Christians and promote healthy relationships based Jews seems today, more than ever, to on mutual respect and understanding offer a fruitful ground toward the rejection in order to confront bigotry and of the consequences of mutual prevailing fanaticism. hostility during the past, and the • The principle of religious freedom is a establishment of a new relationship fundamental right that flows from our between them, genuine and authentic, mutual biblical affirmation that all rooted in the willingness to work to work human beings are created in the toward mutual understanding and image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). improved knowledge of each other.” Freedom is a divine gift and religious value, and as such must be respected We have to keep in mind that dialogue is and protected. not taking place to convince either of the • The preeminent value of the human parties to convert to the religion of the person obliges us to respect all forms other, but to strengthen the calm and of religious and secular expression, as peaceful cooperation between people, so long as they do not infringe upon or that consciences on both sides may freely threaten the security and religious select the faith that draws them through freedom of individuals, communities, their personal responsibility. My and societies. Conversely, where predecessor, Metropolitan Damaskinos, militant secularism and religious stressed that the full and unconditional extremism pose such a threat, they constitutional and legislative guarantee of must be repudiated and combated. full freedom of religious conscience and other religious freedoms for the citizens of In this framework we can confirm that the all states is indispensable if we want to Orthodox Church, well aware of the great live in a peaceful world. Whatever the problems affecting the whole of origin of the majority of the faithful in any 76

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Denominational Perspectives humankind, already expressed in its first Fifth, our religions are willing to contribute Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference of jointly to publicizing the principles of Chambésy in 1976 its willingness to mutual respect and sincere understanding collaborate with the faithful of other in our educational curricula and textbooks, religions in order to erase any kind of so that the unhealthy phenomena of blind fanaticism and to ensure the realization of fanaticism and religious intolerance may all the ideals of freedom, reconciliation gradually be eliminated. among peoples, and peace in the world for all humankind, without distinction of Sixth , our religions are willing to cooperate race and religion. It is obvious that this through modern ecumenical dialogue to concern is not unique to the Orthodox defend peace, social justice, and human Church. The subject of peace is important rights in relations between individuals and for all Christians and, perhaps with peoples, irrespective of any religious, different emphases, for all of humanity, national, racial, social, or other because it is crucial for the future of the differences. planet. Seventh, our religions are willing to In conclusion, the following seven points support their people’s governments and summarize the positive significance of our international organizations in order to academic consultations toward mutual achieve fuller awareness of these understanding and the wider framework fundamental principles and peaceful co- for relations between Judaism and the existence between the peoples of the Orthodox Church. world.

First, our religions are not willing to disturb the divine heavenly peace in order to serve the deplorable military hysteria of 1 For a historical survey and analysis of the the Earth’s leaders. interreligious dialogue between Orthodoxy and Judaism, see “Le dialogue de l’Eglise Second, our religions are not willing to orthodoxe avec la Tradition juive,” Contacts overlook their teaching about the unity of 216 (Oct.-Dec. 2006): 516-527. the human race in order to serve recent 2 For proceedings, see Greek Orthodox ideologies of fragmentation and social Theological Review 24, no. 4, (1979): 265- conflicts. 327. 3 Proceedings of the Third Academic Meeting Third, our religions are not willing to between Orthodoxy and Judaism, 21-24 replace the call put forward in their March 1993 (Athens, Greece). “Continuity and Renewal,” Immanuel , vol. 26-27, 1994. The teachings for peace and justice in the volume includes a History and Bibliography of world with the demand of more recent Dialogue between Orthodox Christians and ideologies for “a war of all against all.” Jews, 197-249. 4 The proceedings are unpublished. Fourth, our religions are willing, through interfaith dialogue, to heal the wounds of the historic past in order jointly to serve the weak and suffering people of our time His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel in a more consistent and responsible way. of France is the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Europe.

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Thoughts for Opening the and churches participate in each other’s holidays. There are many important Conversation from a North national expressions of Jewish-Christian American Perspective dialogue at a national level. The “scriptural reasoning” movement 1 has been an especially noteworthy development in Rev. Dr Robert O. Smith relationships between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The important insights 1. “What is your starting point for developed through Christian engagement Christian self-understanding in the with Jewish theological reflection and context of Judaism?” dialogical encounter have been adopted 2. “What methodological insights by national church bodies and promoted does your region or confessional at the congregational level. tradition bring to the table?” Nevertheless, the awareness most North My own starting-points for Christian self- American Christians have about Jews is understanding in the context of Judaism is linked to the Holocaust, the perception of shaped by history and theology. I seek to some bond between Jews and Christians be responsive to the suffering inflicted on expressed in common defense of the Jews by Christian communities through “Judeo-Christian” tradition, and the State the centuries. Our Christian traditions are of Israel. This complex of associations, implicated in this history of unjust especially when tied with constructions of suffering, even if our communities did not Jews through biblical images, produces a directly commit sins of either omission or flattened image incompatible with commission. Theologically and ethically contemporary Jews in all their speaking, my first starting-point is complexities and diversities. While many affirmation that we share the same God Christian perceptions of Jews drawn from (though differently conceived) and much the Bible are positive, others could benefit of the same revelatory tradition. from nuanced pastoral contextualization, especially of those negative images of My second starting-point is that we also Jews contained in first-century Christian share the same flawed human desire for narratives. self-verification that tempts each of us to impose ourselves on those who cannot Simplistic comprehensions of biblical agree with us doctrinally or conform to us narratives also affect North American culturally. Human beings too often seem Christian views of Muslims and Christians incapable of allowing differences to exist in Muslim contexts. The positive political in tension, too eager to claim that the construct of the “Judeo-Christian” independent existence of an other tradition, originally developed to define impinges on the existence of our selves. It Western values against totalitarianism, is the reality of Christian political power has been used (despite objections from that has made these unethical temptations many Jews and Christians) to build a into a history of tragedy for Jewish- defensive wall against Muslims around Christian encounter. Christians and Jews. With the “Judeo- Christian tradition”’s mobilization in More broadly speaking, Jewish-Christian Huntington’s “Clash of Civilizations” engagement occurs at all levels of North 2 thesis, Arab and Muslim civilization in all American society, especially in those of its complexity, including its significant areas with a high Jewish population: local Christian populations, has been consigned rabbis have good relationships with many to outer darkness. and church leaders; synagogues 78

