Once again
the American Jewish Committee and The Shalom Hartman Institute convened
scholars of the Christian Leadership Initiative for a symposium. Alums of this program who have spent about 10
days as cohorts studying in Jerusalem comprised the gathering. It is a lively academic colloquy, and I was
grateful for the presence of Central colleagues Wallace Hartsfield II and Sally
Holt.
The
Christian Leadership Initiative introduces prominent Christian leaders and
change agents from North America to the central ideas of Jewish ethics and
faith, the diverse ideologies and practices of contemporary Jewry, the meaning
of Israel for world Jewry, foundations of religious pluralism, and
interreligious study.
Along with
stimulating resource people, we explored the meaning of the land for Jews in
Israel and Jews scattered around the world, those of the Diaspora. The land holds a significant grip on the
psyche of Jewish persons; all feel the tug of home when celebrating the Seder,
which ends with “next year in Jerusalem.”
Without
question, the land of Israel is contested.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims stake claims to sacred space there,
especially in Jerusalem. How to share
this space in peace remains an intensely conflicted challenge.
Christians
experience the land of Israel as a place of pilgrimage and historical
significance, but it does not beckon our deepest longings as it does for
Jews. Yet, it can and should become more
focal for the Christian narrative. How
could we begin to interpret the Old Testament or the life of Jesus without the
material reality of the land? How could
we understand the origins of Christianity without the outward spiral of the
Gospel from the land of Israel?
The exilic
experience has been normative for Israel, both in its biblical iteration and
its many generations hence. Thus, having
a homeland that is founded and governed by Jews holds profound meaning. More than a response to the Holocaust, it is
the expression of the yearning for identity as a people over the millennia.
One of the
interesting topics of discussion was the portability of both Jewish and
Christian expressions of faith. At a
distance from the land, Jews have constructed synagogues, Torah observance, and
coherent culture. Likewise, Christians
have adapted their understanding of faith to many varied contexts, replete with
distinctive cultural forms. Yet, there
is a distinct difference; Christians have not felt the same connection to the
land of covenant to be necessary.
Exile and longing
for home are twinned themes for all humanity.
These suggest that while this good earth is truly home, we do not find
ultimate fulfillment until God’s Reign is realized.
Molly T. Marshall
Central
prepares women and men for seeking God, shaping church, and
serving humanity.
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