Board of Deputies leaders have met the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, in an effort to repair interfaith relations following the Church of England’s decision to encourage members to engage with a Palestinian Christian document that accuses Israel of genocide.
Following a meeting that took place at Lambeth Palace last week, Dame Sarah signalled her wish to find “a new path towards relationship and understanding”.
The head of the Anglican Church had spoken in support of the resolution at its Synod in July to recommend engagement with the Palestinian Kairos II declaration, which refers to Israel’s Gaza campaign as a “genocidal war” and describes the Jewish state as a “colonial enterprise built on racism”.
In her statement after the meeting, Dame Sarah said “It was good to hear more about the concerns of many in the British Jewish community following the Synod in July. I expressed my desire that out of this difficult and painful time we find a new path towards deeper relationship and understanding, even where we disagree with each other.”
She also “made clear that the Church of England is committed to deepening its understanding of the situation in Israel and Palestine – listening to a broad range of perspectives, and working across faiths for justice, peace and security for all the peoples of those lands.
“I was grateful for the warm and constructive conversation about the challenges of recent months, the importance of Christian-Jewish relations, and the deep connection that the British Jewish community has with Israel.”
She said they had also spoken “about the ongoing pressures, threats and anxieties facing Jewish families and congregations across the country. I assured them of my ongoing prayers and support, and my commitment to fostering dialogue, friendship and partnership between Christians, Jews and Muslims.”
The Board said it had conveyed the Jewish community’s concerns over the Kairos declaration but called the meeting “constructive and positive”. It has criticised the declaration’s “flaws and distortions, including the erasure of Jewish identity”.
Board president Phil Rosenberg said: “At a time of heightened tension and division between communities, the importance of constructive dialogue between friends is all the more important.
“There are far too many – both at home and abroad – who would wish to harm the relationship between British Jews and the Church of England. In the face of such forces, we welcomed the opportunity for discussion with the Archbishop.”
The Board and the Jewish community, he said, “stand ready to work with the Church and others to deepen understanding of Jewish identity, as well as the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on our communities, and to spread hope by becoming active peacemakers together.”
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