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In North America, attitudes toward the State of Israel are a common feature of 1 The Scriptural Reasoning Movement is Christian self-understanding in the context described as follows: Scriptural Reasoning is a of Judaism, whether or not Israel is practice of inter-faith reading. Small groups of explicitly mentioned in dialogical Jews, Christians and Muslims, and sometimes encounters. North American political, people of other faiths, gather to read short economic, and military power is central to passages from their scriptures.The participants don’t have to agree. They may not the continued ability of the State of Israel accept one another’s texts as scripture, nor to project its own power in its agree with each other’s reading of them. neighbourhood. State and imperial power Scriptural Reasoning is a process that works thus become essential sites of theological even when the participants differ strongly, and reflections. Mainline churches, while when those differences really matter to them. theologically compatible with Jewish It is not about seeking agreement, but about interests, have not translated those understanding one another’s differences. See: http://www.scripturalreasoning.org/ theological shifts into political support for 2 Israel’s political proclivities. Debates over Huntington first presented his thesis about church-related efforts to put economic “civilizations” (including a theory of religio- cultural identity) as a basis for conflict in the pressure on the State of Israel to end its post-Cold War world in 1992 and developed it occupation of Palestinian territory are a further into Samuel P. Huntington, “The Clash current feature of engagement between of Civilizations?” Foreign Affairs 72, no. 3 Christians and Jews. On the other hand, (Summer 1993): 22-49. Huntington expanded politically mobilized Christian Zionism– the article into a book published three years already known to provide favorable later. political perspectives toward the State of Israel–has recently promoted theological understandings more compatible with the interests of some Jewish leaders. It Rev. Dr Robert O. Smith is Program remains to be seen whether this politically- Director for the Middle East and North charged atmosphere of Jewish-Christian Africa for the Evangelical Lutheran engagement can continue to produce Church in America. He holds a breakthroughs in understanding between doctorate from Baylor University and is Christians and Jews, or whether it can co-author of Christians and a Land even be sustained. . Called Holy (2006).

A Palestinian Christian inherited from the European church, in order for constructive dialogue and mutual understanding of the Christian acceptance between the two sides to be relationship to Judaism and affirmed. Palestinian Christians are, however, ideally situated at the the Jewish People intersection between the Western church and Eastern culture and thus can help to Dr Salim Munayer facilitate this dialogue.

Jewish-Christian relations, and in The political environment means that the particular Palestinian Christian relations encounter between Palestinian Christians with Judaism and the Jewish people, are and Jews takes place in the context of the confused and highly complicated. They conflict in the Holy Land. My own family, have to negotiate not simply the current for example, were made refugees in their political climate, but also paths through own town of Lod, having witnessed the history of antisemitism which has been traumatic acts of violence. Such a context 79

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Regional Perspectives makes it incredibly difficult for Palestinians come from within the Palestinian to relate to Israeli Jews and the Jewish community are repressed for fear that they Diaspora with sympathy for the Jews’ will harm the reconciliation which is persecuted history in Europe; it colours all currently occurring between Jews and encounters between the two sides. Western Christians.

As a child, I grew up in the Orthodox The Palestinian Christian encounter with Church, in which the theologically Judaism and the Jewish people is heavily substantiated hatred of the Jewish people, influenced by the Israel-Palestine conflict. long prevalent in Western Christianity, What began originally as largely an ethnic was completely alien to my Greek and political struggle between Arab Orthodox upbringing. It was only as I nationalism and Jewish Zionism over began studying in a Jewish high school territory has increasingly taken on that I was suddenly exposed to the whole religious dimensions which colour the history of the relationship between meeting of Palestinian Christians and Western Christians and Jews, which is Jews. Islamism has become much more now dominated by the events of the important, as well as Jewishness, leaving Shoah. That history was projected onto Palestinian Christian identity on the me and began to cloud my relationship sidelines of this encounter. This neglect is with my Jewish classmates and teachers. also prominent in the writings of Western It was here that I began to bear the weight Christians regarding the conflict, which of the history of Western Christianity, often fail to acknowledge the existence of which has become the normative history an indigenous Christian community in the of Christianity around which Jewish- region. Christian dialogue is now framed and formulated. There is a tendency in the West to adopt a bi-polar view of the world. This bi-polar Western Christianity has now attempted to worldview contrasts the East with the articulate a new framework for West, the uncivilized with the civilized, and constructing Jewish-Christian dialogue in Jews and Christians with Muslims. Again, order to enter a process of reconciliation. this reductionist perspective fails to The second Vatican Council, for example, articulate a coherent and necessary space gave a positive theological space to the for the Palestinian Christians who claim an Jewish people, yet one which was identity with both the Christian West and couched in post-Shoah guilt and went, their Muslim Arab brothers and sisters. arguably, beyond the boundaries of strict This view has also served to propagate Christian orthodoxy. Theological notions the logic and language of Islamophobia, in such as two-covenant theology have been which Muslims from the uncivilized East adopted as a way of moving beyond the are considered backward and violent; on antisemitism which operated under the the other side, it has also served to guise of Christian supersessionism in the propagate antisemitism beyond the West, yet they sharply diverge from Western world. Western antisemitic orthodox Christian beliefs. Indeed literature has been translated into Arabic antisemitism or “anti-Semitism” as a and this new religious language now is nominal term cannot correctly be applied injected into a national conflict. equally to the Arab and to the European, for in the Palestinian context, both groups School textbooks in each community of people are Semites. neglect the narrative of the other side and as a result, there is a large knowledge Not only are these foreign ideas and this gap, on both sides, regarding the religion normative history forced upon Palestinian of the other. There is no comprehensive Christians when they enter into the school textbook written for Palestinian context of Jewish-Christian relations, but Christians which presents the full history any protesting or dissenting voices which of the Jewish people, their customs, and 80

