D059 (Addressing Antisemitism in the Church and the World)

House of Deputies Message #309

The House of Deputies informs the House of Bishops that on Jun 28, 2024 it considered resolution D059 (Addressing Antisemitism in the Church and the World). The house acted to:

Concur


Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That this General Convention confess antisemitism is one of the most pernicious forms of prejudice, and that Episcopalians have been guilty of antisemitic words and actions; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention acknowledge that antisemitism can be variably defined, but tends to include one or more of these four claims as identified by the Church of England in “God’s Unfailing Word: Theological and Practical Perspectives on Christian-Jewish Relations,”

  1. That there is something inherently wrong with Jews as a people;
  1. That Jews always seek to control and influence others;
  1. That because there is something inherently wrong with Jews, this influence is inevitably to the detriment of those others; and that
  1. Those with authority have a duty to restrict so far as possible the scope for Jews to exercise any influence over others; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention lament the global rise in antisemitism; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention repent of the ways that our Church has fostered antisemitism in its liturgy, teaching, and discourse; and be it further

Resolved, That our Church recommit itself to resisting antisemitism as we strive for lasting justice and peace among all people, and furthering collaborative dialogue with our Jewish neighbors; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention charge the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations with combating antisemitism in the Church in the triennium, and shall report to the 82nd General Convention on the following topics:

  1. Pastoral guidance, commentary, and optional alternate lections for those lections that are known to have been perceived as antisemitic, supersessionist, and/or contemptuous of Jewish traditions, consulting with the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music;
  1. Pastoral guidance and direction on avoiding the appropriation of Jewish rituals and rites of passage, consulting with the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music;
  1. Training resources for clergy, seminarians, and lay leaders on avoiding antisemitism, beginning with greater distribution and teaching of “Christian-Jewish Relations: Theological and Practical Guidance for The Episcopal Church,” consulting with the Standing Commission on Formation and Ministry Development, and determining the value for usage of “God’s Unfailing Word: Theological and Practical Perspectives on Christian-Jewish Relations” from the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission as an additional teaching resource for the church; and
  1. Consultation with Jewish partners, recognizing the broad variety of Jewish voices and traditions, to inform The Episcopal Church in its words and actions.

That this General Convention confess antisemitism is one of the most pernicious forms of religious prejudice, and that some Episcopalians have at times been guilty of antisemitic words and actions; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention lament the current rise in antisemitism across the globe; and be it further

Resolved, That this General Convention repent of the ways that our Church has fostered antisemitism in its liturgy, teaching, and discourse; and be it further

Resolved, That our Church commit itself to resisting antisemitism as we strive for lasting justice and peace among all people, and we engage in loving dialogue with our Jewish neighbors; and be it further

Resolved, That the 81st General Convention charge the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations with focusing on combating antisemitism in the Church in the following triennium as a sign of this commitment, and shall report to the 82nd General Convention on the following topics:

  1. Pastoral guidance, commentary, and optional alternate lections for those lections that are known to have been misinterpreted as antisemitic, supersessionist, and/or contemptuous of Jewish traditions, consulting with the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music;

  2. Pastoral guidance and direction on avoiding the appropriation of Jewish rituals and rites of passage in our parish churches, consulting with the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music;

  3. Training resources for clergy, seminarians, and lay leaders on avoiding antisemitism, beginning with greater distribution and teaching of “Christian-Jewish Relations: Theological and Practical Guidance for The Episcopal Church”, consulting with the Standing Commission on Formation and Ministry Development;

  4. The value for usage of God’s Unfailing Word: Theological and Practical Perspectives on Christian-Jewish Relations from the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission as an additional teaching resource for the church after significant study; and

  5. Consultation with Jewish leadership in such a way that a diversity of voices across different movements and communities may help inform The Episcopal Church in its word and actions.