Paths to the same summit

Judaism & Christianity Eight booklets from the Council of Christians and Jews edited by Sr Margaret Shepherd (CCJ, £1 each or £6 per set) Fr Michael Seed THE day I read these booklets I performed the wedding of a Catholic woman and a Jewish man. The wisdom of their message came alive for me the bride and groom took on a new meaning: Judaism and Christianity two distinct, living religions which have grown from a common source!
After the wedding one of the Catholic guests said to me: "Father, Jesus was a Jew, you know, and after all we do pray to the same God". I felt convinced that this was so. Perhaps some 40 years ago the remark would have been different I would probably have been ashamed.
How far we have come Jews and Christians are learning to live together in one world indeed as all the great religions are. Yet. there has been a rise of evil forces in the past year and we find antisemitism and racism very prevalent the words "ethniccleansing" and "neo-Nazi" are part of daily conversation. Even on the lips of children. What does this mean for the future?
These booklets, edited by Sr Margaret Shepherd, a Sister of Sion whose order is dedicated to Christian-Jewish relations, are a must for the teacher, pastor, rabbi, student and greatly so for one's own spiritual reading. For personal renewal and to combat some of the current attitudes with regard to the above named evils, I cannot recommend these books too highly.
The booklets Christian-Jewish Relations, Jews and Christians, and CCJ and Israel are by Marcus Braybrooke, editor of Common Ground. in the first booklet he mentions a Christian asking him "Do Jews still make animal sacrifices?" to which he responds, "not for the past 2,000 years!" The Pharisees, synagogue and Passover; the death of Jesus; whether Paul was a Christian; anti
Judaism; Jews of Britian are some of the sections in the first booklet.
The second (which is dedicated to the late Bishop Gerald Mahon) looks at the Jewishness of Jesus and his death; changing liturgical language; anti-semitism and the Holocaust. The third one helps us to understand the complexity of the situation in Israel today aspects of peace and justice are discussed in a balanced perspective.
Who are the Jews by Jeremy Rosen and Vida Barnett is a most succinct presentation we find discussed such terms as "orthodox" and "progressive", the festivals, the life cycle of family celebrations: naming ceremony, Bar Mitzvah, marriage, death, and life after death. Vida Barnett is author of the booklet The Sabbath which in ten brief pages shows a holiday of reflection on the very meaning of life.
The Jewish Home by Hazel Verbov brings alive words, feasts and objects: skull cap, phylacteries, kitchen and dietary laws. passover. Pentecost, tabernacles, New Year. cirmumcision and Bar Mitzvah. The Christian Sunday by Marjorie Hampton shows its origins and development within Judaism and examines the practice of each Christian community today.
The Holocaust by Peter Chave with the sub-title "Its relevance to every Christian" sees a crime committed in the middle of our own "civilised" century and that we should never forget it for fear that it will happen again. This booklet was most moving, written in an almost poetic style, harsh and gentle. I felt much shame in reading about the links of Christians with Hitler!
After the wedding I mentioned above. I met a Jewish survivor of one of the Nazi death camps he asked my why I wanted to be a priest and also told me that he had no faith in God I had no words. It was very difficult to even look him in the face. Then he smiled and gave me a hug. The marriage festivities continued with a party! (Available from CCJ, 1 Dennington Park Road, London NW6.)
Fr Michael Seed is ecumenical adviser to Cardinal Hume.