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Regional Perspectives their religion. This ignorance only serves Jews and Christians in Israel and the to fuel more stereotypes and prejudices impact such estrangement has on both among Palestinian Christians and the sides. Daniel Rossing, former Director of wider Palestinian community. At the same the Jerusalem Centre for Jewish-Christian time , there is an increasing output of Relations, comments on the way that violent literature and writings by a number recognition of Jesus’ Jewishness has of rabbis against Muslim and Christian become a mantra for those wishing to Arabs. Rabbi Yaacov Perrin, for example, enter the sphere of Jewish-Christian in a eulogy for Baruch Goldstein, relations. However he believes that what commented that “One million Arabs are is of utmost importance in the Holy Land is not worth a single Jewish fingernail.” Such recognition that Jesus is not just a Jew, language merely serves to widen the gap but the Word Incarnate, which requires of knowledge and heighten hostilities from adherents to the Jewish religion the between Arabs and Jews. use of more reverential language appropriate to such a fundamental For the first time since the early church Christian tenet. there is a Christian minority living amongst a Jewish majority; this is in stark contrast In spite of such a negative portrayal of to the usual Western demography in Jewish-Christian relations in the Holy which a persecuted Jewish minority is Land, there are also notable positive forced to navigate a Christian majority encounters. Judaism, from its contact with situation. Palestinian Christians are not a Western culture, has been heavily threat to the national state: the Arab influenced by the Enlightenment project, Christian community is characterized by secular politics, and other forms of its high levels of education and positive Western thinking. Arab Christians have contribution to Israeli society. In spite of also been greatly influenced by Western this, its members are often persecuted culture and historical ideas, which can and treated as second-class citizens. now serve as a basis for dialogue between Arab Christians and Jews. It is In 2008 the Jerusalem Centre for Jewish- also important to consider the role shared 1 Christian Relations (JCJCR) undertook sacred texts can play as a way of research to investigate attitudes of adult facilitating fruitful dialogue between the Israeli Jews toward Christians and a two groups. There is still a long way to go Christian presence in Israel. The results of however, before relations are entirely the research showed that over half of affable. those asked had no Christian friends, over 40 percent believed that Christianity was As a result of much of the conflict and an idolatrous religion, and 46 percent did prejudices that operate within the sphere not believe that Jerusalem should be a of the relations between Palestinian central city for the Christian world, but Christians and Jews, it has become very claimed a monopoly on Jerusalem for the difficult for many Palestinian Christians to Jewish people. The research also detailed understand how it is that their own specific examples of anti-Christian Scriptures have been used by many incidents such as arson attacks on Jewish people to legitimize their claims to churches, increased desecration of the land. The same Scriptures which churches and Christian gravesites, and Palestinian Christians have used to the particularly shocking incident in May interpret their religious identity, their 2008 in which hundreds of copies of the calling, their sense of mission and New Testament were publicly burned by historical and religious heritage, are now Orthodox Jewish students from a yeshiva used by their enemies in order to oppress in the Old City of Jerusalem. them. Some Palestinian Christians have chosen to repress or completely reject Such occurrences serve to illustrate the their spiritual and religious identity as widening gap and inequality between Christians, believing it to be in conflict with 81

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Regional Perspectives their ethnic and nationalistic identities, and East and the West to develop their own have embraced the secular Palestinian theological framework for constructing nationalist movement’s political struggle fruitful dialogue between Jews and for freedom. Other Palestinian Christians Christians. downplay the significance of the Old Testament in the canon and tend to read 1 selectively, leaving out passages which “Research on Israeli Jews’ Attitudes towards are more nationalistic and instead Christians”: focusing on the moral and ethical http://www.jcjcr.org/activity_view.php?aid=626 . teachings of Jesus and Paul in the New Testament. Dr Salim J. Munayer is a professor at The challenge for Palestinian Christians the Bethlehem Bible College and part therefore, is to develop a theology of the of the Adjunct Faculty at Fuller Jewish people from their own context as Theological Seminary. He is also the they relate to the state of Israel, but one founder (1990) and director of which is not wholly coloured by the conflict Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation. He and recognizes that their spiritual heritage is involved in leadership training for comes from the Jewish people. Out of the pastors in the and Jerusalem painful relationship between Jews and areas. He has edited several books, and written articles on the subjects of Arabs, Palestinian Christians attempt to reconciliation, the Palestinian/Israeli navigate their way through the mistakes of conflict and Christian Palestinian Western Christianity and increasing identity. religious conflict between Western Christians and Muslims. They are also uniquely placed in the gap between the

