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US Jewish-Christian dialogue resumes
2002-097-1
4/18/2002
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[Episcopal News Service]
While conflict in Israel-Palestine showed little signs of easing, Jews and Christians in the United States gathered in Stony Point, New York April 15-16 to resume a national dialogue after a hiatus of a number of years. Sponsored jointly by the National Council of Synagogues and the National Council of Churches in the United States of America, the two-day dialogue focused on how scripture is read in the two faith traditions.
An initial presentation by Dr. Vincent Wimbush, Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Union Theological Seminary, focused on raising such questions as 'How are sacred texts created?'' and 'Why do people consider some texts sacred and some not?' Wimbush said that he was not so much interested in 'the meaning of texts' but of 'meaning' in relationship to the texts.
Dr. Burton Visotzky, professor of midrash at the Jewish Theological Seminary, focused on the commonality of Jewish and Christian hermeneutics, given the fact that rabbinic Judaism and patristic Christianity were both heavily influenced by the Graeco-Roman culture in which they were both formed. A lively discussion among the participants followed such assertions that Christian missionaries often used the text as pretext for mercantile interests and issues of domination and control (Wimbush) and that ideology often drives hermeneutic (Visotzky).
After morning prayers on the second day, participants heard brief presentations on the topic 'What is Required of Us: Scripture and Justice in Our World.' Discussion flowing from this theme revolved around the way the various traditions use scripture in proclaiming God's demand for justice and righteousness in the world.
Because a number of the Jewish participants came directly to the conference from a rally in Washington, DC, a final session was spent in candid, and sometimes painful, sharing of concerns about Israel and Palestine and the heart rending situation in the Holy Land. The assembly unanimously agreed that the gathering had been productive, that it must be followed up on, and that a small group would work on an expanded consultation sometime in 2003.
'I am extremely encouraged by this new beginning,' said Bishop Christopher Epting, the Episcopal Church's deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations. 'Because of our disagreements with the State of Israel over certain policies in the Middle East, Jewish-Christian dialogue in this country had almost come to a standstill on the national level. These new conversations provide a way forward for which we should all be grateful.'
Rabbi Gilbert Rosenthal, of the National Council of Synagogues, and the Rev. Jay Rock of the National Council of Churches co-chaired the meeting and will provide leadership for the continuing working group.
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