wfn.org | Jewish, Christian Dialogue Showing Signs of Maturity

["NCC News" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

Jewish and Christian Dialogue Shows Signs of Maturity

New York, May 25, 2005 - A dialogue table begun a year ago between staff and
representatives of several Christian denominations and mainstream Jewish
organizations is showing signs of maturity, says the National Council of
Churches USA executive who coordinates the Christian partners in the
dialogue. 

"The table, which sometimes experienced intense negotiations and often felt
tenuous, has held," Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, NCC Associate General Secretary
for Interfaith Relations, said Wednesday. "There was hardly a 'tea and
sympathy' phase in this dialogue," he said, citing a phrase attributed to
Rabbi Leon Klenicki. "The stakes for peace in the Middle East were too high."

At its most recent meeting May 13, the table members agreed on plans for a
Jewish-Christian trip to the Middle East September 18-23, and reached a
consensus on a set of principles about how the groups speak to one another
and to the media.
	
In planning for a scheduled Jewish-Christian trip to the Middle East,
Premawardhana said, "each side agreed to put themselves in the others' hands
for two days so that each could hear and experience the other's "narrative,"
i.e., their distinctive way of viewing the situation. "This demonstrates a
remarkable level of trust that has developed around the table," said Dr. Jay
Rock of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 

"Although we cannot predict what, if any, impact this trip will have towards
peace in the Middle East," said the Rev. Brian Grieves of the Episcopal
Church, USA, "we do know and fully expect that the trip will change those of
us around the table. Even though some in the group make regular trips to the
Middle East and have previously heard those whom we might meet, the
difference this time is that we will hear those same stories in the presence
of and through the ears of the other." 

"The participants agreed to a set of principles about how we speak to each
other, our constituents and the media," reported Premawardhana. "These
included trying to assure that statements we make to the media don't come as
surprises to our partners, being careful to distinguish between one's
personal position and organizational position and being accurate about each
other's positions."

This part of the conversation was occasioned, in part, by an April 22 letter
written by the Jewish partners to Christian partners in which the writers
expressed a concern that "any Protestant denomination that would consider the
weapon of economic sanctions to be unilaterally and prejudicially used
against the State of Israel, or those who would hold the State of Israel to a
standard different from any other sovereign state, creates an environment
which makes constructive dialogue almost impossible."

In a letter of response, dated May 10, 2005, the Christian partners
reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue, asserting that "dialogue is not only
possible but necessary also among those who differ strongly in their deeply
held convictions."

Partly in response to the concerns raised by the Jewish community, the letter
affirmed that "in our churches there are a variety of approaches, at various
stages of development, to the question of using economic leverage as one part
of a strategy to end violence and support justice in the creation of lasting
Palestinian-Israeli peace."
 
As in previous dialogues, the May 13 meeting began with a theological
reflection, this time on Reconciliation. Dr. David Smock of the United States
Institute of Peace, an expert on the subject, having worked on issues of
truth and reconciliation in many countries, particularly in Africa, offered
18 principles of reconciliation. He underscored the value of continuing to
stay at the dialogue table, despite the challenges and tensions that arise.

Participants in this continuing dialogue represent the following Christian
communions and Jewish organizations:

American Jewish Committee
Anti-Defamation League
Episcopal Church, USA
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
National Council of Churches USA
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ
United Methodist Church
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

Contact: NCC News, Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252, pjenks@ncccusa.org; or Dr.
Shanta Premawardhana, 212-870-2560, shanta@ncccusa.org