A Palestinian Christian We may interpret this fact in two ways: Reading of the Old Testament 1. In different situations, believers read the Word of God to find what supports their Fr Jamal Khader choices and their ideologies. Here the Bible may say different things in different “Why should we read the Old Testament situations, or opponents may read the anyway? Don’t we have the New Bible and find opposite conclusions. Testament? Isn’t it enough?” We Whites in South Africa based their sometimes hear such questions from apartheid system on the Bible and blacks Christian Palestinians. In our liturgical found in the Bible reasons to oppose texts, we used to avoid the word “Israel,” apartheid. That is using the Bible; that is replacing it with “the people” or “Jacob.” In an ideological reading of the Word of God. the Paschal Vigil, a few communities decided to skip the reading of the Exodus. 2. The second way is to read the Bible to Those are some of the difficulties in find answers and to see the message of reading the Old Testament. God to us, now, in this situation. Here we learn from the Word of God, and let this Every reading of the Bible is a contextual Word penetrate in our lives and choices. reading. For 2000 years, Christians and We learn from the Bible, and we try to Jews have read the Holy Scriptures in translate it in our lives. different contexts and the Word of God has nourished their lives and continues to How to ensure the difference between do so. “making the Word of God say what we want” and “letting the Word of God teach 82

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Regional Perspectives us”? One of the criteria is to accept the hear religious arguments and justifications whole Bible, and not to have a “Scripture for the political situation. Those claims within the Scripture,” not to have a came from the settlers’ movement and selection of texts; if we look for a support then expanded beyond it, from the Muslim for our ideologies, most probably, we will Brotherhood, with its Palestinian version, find it. We need to accept the whole Bible, the Hamas movement, and from Christian including the difficult texts, and then keep Zionists of both sorts: the American and the tension between those texts. the European versions of Christian Zionism should not be conflated or The Palestinian Christian Context confused; they come from two different contexts with different premises. Christian The Palestinian context is characterized Zionist ideas have infiltrated mainstream by the following (though this is not a churches and theologies. The context and complete vision of that context): the background of such theologies are * Our history: Two thousand years of neither my context nor my background. Christianity with all the changing regimes, When I hear some theologians or from the Roman and then Byzantine churches speaking of a “Christian” empires to the Israeli occupation and the theology, I do not recognize myself in that Palestinian semi-autonomy. The Christian theology. To put it differently, antisemitism presence suffered because of all this and the Holocaust, as terrible as they are, change, going from a large majority to a are not part of my background. I agree very small two percent. All those changes fully that we all need to fight antisemitism, are not “history,” the past; they are the no question about it. The question layers of our collective conscience. We remains: what are the implications of still have nostalgia for the Byzantine era, post-Holocaust theologies or Christian when all you could see in Jerusalem was Zionist theologies for the future of peace churches… and we still suffer from the and justice in the Holy Land? Crusades until this present day. * Relations with the Jews and Judaism : * Small in numbers: We are two percent The relationship between Christians and of the inhabitants of the Holy Land Jews in the Holy Land is different from (Palestine/Israel); it is still hard for us to that in Europe. Christians in Israel are part realize and accept this fact. In every new of the Arab minority and, in the Palestinian government or new elections of any kind, Territories, live under occupation. Our we still search the names to see how story is one of displacement and many Christians are there and whether we dispossession. The contact between are well represented! On the other hand, Christians and Jews is made in the the Christian presence is much larger than context of political, national, or even social the Christian percentage; the work of tensions. It is hard to talk about dialogue, Christian institutions and organizations, except for a few fortunate groups, usually the Churches, and the active role of inside Israel, and without real impact on individual Christians in politics, literature, general Christian-Jewish relations. As for social life, and the economy make this theological reflection, it is relatively recent presence an important one. We can say and it focuses more on the religious that Palestinian society, Palestinian aspects of the conflict. culture, is a Christian-Muslim one. The Christian Reading of the Bible in * Political conflict: since the early 20 th the Kairos Palestine Document century, we have lived in a political conflict Into this context comes the Kairos where, as a Palestinian people, our Palestine document. (The official title of national rights are denied. The conflict the document is “A Moment of Truth.” 165 ) was always seen as a political-national The document has many aspects; I will one until the 1980s, when we began to focus mainly on the section entitled 83

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“Faith,” where we talk about the reading specific reading; it defends the legitimacy and interpretation of the Bible. of a Christian Christological reading.

