ELCA NEWS SERVICE April 13, 2004 Lutheran-Jewish Relations Panel Discusses 'Passion,' Book, Talks 04-062-FI CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) discussed the film "The Passion of the Christ," the possibility of compiling a book of essays based on its "Talking Points" and the dialogue involving the ELCA and the Union of Reform Judaism. The six-member panel met here March 26-27. "The Passion of the Christ," produced and directed by Mel Gibson, opened Feb. 24 in movie theatres across the United States. The panel issued a statement before the film premiered, "Concerns and Recommendations in Anticipation of the Forthcoming Film," which offered Gibson advice on what the panel has learned about removing anti-Jewish themes from passion plays, such as the Oberammergau passion play in Germany. Since panel members had a chance to see the film, they began drafting another statement to speak directly to the movie. Talking Points: Topics in Jewish-Christian Relations In 2002 the Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations issued "a series of discussion starters on eight topics in Christian-Jewish relations of particular relevance for Lutherans," according to the introductory notes of "Talking Points: Topics in Jewish-Christian Relations." At its March meeting the panel began making writing assignments and planning the process toward publishing a short book, expanding on the "Talking Points," by the end of the year. The topics of "Talking Points" are: Judaism then and now, covenants old and new, law and gospel, promise and fulfillment, difficult texts, Jewish concern for the state of Israel, "tikkun olam"-- mending the world, and Christians and Jews in the context of world religions. "The talking points have been out for a little over a year now, and we've started to see them used in congregations and clergy groups," said the Rev. Peter A. Pettit, assistant professor of religion and director, Institute for Jewish- Christian Understanding, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa. Pettit is a member of the ELCA panel. From initial feedback, it became clear that each topic needed "a short chapter, filling in some background both about Judaism and about church attitudes toward Judaism. So, that's what we'll be trying to do -- organized point by point, chapter by chapter around the talking points," he said. Dialogue with the Union for Reform Judaism In May 2003 the ELCA began an informal dialogue with leaders representing the Commission on Interreligious Affairs of Reform Judaism. After that day-long dialogue here at the ELCA churchwide office, the leaders agreed to meet for more discussions over a two-year period. The Rev. Franklin Sherman, chair of the Lutheran panel and associate for interfaith relations, ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs, pointed out that there are only Lutherans on the Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations. "For the past year we've been involved in a formal dialogue with that part of American Judaism which is called Reform Judaism, and the name of their overarching body is the Union for Reform Judaism," he said. The talks grew out of a visit that the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, paid to the headquarters of the Reform Jewish movement in New York. "He wanted to make sure that what we were saying as the ELCA regarding the Middle East situation was not interpreted as emerging out of anti-Semitic sentiments," Sherman said. The panel discussed plans for the next ELCA-Reform Judaism meeting this fall in New York. "It is in a way a 'get acquainted' dialogue. It's exchanging thoughts on how each of us perceives our role in American society, the problems of educating the younger generation and deepening them in the faith," Sherman said. "Lutheran-Jewish dialogue is not unprecedented. That goes back quite some time," Sherman said. "There was a hiatus when we were not having such face-to-face discussions, and now we are again, so that's a cause for rejoicing," he added. -- -- -- The ELCA Department for Ecumenical Affairs provides information about the church's interfaith discussions at http://www.elca.org/ea/interfaith/ on the Web. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news