ELCA Prepares 'Talking Points' on Christian-Jewish Relations

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- It seems that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has taken a major step in its relations with the Jewish community every four years, said the Rev. Franklin E. Sherman, associate for interfaith relations, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs. The year 2002 will be no exception, as the church prepares to issue its "Talking Points: Topics in Jewish-Christian Relations."
"Talking Points is a series of discussion starters on eight topics in Christian-Jewish relations of particular relevance for Lutherans," said its introductory notes.
"This is a matter of Lutheran self-examination," said Sherman. "This is sort of theological homework that we ourselves need to do so that -- a decade from now or in the next generation -- we might have a refreshed understanding of our own faith, according to its Jewish roots, to bring into the dialogue," he said.
In 1994, the ELCA adopted its "Declaration to the Jewish Community," denouncing the reformer Martin Luther's "anti-Judaic diatribes," which contributed to the Holocaust. "We express our urgent desire to live out our faith in Jesus Christ with love and respect for the Jewish people," said the declaration.
In 1998, the ELCA issued "Guidelines for Lutheran-Jewish Relations," to foster dialogue and to support participation in joint activities. It listed 15 guidelines, it said, "so that those who desire to engage in interfaith dialogue might benefit from the experience of those who have gone before."
By Labor Day of this year, the ELCA will have Talking Points, said Sherman. The ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations completed the project's drafting process, when it met May 1-3 at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa., and prepared the materials for printing.
The consultative panel consists of six or seven ELCA members appointed to advise the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs on Christian-Jewish relations. It was established in 1992 to assist the church in preparing the 1994 declaration.
The panel met on its 10th anniversary in the place it first met -- the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding at Muhlenberg College, one of 28 ELCA colleges and universities, said the Rev. Peter A. Pettit. Pettit is director of the institute and a member of the ELCA consultative panel.
"The Talking Points, which the panel has readied for publication and distribution, will play an important role in assessing the impact that a half-century of expanded study and dialogue with the Jewish community has had on this church," said Pettit. "The discussion they engender will also help to determine the directions in which our research and theological development need to move next," he said.
Having the declaration and the guidelines, "people pointed out, quite properly, that there were underlying theological issues between Christians and Jews -- and therefore between Lutherans and Jews -- that we hadn't dealt with," said Sherman.
Sherman gave the example that many Christians believe the new covenant with God through Jesus supersedes God's covenant with Abraham and his seed, inheriting all the promises and gracious gifts God had intended for Israel forever. "If God's covenant with the Jewish people is forever, what does that say about our covenant?" he asked.
Talking Points will be issued in a small folder, containing introductory notes and related information to one side and eight leaflets to the other side. Each leaflet will deal with a different topic: + Judaism Then and Now + Covenants Old and New + Law and Gospel + Promise and Fulfillment + Difficult Texts + Jewish Concern for the State of Israel + Tikkun Olam -- Mending the World + Christians and Jews in the Context of World Religions
"People can discuss one point a week in an adult forum in a congregation or pick and choose depending on the time that's available," said Sherman.
"We're taking this approach rather than trying to move toward some kind of definitive pronouncement on these theological issues," he said. "The important thing is that people start thinking about these topics and discussing them."
A response and evaluation form is an essential element of Talking Points, Sherman said. "We want to hear what people are saying, what they're thinking, what their remaining questions within the questions are, so that we have an ongoing process."
ELCA clergy and congregations, as well as seminary and college faculties, will be the initial "target audience" for Talking Points, said Sherman. He said he anticipated the materials being used as discussion starters, for Lutherans and other interested Christians, for three to five years.

EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS
In addition to the consultative panel's meeting to finish drafting Talking Points, the ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs hosted the first U.S. meetings of the European Lutheran Commission on the Church and the Jewish People (Lutherische Europaeische Kommission Kirche und Judentum, LEKKJ). Fourteen people working in the field of Christian- Jewish relations in Lutheran church bodies in 11 European countries met May 2-6 with the panel and with Jewish scholars and leaders in Allentown and New York.
The Rev. Johannes Gruner, LEKKJ chair, Stuttgart, Germany, expressed the group's appreciation for the opportunity to immerse itself in the unique U.S. context for Christian-Jewish relations. "We are very impressed and very pleased to see how your conversations proceed on the basis of complete equality," he said. "We will return with many new ideas and a strong impetus for our own work."
A key element of the meetings was "Dabru Emet" or "speak the truth" -- the "Jewish Statement on Christians and Christianity" issued by a group of Jewish scholars and leaders in September 2000. The statement expresses appreciation for the willingness on the part of many Christians to affirm the ongoing spiritual validity of Judaism, and sets forth theological grounds for a similar appreciation of Christianity on the part of Jews.
The Europeans in attendance represented Lutheran churches in Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania, the United Kingdom, and various parts of Germany. LEKKJ is supported by the Lutheran church bodies of Europe and is associated with the Lutheran World Federation. It has met annually for some 25 years to discuss current issues in Christian-Jewish and particularly Lutheran-Jewish relations. -- -- --
The Department for Ecumenical Affairs maintains information on interfaith relations at http://www.elca.org/ea/interfaith/ on the ELCA Web site. It includes online versions of the "Declaration to the Jewish Community" and "Guidelines for Lutheran-Jewish Relations."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html