1. In the context of denying the authority 5. Theology can hurt. It is not, and has of the Old Testament, we repeat our belief never been, simply an intellectual in the whole Bible, Old and New exercise. The Word of God is a word of Testament. No new Marcionism is life, Good News. That is why it is tolerated. “unacceptable to transform the Word of God into letters of stone that pervert the 2. We renew our faith in the basic love of God and His providence in the life message of the Bible, in God as a just of both peoples and individuals. This is God, creator of all human beings in his precisely the error in fundamentalist image, giving them dignity. Biblical interpretation that brings us death and destruction when the word of God is We believe in a good and just God, who petrified and transmitted from generation loves each one of his creatures. We to generation as a dead letter ” (Kairos believe that every human being is created 2.2.2). The document states: “Certain in God’s image and likeness and that theologians in the West try to attach a every one's dignity is derived from the biblical and theological legitimacy to the dignity of the Almighty One. We believe infringement of our rights.” Thus, their that this dignity is one and the same in interpretations have “become a menace to each and all of us . (Kairos 2.1). our very existence. The ‘good news’ in the The translation of this faith in God is “that Gospel itself has become ‘a harbinger of we might come and know and love one death’ for us. We call on these theologians another, and together build up the land in to deepen their reflection on the Word of love and mutual respect” (Kairos 2.1). God and to rectify their interpretations so that they might see in the Word of God a 3. How do we understand the word of source of life for all peoples.” (Kairos God? We believe that “Jesus Christ came 2.3.3) in order to fulfill the Law and the Prophets .” He interprets Scripture as he 6. “In light of the teachings of the Holy did with the two disciples on their way to Bible, the promise of the land has never Emmaus. “He came with "a new teaching" been a political programme, but rather the (Mk 1:27), casting a new light on the Old prelude to complete universal salvation.” Testament, on the themes that relate to (Kairos 2.3) “ It is God’s land and our Christian faith and our daily lives, therefore it must be a land of themes such as the promises, the reconciliation, peace and love. This is election, the people of God and the land.” indeed possible. God has put us here as (Kairos 2.2.2) two peoples, and God gives us the capacity to live together and establish in it 4. The Christological reading of the Old justice and peace, making it in reality Testament is well known, beginning with God's land: ‘The earth is the Lord's and all the New Testament itself (see for example that is in it, the world, and those who live the Letter to the Hebrews). We Christians in it’ (Ps. 24:1).” (Kairos 2.3.1) can never read the Old Testament as if the New did not exist; the two Testaments 7. “Our task is to safeguard the Word of are linked not only from a historical point God as a source of life and not of death, of view but from a theological point of so that ‘the good news’ remains what it is, view. We have two readings of the Old ‘good news for us and for all. In face of Testament, the Jewish reading and the those who use the Bible to threaten our Christian reading, including the texts existence as Christian and Muslim related to the Promised Land. Here the Palestinians, we renew our faith in God Kairos document does not suggest any because we know that the word of God

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Regional Perspectives cannot be the source of our destruction.” (Kairos 2.3.4). Father Jamal Khader is the Chairperson of the Department of 8. The conclusion is that “any use of the Religious Studies and the Dean of Arts Bible to legitimize or support political at Bethlehem University. He has a options and positions that are based upon Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from injustice, imposed by one person on the Pontifical Gregorian University in another, or by one people on another, Rome where he completed his thesis transform religion into human ideology on the official dialogue between the and strip the Word of God of its holiness, Catholic Church and the Orthodox its universality and truth. We also declare Church. He is a member of the that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Theological Reflection Committee of land is a sin against God and humanity the Latin Patriarchate and of the because it deprives the Palestinians of Committee of Dialogue with Jews. Fr their basic human rights, bestowed by Jamal teaches at the Latin Seminary in God. It distorts the image of God in the Beit Jala, Bethlehem University, the Israeli who has become an occupier just Emmaus Center in Beit Sahour, and as it distorts this image in the Palestinian Mar Elias College in Ibillin. He also living under occupation. We declare that teaches Peace Studies and Conflict any theology, seemingly based on the Resolution Strategies for the master's Bible or on faith or on history, that in International Cooperation and legitimizes the occupation, is far from Development (MICAD) programme. Christian teachings, because it calls for violence and holy war in the name of God Almighty, subordinating God to temporary human interests, and distorting the divine image in the human beings living under both political and theological injustice.” (Kairos 2.4 – 2.5)

In the Kairos document we quote many times from both the Old and the New Testaments. We have tried to offer a contextual reading; and we have tried not to ignore difficult texts, including the commandment to love our enemies.

The Kairos Palestine document is an example of a reading that I can describe as ecumenical, contextual, and bearing a message of hope, where thousands of Palestinians can recognize their faith and a meaning for their struggle.

165 The document can be found online at http://www.kairospalestine.ps/sites/default/Doc uments/English.pdf in English. It is available in several other languages at http://www.kairospalestine.ps/?q=content/docu ment .

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Latin American Perspectives - “Miren qué bueno” (Psalm 133, “Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers Bishop Emeritus Aldo M. dwell in unity”) and “Te exaltaré mi Dios mi Rey y bendeciré tu nombre Etchegoyen eternamente” (Psalm 145, “I will extol thee, my God and King, and bless thy Religious Dialogue in the Context of name for ever and ever”). the Global Empire The Jews are people in covenant with What is your starting point for Christian God, and Christians, through Jesus self-understanding in the context of Christ, are the family of the God of Judaism? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Every Sunday this family goes to the Let me begin with a personal experience. Communion Table in the worship service Several days ago, I received an invitation to remember the words of Jesus, “This is to take part in a roundtable about religious my body which is for you. Do this in questions and answers at a Catholic remembrance of me.” In the same way secondary school near Buenos Aires. In also Jesus took the cup after supper, the dialogue an issue about the Virgin saying “This cup is the new covenant in Mary arose. As a Methodist bishop, I my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, preferred to remain silent, but somebody in remembrance of me” (I Cor. 11:25-26). asked me directly, “I want to know: what is your opinion about the Virgin Mary?” Let me offer my interpretation of Jesus’ words “I am the way, the truth, and the My answer was short: life” in relation to Christian identity: Jesus is our way to know the truth and the life of 1. The Virgin Mary was not Catholic. the God of Israel. 2. Of course, she was not Protestant. 3. She was a humble Jewish woman with I know it is not necessary to say this in a a deep faith in God. meeting like this, but we must think about this issue in Christian communities—in The people in the auditorium remained in local churches and congregations. When I silence; after a moment, somebody gave that answer about Mary the mother commented, “I think you are right, bishop.” of Jesus in a Roman Catholic secondary school, it was something new for many Then the dialogue began to recall that people. It was a new understanding of the Jesus was a Jew, as were his disciples, identity of the Virgin Mary and a new self- and that all the writers of the Bible were understanding for the audience as members of the family of Israel, except Christian people who were not only Saint Luke. Catholics, but Methodists and members of My starting point for this meeting is this other denominations. I think this is the issue; it is directly related to our identity as cornerstone of Christian self- the Christian-Jewish community. understanding in the context of Judaism. Surely you can lay the other stones. Christian people, churches, and theological institutions constantly use 1) What methodological insights do you Jewish elements in their community life. bring to the table? The Psalms are a very important part of our piety and liturgy. Our theological reflection must take place in relation to our congregations. It must In Latin America, we sing several psalms speak to and with people in numerous set to folk music. Some examples are communities around the world, in 86

