BAVARIAN CHURCH AGAINST ANTISEMITISM IN DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE

Synod adopts statement on the relations between Christians and Jews

NUREMBERG, Germany/GENEVA, 7 December 1998 (lwi) - A basic statement containing a repudiation of any form of anti-Judaism has been adopted by the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (ELCB).

With the "Nuremberg Statement", the Bavarian church has , as one of the last in Germany, adopted a position paper on Christian-Jewish relations. The paper demands that relations to the Jewish religion be marked by "respect, openness and readiness for dialogue." In fact, the synod which met from 22-27 November adopted its paper at a historical place, since the city of Nuremberg, due to the racial laws adopted there and the Reichsparteitage, is infamously linked to the history of National Socialism (1933-1945).

"The issue of the relationship between Christians and Jews brings us to the very core of the Christian faith," the introduction states, and is "a vital question equally central for the church and theology." The statement takes a position on the history and theology so far and identifies concrete commitments for future utterances in the practical life of the church.

The ELCB confesses that as a Lutheran and a German church, it participates in the guilt of the Shoah. It disassociates itself from Martin Luther's antisemitic writings and remarks and from "any anti-Judaism in Lutheran theology." In this connection, it suggests that studies be intensified both to address anti-Judaism in the history of theology and to clarify the silence and entanglement of the Bavarian church in the annihilation of the Jews in the Third Reich.

"Some of Martin Luther's statements as well as special manifestations of Lutheran theology have had antisemitic effects. Beyond the necessary substantial dissociation their reasons, motives and Wirkungsgeschichte need to be studied as well as reflected on and criticized in light of a future Lutheran theology in connection with the Christian-Jewish dialogue," the paper states.

In practical terms, this means that in sermons and congregational work generalizations and disparaging comparisons between Judaism and Christianity must be avoided. "The Lutheran church must consider it to be its duty to fight religious intolerance within the church and in society," the paper continues.

Current comparisons and presentations of Judaism in worship services, schools, adult education and further training of staff are to be critically reviewed and new teaching materials developed. The "commonalities and particularities" in Judaism and Christianity need to be identified, the Bavarian Lutheran church stressed in its proposals.

Defamatory remarks against Jews and Judaism should be avoided. "That which is divisive has to be tested for its validity and attention is to be paid that distorting and defamatory remarks against Jews and Judaism are avoided." Orders of worship, worship materials, and curricula are to be checked to see whether they communicate enough and accurate information on the Jewish religion and culture, the Bavarian Lutheran church underlined.

Congregations are requested "to ensure that their proclamation and teaching are such that Jewish visitors do not feel hurt or discriminated against." Encounters with Jews, the appropriate use of Old Testament texts and other things should increase knowledge on Judaism. Likewise, regular contacts should take place between representatives of the Bavarian church and Jewish communities.

The statement also touched on the question of Land in Israel. It mentions both the promise of land as a particularly important part of the Jewish religion and concern for Palestinians' rights and the continuation of the peace process. "For this reason we must increasingly reflect on how justice can be realized in the region without jeopardizing the necessary solidarity with Jewish people," the statement concludes.

Before the synod, the Bavarian Lutheran Bishop, Hermann von Loewenich, spoke up against Christian mission among the Jews, a controversial topic not mentioned in the "Nuremberg Statement."

The "entanglement in a burden of guilt of unique extent takes authority from my generation to speak of our faith to Jews with the intent of inviting them to join our church," Loewenich said in the presence of the chairperson of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Ignatz Bubis. He said that he personally is convinced that "God has taken away our authority."

The "Nuremberg Statement" concludes a year that focused on the relationship between Christians and Jews. In April 1997 the synod had suggested that the congregations increasingly address this topic in their activities.

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