Christian-Jewish Dialogue

A Resolution of the 1979 General Convention

 

   

Christian-Jewish Dialogue

 

A Resolution of the 1979 General Convention of the Episcopal Church   (U.S.A.)

 

Whereas, the Church is reminded of all parts of the Holy Scripture of those   spiritual ties which link the community of the New Testament to the seed of Abraham and is   exhorted by St. Paul to recall that she is nourished by root and sap of that good and   consecrated olive tree onto which the wild olive branches of the Gentiles have been grafted   (Romans 11:17-24); and

 

    Whereas, the Church cannot forget that she has received the   revelation of the Old Testament from that people with whom God, in his infinite goodness and   mercy, established and nourished those ancient covenants; and that St. Paul bears witness   that the Jews remain precious to God for the sake of the patriarchs, since God does not   withdraw the gifts he has bestowed or revoke the choices he has made (Romans 11:28-29); and

 

    Whereas, our Lord Jesus Christ was born, circumcised,   dedicated, and baptized into the community of Israel, to whom belong the sonship, the glory,   the covenants, the giving of the Torah, the worship and the patriarchs (Romans 9:4-5): and   the first apostles and witnesses themselves were all of Jewish lineage; and

 

    Whereas, all the faithful in Christ consider themselves to be   the offspring of Abraham (Galatians 3:7) and included in his call, being also the inheritors   of that redemption figured in the Exodus of God"s chosen people from bondage to Pharaoh; and

 

    Whereas, Christian and Jew share the common hope for that day   in which our God will be King over the whole earth (Zechariah 14:9) and, receiving the   kingdom, will be "all in all" (I Corinthians 15:28), and are thus bound by that   hope to a common divine service; and

 

    Whereas, a denial of or an ignorance of their spiritual roots   by Christians has, more often than not, provided fertile ground for the festering of   antisemitism even among leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ – the Holocaust in Hitler"s   Germany being only the most recent and painful memory; therefore be it

 

    Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That this 66th   General Convention of the Episcopal Church call anew upon the leadership of the Episcopal   Church, both clergy and lay, to deepen their commitment to Episcopal-Jewish dialogue and to   interfaith cooperation in local communities; and, wherever appropriate, to seek exposure to   ancient and contemporary Jewish scholarship so as to better comprehend the Scriptures on   which, and the religious environment in which, our Lord Jesus Christ was nourished; and to   appreciate more fully the religious worship and experience of our neighbors in the Jewish   community; and be it further

 

    Resolved, That, to the end of encouraging and furthering mutual   understanding between Episcopalians and Jews by way of biblical and theological inquiry and   through friendly discussion, the Presiding Bishop"s Advisory Committee on Episcopal-Jewish   Relations initiate a study on the methodology for and substantive issues of Episcopal-Jewish   dialogue in the next triennium; and be it further

 

    Resolved, That the report of the said Presiding Bishop"s   Advisory Committee on Episcopal-Jewish Relations, together with recommendations for   implementation of the dialogue, be made to the 67th General Convention of the Episcopal   Church."top