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Regional Perspectives churches as well in synagogues. We I know this is not easy; it is a challenge. have to think of the places where the Not everybody thinks in the same way. people are and, with respect to this issue We need authentic Jewish and Christian of Christian self-understanding in relation people not only engaging in dialogue but to Judaism, they are especially in also working together, seeking justice and churches and synagogues. Today Jews peace. and Christians interact with one another in sports, cultural life, political parties, From our experience in Latin America, I business, music, and other settings and have seen that it is possible to work activities. Why do they not attend each together for example in defense of human other’s religious celebrations more rights and in a variety of social programs. I frequently? assume it is the same in many other continents and countries. I suppose the perspective is better at a theological level. In Argentina, more than A final comment: I see our reflection here thirty years ago, we began to share as linked to the major objective of theological studies at the Rabbinic dialogue between Jews and Christians, Seminary and the Union Theological which is to offer a united service to lead to Seminary (ISEDET) in Buenos Aires. This a world without unnecessary suffering—a program continues today and we have world with strong pillars of truth, justice, excellent academic relations among peace, and love. Jewish and Christian theological Bishop Emeritus Aldo M. Etchegoyen professors, but we still have to break down barriers between churches and is Bishop in the Methodist Church of synagogues. Argentina.

Around the world we have important interreligious relations; Jews and Christians are in dialogue and working together; but we still have to cross those frontiers between congregations.

European Perspectives understand ourselves without understanding God´s history with Israel Rev. Katja Kriener and from there with the Gentiles. This is the main difference from the dialogues with other religions: Jewish-Christian I want to dedicate this paper to Prof. dialogue is at the heart of Christian self- Klaus Wengst on the occasion of his understanding. 70 th birthday. 2. The Jewishness of the Christian What is your starting point for Christian Faith self-understanding in the context of Judaism? As Christians we believe in the God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, 1. Jewish Christian Dialogue: Not Only Jacob and Rachel. a “Context” but the “Basic Text” Jesus was a Jew in a Jewish context that Jewish-Christian dialogue is unlike the he never left, neither in his deeds nor in dialogue with any other religion. his preaching. He opens the door for the Gentiles to participate in God’s history For Christians it is not only a possibility, with Israel and the Gentiles. but necessity! As Christians we cannot 87

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Our hope and our waiting for the Messiah explicitly, this fundamental hostility against is a Jewish hope. Jews within Christian doctrine exists. Due to this, most Christians and their churches Our prayers and psalms in the liturgy are did not raise their voices when the Nazis from the Jewish prayer book. marginalized, terrorized, and murdered the Jewish population across Europe. In Our basic ethical teaching in Sunday retrospect, many churches in Europe were schools—the Ten Commandments—is deeply appalled at their own actions. Why from the Torah, the core of the Jewish did we keep silent? Why were we blind? Bible. We were blind because we did not see the Thus, our hopes, our prayers, and our hostility against Jews and Judaism which teachings are part of God´s revelation to was fused with Christian theology. We and history with Israel. We are involved in kept silent because we had stigmatized this. We share in them. Judaism as hostile and opposed to Christian belief. We did not acknowledge Furthermore, as a Protestant Christian it is God´s enduring covenant with the Jewish a very important point for me to remember people. Rosemary Ruether once that my constitutional charter, the Bible in poignantly characterized anti -Judaism as both parts, has been transmitted by Jews. the left hand of Christology. (In her view, they are two sides of the same coin.) The Bible is a Jewish document—in the first part and in the second part, the New 4. Crippling Inheritance: Anti-Judaism Testament. Thus we have to get to know the Jewish faith, Jewish history, Jewish Whoever inherits the house cannot do this self- understandings, if we want to know without accepting the mortgage. Christian who we are as Christians. self-understanding has defined itself from the outset at the expense of Judaism. How did we reach this conclusion? An important factor in this was the 3. The European Hermeneutics: doctrine of substitution, which views the Jewish-Christian History church as taking the place of Israel with respect to its being chosen by God. The memory of the Shoah in Europe, and in Germany in particular, has sharpened Accepting the inheritance means this insight. accepting guilt. Thus the Evangelical Church of the Rhineland worked hard to From its inception, the Gentile church was find a new basis for and understanding of prejudiced against the Jewish people and its relationship to Jews and Judaism. The the Jewish faith and raised many result was a declaration of the Synod of accusations against them. In numerous this church in 1980. The Synod declared: sermons and theological writings we find “We confess with dismay the co- that to be a Christian first of all meant to responsibility and guilt of German be not-Jewish. Jews were ill spoken of Christendom for the Holocaust.” and cursed. In the course of the centuries this recurred again and again. This This is not, however, a theology of guilt; it development reached a gruesome climax is the awareness that there is a direct path in Europe, with the attempt of the National • from religious defamation Socialist terror regime in Germany (1933- • 1945) to the entire Jewish people. via social discrimination • First individual Christians and later the to physical violence, the murder of the churches realised that this genocide had Jews (which took on an extreme form its roots in hostility within Christian in Germany). preaching and teaching. Even if nothing is said against Jews or the Jewish belief 88

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Anti-Judaism and antisemitism did not end 6. A New Paradigm of Theology in 1945 and can be found in different forms all over the world. Traditional theology sees Jesus Christ as the hermeneutical framework in which to 5. Renewal understand the church and its relationship to Judaism and the Jewish people. As Christians with Gentile roots we are involved in God’s history with the Jewish Renewed theology turns this on its head. people from our inception. This means It sees God´s history with Israel as the hermeneutical framework for • we have to involve ourselves with understanding Jesus Christ and the Jews and Judaism. Church. • We have to study Jewish thought and 1 learn about and from Jewish faith. King James Version.

