Interfaith statement
"Among some Christians and Jews, old stereotypes and suspicions about each other have resurfaced," says abbi David Fox Sandmel.
“I have at times wondered if all the energy I have put into dialogue over the years has been for naught.” With these sobering words, Rabbi David Fox Sandmel, president of the International Council of Christians & Jews (ICCJ), began his keynote address to a conference of the Australian Council of Christians & Jews in Melbourne. But he added, “While I am realistic about the challenges we face, I continue to believe in the power of dialogue.”
At the February 2-4 conference, themed “Head, Heart and Hand” – attended by some 100 Jewish and Christian clerical and communal leaders – the visiting US rabbi unveiled an ICCJ declaration addressing interfaith dialogue after the October 7 attacks and the ensuing warfare, which, the statement says, “have shaken inter-religious amity to a degree not seen since World War II, potentially with long-term consequences”.
“Among some Christians and Jews, old stereotypes and suspicions about each other have resurfaced. Around the globe, antisemitic bigotries and even violence have surged, provoking fear. Although people view and are impacted by the current crises in diverse ways, all are haunted by the tragic death toll. Yet we who cultivate inter-religious friendships yearn for and must prepare and work for the day when peace will dawn and both Palestinians and Israelis, Christians, Muslims and Jews, will prosper in peace and security.”
The ICCJ statement provides a number of measures to counter the fraying of dialogue, including review of religious teachings, actively guarding against prejudice, joint study, and an emphasis on a common belief in Divine power. Pointedly, one of its resolutions is to “seek to develop deeper inter-religious friendships with Muslims”.
“Though it can certainly be disheartening, we should not be surprised when events overtake us and cracks and strains threaten the progress we thought we had made. It was seismic global events – namely the Shoah – that gave rise to the modern dialogue movement in the first place.”
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