Christian theology played a part in the stereotyping and persecution of Jewish people which ultimately led to the Holocaust, a new reflection on Christian-Jewish relations issued by the Church of England acknowledges.<\/p>\n
The teaching document, entitled God\u2019s Unfailing Word, is the first authoritative statement on the subject from the Church of England. It speaks of attitudes towards Judaism over many centuries as providing a \u201cfertile seed-bed for murderous antisemitism\u201d.<\/p>\n
It urges Anglicans and other Christians not only to repent of the \u201csins of the past\u201d towards their Jewish neighbours but to be alert to and actively challenge such attitudes or stereotypes.<\/p>\n
The document, published by the Church of England\u2019s Faith and Order Commission, encourages Christians to rediscover the relationship of \u201cunique significance\u201d between the two faiths, worshipping one God, with scriptures shared in common.<\/p>\n
The Christian-Jewish relationship should be viewed as a \u201cgift of God to the Church\u201d to be received with care, respect and gratitude, it makes clear.<\/p>\n