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Kirk burns bridges with Jewish community
By its adoption of 'The Inheritance of Abraham' document, the Church of Scotland stands accused of severing relations with Scotland's Jewish community.
Ed preface: The Church of Scotland meeting in General Assembly on formally adopted a document authored by the Kirk's 'Church and Society Council entitled 'The Inheritance of Abraham'.
by Scottish Council of Jewish Communities
23 May 2013
 As the representative body of the Jewish Community in Scotland, the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities deeply regrets the Church of Scotland's approval of a report that provides a veneer of theological respectability for what is effectively a call for the destruction of the State of Israel.
It is an unacceptable attack on Judaism, and appears to have been written without any thought as to its impact on Jewish people living throughout Scotland, many of whom have reported to us that the undisputed increase of anti-zionist activity in Scotland adversely affects their lives as Jews in Scotland.
The revisions made to the report before the Assembly did remove some of the polemic, but the revised version is still tendentious, and sadly contributes to a climate in which Jewish people in Scotland tell us they feel uncomfortable, alienated, and unsafe.
The Church of Scotland has deliberately and knowingly burnt the bridges with the Jewish Community in Scotland: the General Assembly was made aware of our concerns, yet voted explicitly to reject a call for continuing dialogue. It will not be easy to rebuild these bridges now that the Church has openly rejected working towards an understanding that will bring our communities together, rather than, as the this report has done, driving us further apart.
Ephraim Borowski, Director of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities said, "The General Assembly has overwhelmingly rejected a call for dialogue with the Jewish Community. In those circumstances, we regret that we have no alternative but to regard that door as closed. The Kirk has a lot of self-examination to undertake before we can begin to regard that door as open again."
Ed footnote: In spite of the Church of Scotland's actions there are many committed Bible-believers in Scotland who are convinced from the Bible that God has not forsaken His 'eternal and unconditional' promises to the Jewish people through the patriarchs and the prophets.
 In January 2007 a grouping called 'Yachad' was formed which aims to work with Christian organisations and individuals who also hold to the revealed promises of God.
Yachad is planning to hold a 3-day conference in the Cairngorm National Park in November 2013. The conference title and description is 'A Taste of Israel'. Further details can be found here.
Alternatively visit the Yachad website. |
Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, 26/05/2013
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