Presbyterians Debate Interfaith Relations

June 1, 2004

Source: Presbyterian News Service

http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2004/04258.htm

On June 1, 2004 the Presbyterian News Service reported, "How Presbyterians should relate to people of other faiths — Jews in particular — is a fractious issue before the General Assembly this year. Commissioners will be asked to address the question: Should the Presbyterian Church (USA) engage in dialogue with people of other faiths — or evangelize them? The issue moved to the front burner last year with the establishment of Avodat Yisrael, a Messianic congregation in Philadelphia, with new-church development money from Philadelphia Presbytery and the Synod of the Trinity, supplemented with $75,000 from the General Assembly Council. The project has drawn fire from national Jewish leaders who contend that the PC(USA) is evangelizing Jews."