As one consequence of this, it is impossible for us as Christians to look down on, much less condemn, Jewish faith. That would imply contempt for the faith, in which Jesus lived and died. Christian faith should comprise both respect for the Jewish faith, and a clear confession that Christ fulfilled the promises and opened – for all people – the possibility to enter into God's covenant. As a practical consequence of this, Christians should approach Jews to discuss that which unites and separates our traditions. A deeper knowledge of Jewish faith is also likely to bring us closer to Jesus himself, and thereby to the God that enters into eternal covenants and whose ways are ultimately inconceivable for us humans.

It is hardly the differences in teaching that have been the main reason behind the deep and long-lasting conflict between the Church and the Jewish people. Theological differences may cause grave disputes and discord, but they cannot by themselves lead to the traumatic history that for ages developed between Christians and Jews in the West. But insults, persecution and oppression can. The conditions under which Jews have lived in Europe were for long so straitened that the prerequisites for a living dialogue were non¬existent.

To create new parameters for dialogue between people of Christian and Jewish faith is the challenge that now faces the Church. Theological differences last, but in respectful dialogue and practical co-operation we may, notwithstanding those differences, help "mend the world" (Hebr. tikkun ha-olam).

Metanoia

Humanity is called to leave destructive and enslaving patterns of behaviour and turn their eyes to God and to the world to come. Belief in God's call is fundamental in Jewish and Christian tradition. For Jews as well as Christians, God is the one who offers people a new beginning, a new direction, when they are lost.

In Jewish tradition, the concept "return" or "turning back" (Hebr. teshuvah) expresses this possibility, constantly offered human beings by God; in the New Testament, the Greek word metanoia is used. In the Bible, this word does not imply merely individual penance and improvement. It rather implies that men and women together turn towards God and the future that God prepares, the Kingdom of God.

Today, all peoples face severe threats, largely caused by men and women. Being locked in old patterns of conflict causes destruction
and death in many parts of the world. We face a growing, tragic, dilemma because our failure to treat properly common creation, the earth, and our fellows. The gifts of grace, which the riches of the earth represent, are received by us, yet shared without a reciprocal sensitivity towards justice (Hebr. tsedaqah).

Here, metanoia means both a challenge to change one's mind and a trust that this change will be possible with the help of God. People of Jewish and Christian faith have a joint responsibility to proclaim this sign from God, and through this sign to overcome mutual antagonism.

God's face is turned towards humankind and the whole of creation. From God's face blessings pour over all those who are in his covenant. People of Jewish and Christian faith can surely unite in the prayer that humanity will turn to its creator and receive the blessings of God. Nothing could better make us draw closer to each other than worship of the one God who renews everything.

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(1) A Brockway et alit, ed., Geneva 1988.
(2) 2 Brockway, 183.
(3) Minutes of the House of Bishops 10th May 1995.
(4) Our proposition builds partly on the Seelisberg points (1947), which have played an important role for later Church documents on this issue, partly on the World Council of Churches study document Ecumenical Considerations on Jewish-Christian Dialogue, 1983. We have also taken into consideration those Church documents that have been collected by Alan Brockway et alii. In Swedish, there are a number of texts on the issue, such as Kyrkan och det judiska folket ("The Church and the Jewish People"), published in 1991 by the Church of Sweden Mission and the working party on dialogue between religions of the then Creedal Committee.
(5) "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom" (Matt 21:43)", "For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (Rom 10:4).
(6) J. Sacks, The interfaith imperative. Sacks actually speaks of several roads –one for each people – not just two; this is actually a fourth model.
(7) Judisk tidskrift, 6 (1933), p. 299.