wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Interfaith relations

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8253 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

04258
June 1, 2004

Interfaith relations

General Assembly backgrounder

by Alexa Smith

	How Presbyterians should relate to people of other faiths - Jews in
particular - is a fractious issue before the General Assembly this year.

	Commissioners will be asked to address the question: Should the
Presbyterian Church (USA) engage in dialogue with people of other faiths - or
evangelize them?

	The issue moved to the front burner last year with the establishment
of Avodat Yisrael, a Messianic congregation in Philadelphia, with new-church
development money from Philadelphia Presbytery and the Synod of the Trinity,
supplemented with $75,000 from the General Assembly Council. The project has
drawn fire from national Jewish leaders who contend that the PC(USA) is
evangelizing Jews.

	An overture before the Assembly would urge the denomination to
re-examine its relationship with Jews, with special attention to the
implications for new-church development and evangelism. It also wants to stop
funding for any other Messianic congregations until the study is complete.
The measure has the backing of four presbyteries.

	Another overture requests creation of a task force to decide how it
should address religious pluralism and how it should engage people of other
faith traditions. A further proposal urges the PC(USA) to develop resources
to help Presbyterian members and ministers articulate their faith
appropriately in inter-religious dialogue.

	Presbyterians have been involved in interfaith dialogue with Jews for
more than 40 years. The current PC(USA) policy is detailed in a 1987 paper,
"A Theological Understanding of the Relationship Between Christians and
Jews," which says that Christians and Jews have distinct, authentic covenants
with God, and that faithful conversation between the two groups is
appropriate witness. It doesn't say Christians shouldn't talk about Jesus,
but it discourages proselytizing.

	Avodat Yisrael has incited old arguments in the church - between
evangelical Christians, who feel stifled by the prohibition against
witnessing to Jews and contend that it deprives Jewish souls of salvation,
and more ecumenical-minded Presbyterians who believe witnessing to Jews for
purposes of conversion is inappropriate. Some are puzzled about what is
happening at Avodat Yisrael: Is it evangelism to create a Jewish form of
Christian worship? Is that truly presenting Jesus? Can a person be affiliated
with two faiths? Can people of Jewish background simply gather to study
Jesus? And how, if at all, should Presbyterians relate to organizations that
evangelize Jews?

	Since the 1930s, some Presbyterians have been part of a network that
supports the growth of Hebrew/Messianic churches. Philadelphia Presbytery has
endorsed such ministries for decades, and ordained the current pastor of
Avodat Israel to that call.

	Jewish-Christian and interfaith relations will be considered by
Assembly Committee 06 - Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations.

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