Church of England calls Christians to repentance over role in antisemitism
The Church of England has released a teaching document in which it acknowledges the role of Christians in centuries of antisemitism as well as its resurgence in modern times.
The document, called God’s Unfailing Word, is the first authoritative statement on the subject from the Church of England and outlines historic failings towards Jews.
These include the role of Christian theology in the negative stereotyping and persecution of Jewish people, both of which have “contributed to grave suffering and injustice” and ultimately the Holocaust. Such attitudes, the document states, have provided a “fertile seed-bed for murderous antisemitism”.
The document quotes comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in a 2016 report in which he said that the theological teachings of the Church had “compounded the spread of the virus” of antisemitism instead of offering an antidote.
The document reflects on this further, stating: “The attribution of collective guilt to the Jewish people for the death of Christ and the consequent interpretation of their suffering as collective punishment sent by God is one very clear example of that.
