The Arizona post., 1953-09-18
ELEONORE STERLING
(Free-Iance Writer)

AT first glance 1T appears strange that precisely
in Germany, the country guilty of the most cruel
persecution of the Jews a spark has been ignited
which could help light the way toward a more
hopeful approach in Christian-Jewish relations.
The Jewish visitor to Germany is struck not only
by the threat of resurging NaziSm and antiSemit-
ism, but also by signs of constructive discussions
among groups of German Christians and Jews,
New Approach
Serious theological discussions between Christ
ians and Jews are once again taking place in Ger
many plane refreshngly different than the
old interfaith advocacy of an amalgam character
lied by evaporation of the Identities of both
religions. There is profound realization that con-
ciliation between Christians and Jews lies not in
the dissolution of faith, but in the discovery and
expression of the spirit and truth from which both
religions have been born.
The current ChristianJewish cOnciliatory eff
forts not without many serious dangers. Be-
cause of the depth of the probings and the forth
rightness of the discussion, many painful truths
are being revealed, all of which would have re-
manned dormant were the crucial problems politely
avoided Indeed in these discussions the very trau
of the crucifixion with all the ancient fears and
hopes surrounding it, appears to have been brought
back to life
MeSsianic Concept
The of the Christian Jewish theological
controversy is this: the cornerstone of the Chris
an faith is cemented in the passion borne by Jesus
for the salvation of mankind. The Jews, however,
have persistently denied Christ's messianism. At
first glance it would appear that these fundamen-
tai conflicts between Christianity and Judaism are
too faulty drawn be resolved. This is primarily
the reason why in the past the crucial issue has
generally been tactfully evaded. The current eff
forts at promoting conciiation have squarely con-
fronted this factor.
New INTERPRETATION
When German theOlOgianS examine the actual
historical consequences of the ChristianJewish
conflict in the past two thousand years. it appears
to them that in Gods total plan for worldhstorical
salvation the very tension between Christians and
Jews is a creative factor. The final absolute sig
nficance of Christs sacrifice is equally as great in
the Christian acceptance it is in the Jewish ne
cation. Indeed, German Christian theologians
maintain that God Himself has commanded the
Jews to negate Christ so that he would become
the savior of the world and not merely a Jewish
national messiah.
The Jews, they now maintain, must strengthen
their Judaism and retain their natural and ma
tional peculiaritieS" because Judaism is not an
anachronism in the history of religion but has
very special function in Gods great plan for world
historical salvation God made the Jews the bear
ers of His commandments and then scattered them
to the far corners of the earth the exiled and
expelled among nations. To non-Jewsh humanity
this Jewish outsider has become the remainder
OF the world beyond, as well the keeper of laws
and values which reveal the inconsistencies be-
tween mans world and the will of God.
Role of JeWry
German minister recently observed that JS