The Gentiles of the world will flock to Zion, thus prophesies Micah. Or as Zechariah Rev. Katja Kriener, born in 1958, 8:23 puts it: studied theology in Wuppertal, Bonn, Jerusalem and Tübingen. She has been Thus saith the Lord of hosts: involved in Jewish-Christian relations In those days it shall come to pass, for more than 25 years. From 1993 to 2010 she held the position as Pastor that ten men shall take hold out of all for Jewish – Christian dialogue in the languages of the nations, Evangelical Church of the Rhineland, coordinating and organizing seminars even shall take hold of the skirt of him and conferences, as well as editing that is a Jew, saying: books. From 1995 – 2009 she served as chairwoman of the program Studies We will go with you: for we have heard in Israel, which enables students of 1 that God is with you. theology to study a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and With this vision in mind, the Evangelical delve deeply into Judaism and to Church of the Rhineland supplemented its explore the multi-faceted reality in Charter in 1996, professing “the Israel and Palestine. Since 2010 Katja faithfulness of God, who stands by the Kriener works as a pastor at the election of his people Israel. Together with Melanchthon-Academy in Cologne. Israel it hopes for a new heaven and a new earth.”

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Obituary

In Memoriam: The Rev. Johan Snoek (1920 – 2012)

The Rev. Johannes Martinus Snoek died on 31 August 2012. He served the World Council of Churches as Secretary of the Committee on the Church and the Jewish People (CCJP) 1970 - 1975.

Johan was eminently qualified for this role. During World War II he took an active part in the resistance movement against the German occupation of the Netherlands. Along with others, he helped to hide a number of Jewish people and was arrested as a result. After the war he studied theology and became involved in the freighted discussions about Jewish and Christian relations, challenging conversations because of the long history of oppression of the Jews in Europe, challenging also because of the extermination of Jews (and others) by the Nazis. One of the key questions in these discussions became “What is the meaning of theology after Auschwitz?”

Johan had also worked as a chaplain at the hospital of the Church of Scotland Mission in Tiberias, on the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Israel, 1957-1969. In 1958, the Mission became a hospice named the Church of Scotland Centre. In addition, Johan was involved in the foundation of Nes Ammim , a Christian community in the northern district of Israel. Its purpose was dialogue with Jews. Subsequently, the dialogue also included Muslims. Johan spoke fluent Hebrew and gave many lectures in Israel, including in several kibbutzim.

Johan at the WCC

In his role as Secretary of the Committee on the Church and the Jewish People at the WCC, Johan helped to organize the first joint conference of the WCC and the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC) in December 1972. After consultation with Dr Riegner of IJCIC, Mr Gabriel Habib, later to be General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, was also invited. More conferences followed.

After the truce which followed the Yom Kippur war (1973), Johan was one of two WCC representatives who visited the Middle East. He and his colleague succeeded in visiting two captive Israeli pilots in Syria. In the autumn 2011 one of the pilots expressed his gratitude to Johan during a visit to him in Rotterdam. This emotional meeting was televised in Israel. A hoped for “trialogue” between Muslims, Jews, and Christians did not materialize. However, there was a conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka with participants representing Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Johan’s work meant that his wife Corrie Dijkstra had to look after their five children by herself for months at a time.

The Grey Book

The question has often been raised: “Did the churches keep silent about the persecution of the Jews?” “There was a complete and terrible silence from the side of the church,” the chair of the Israeli parliament declared in 1963. But Johan remembered a church service in his local Dutch village congregation on Sunday, 23 March 1941. On that occasion, a countrywide pulpit message by the synod of his church was read. It contained a strong protest against the racist Nazi policies against the Jews. Other churches in the Netherlands also spoke out. The conspiracy of silence was broken! Johan undertook a five year study about church protests by non-Roman Catholic churches in Europe and the United States of America against antisemitism and the persecution of the Jews between 1933 and 1945. The title of his book, The Grey Book , indicates that not all was black, but that there was light in darkness. The book is still available, now in electronic form, at www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14764 . 90

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Obituary

The Dissipation of Darkness

Through his work in Geneva and his many contacts with Christians from other continents, Johan became more and more conscious of the injustice suffered by the Palestinians and of the extent of Israeli responsibility for the flight of some 700,000 Palestinians in 1948 at the time of the foundation of the State of Israel. Johan spoke and wrote about this in several articles and also in a book written in Dutch, the title of which, translated into English, reads: Jewish and Palestinian Tears , with the subtitle Church Resistance against Auschwitz; The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (Vught, 2010). For years Johan stayed in contact with Mordechai Vanunu, a former Israeli nuclear physicist who was opposed to weapons of mass destruction and who revealed details of Israeli's nuclear weapons programme.

Johan combined his unbroken love for the Jews and defence of the non-relinquishable bond with Israel (which he believed was not necessarily the same as the State of Israel) with his love for the Palestinians. He concluded his last book by saying: “When Jews and Palestinians recognize each other as human beings, then darkness will be gone.”

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New from WCC Publications

S. Wesley Ariarajah Your God, My God, Our God

A constructive proposal for a Christian theology of religions—

“In this tightly argued and lucidly written little book, Wesley Ariarajah offers a staunch response to those academics who recently have been calling for a ‘moratorium on the theology of religions.’ He makes clear that the urgency of engaging followers of other religious traditions provides the opportunity to review, reform, and re- appropriate one’s own. In both college classrooms and parish discussion groups, this is a book that will engage and inspire.” Paul F. Knitter Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions, and Culture Union Theological Seminary, New York

“No one has been better situated by experience and vocation to understand the change in the relation of Christianity and the religions than Wesley Ariarajah. And no one exceeds his generosity of spirit in interpreting the controversies that change arouses. Radical in its scope and humble in its spirit, this book distils the theological counsel of a pioneering thinker.… Whether provoked to agreement or to argument, all of us who care for these questions will be the better for hearing the case he makes with the same open heart with which he offers it.” S. Mark Heim Samuel Abbot Professor of Christian Theology Andover Newton Theological School

"Challenging, provocative, and thoughtful, Your God, My God, Our God is not afraid to confront a vitally important question for today – how our increased awareness of religious plurality affects Christian theology itself. Readers may not agree with all of Ariarajah’s answers, but they will discover in this exploration a draught of heady new wine which refreshes the spirit and encourages them to carry on with their own theological wrestling." Clare Amos Programme Executive, Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation World Council of Churches

Available at bookstores, online retailers, and WCCP distributors in North America (www.isbs.com ) and UK/Europe (www.gazellebookservices.co.uk)

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An invitation to participate

The 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) will take place from 30 October to 8 November 2013 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

The assembly will be a unique spac e in which churches in our time may reflect, speak , pray and work together; challenge and support each other; and share and debate wit h one another. Representatives of member churches, ecumenical partners and others from all over the world will celebrate our common faith and chart a common future.

I invite you to support the 10th Assembly through a financial contribution. The energy and vision of all the member churches will be neede d to shape the future work of the WCC so that it will have a real an d sustained impact on the world in the years to come. Your donation will make possible the participation of member church delegates, ensuring the full representation of the fellowship of churches.

RevReReRe v.vv... Dr Olav Fykse Tveit WCC general secretary

Get involved in preparing the Assembly

• Learn: Visit the assembly website at www.wcc2013.info for resources and reflections on the assembly theme from around the world.

• Engage: Study and discuss ecumenical Christianity worldwide using the resource Pilgrimage to Busan , available on the assembly website.

• Pray: Please pray for the assembly using the prayer on the assembly bookmark.

• Promote: Make others aware of the assembly by hanging the assembly poster in your church or meeting hall.

• WWWorshipWorshiporship:::: Follow the Ecumenica l Prayer Cycle found on the WC C website (www. oikoumene.org) and in the volum e In God’s Hands: Common Prayer for the World in your weekly worship, offering prayer s for the churches and peoples around the world.

• Donate: Please visit the WCC website at www.oikoumene.org/make-a-donation or use the assembly pledge card to make a special fi nancial contribution in support of the assembl y.

Go to http://wcc2013.info

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Woolf Institute Visiting Fellowship 2014

The Woolf Institute, which specialises in the study of relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims from a multidisciplinary perspective, invites applications for its annual visiting fellowship.

The Fellowship, tenable for a two to three month period that overlaps one of the Cambridge terms 2014:

Lent term: 14 January–14 March 2014

Easter term: 22 April–13 June 2014

The successful candidate will be expected to be involved in a project of academic research, public education or of the arts in an area relevant to the Institute’s work. The Fellow will be asked to present their work at a symposium on the subject of their project proposal.

There is no stipend attached to the Fellowships, but Fellows will be entitled to free accommodation in Cambridge and round-trip travel from their country to Cambridge. They will also have access to the Woolf Institute and Cambridge University libraries.

The Fellowship is available for a postdoctoral scholar of any academic rank, a policymaker or analyst in a relevant area of work, or an artist (writer, painter, photographer, etc.) and will most likely be asked to participate in some of the Institute's teaching or practice-based activities. Further information about the Institute can be found at: http://www.woolf.cam.ac.uk.

A letter of application, CV, the names of two referees who may be approached, a project proposal (1,500 words max.), and a sample of work should be sent to:

Electors of the Visiting Fellowship, Woolf Institute, Wesley House, Jesus Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8BJ, UK or e-mailed to Tina Steiner at [email protected].

Questions may be addressed informally to the Deputy Director, Dr Shana Cohen at [email protected].

Deadline for the submission of applications is 18 January 2013.

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Building an Interfaith Community

The Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, a programme of the World Council of Churches, will be offering the seminar, Building an Interfaith Community, which is taking place July 1-26, 2013. The three week long residential seminar will gather 30 participants ages 18-35 from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith communities. While fully respecting and affirming each particular faith identity, the overall question to be explored is: What can we, as people of faith, do to respond to and overcome the pressing challenges of our time, and build together mutually accountable societies based on respect and cooperation?

The experience of living under the same roof, eating and worshiping together, will be enriched by lectures offered by specialists from Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities as well as through participation in the religious activities in Geneva. The seminar is being organized by Dr. Marina Ngursangzeli Behera, Professor of Ecumenical Missiology at Bossey. Registration for the seminar will be available in January 2013. For more information or to be placed on the list to receive materials, contact Kelly Brownlee, Co-ordinator for continuing education programs [email protected] .

© World Council of Churches (WCC) 2012 The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the WCC.

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