THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
A Congregationalist minister, Rev. Jim Lyons incorporates Jewish themes in sermons
he delivers and has been knolim to deliver Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur sermons to
Christian congregations.
something unique, that only I could
do."
One experience that caused him
to focus on Christian-Jewish rela-
tions was hearing a Holocaust story
of a 3-year-old girl who, when being
taken away by the • Nazis, told her
tearful father, "Don't worry, Papa,
I'll see you in Heaven." Lyons' oldest
daughter was 4at the time he heard
the story and it had a profound effect
on him.
"I picked up my daughter and
held her and suddenly the concept of
six million was gone and I learned
that the Holocaust was not six mil-
lion Jews, it was my daughter and
every person's daughter, or son, or
mother or father. It was not six mil-
lion, it was one at time, six million
times, and that changed my whole
perspective on the Holocaust and
forced me in a very real way to begin
to deal with the Christian anti-
Semitism and roots and raise some
serious questions, about a Chris-
tianity that could even stand aside,
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let alone actively participate in such
an event."
Lyons' commitment gradually
evolved into the institute, whose
work has met with a variety of re-
sponses. "Within the Jewish commu-
nity," says'Lyons, "there is a double
feeling towards my work. There is
pride that someone is ultimately fac-
ing these issues and there's a bit of
fear that maybe the defenses will be
let down and some of the problems of
the past will come to the foreground,
problems like intermarriage and as-
similation."
Lyons breaks with many of his
fellow Christian clergy in forcefully
arguing that there should be no at-
tempt made to convert Jews to Chris-
tianity.
"Before I dared to open the Ecu-
menical Institute, I had to face this
most serious question of all in re-
gards to Jewish-Christian dialogue.
Do the Jews need to convert to Chris-
tianity? Working with Biblical texts
— both the First and Second Testa-
,
e
ments — I can answer that question
with a resounding 'NO!' This is not
yet true of most Christians, for con-
version is still at the heart of their
theology. Until Christians, including
the evangelicals, publicly announce
an end to the missionary theology as
applied to Jews, their actions and
support will be suspect to the major-
ity of Jews and to me."
He also feels that Christians
need to understand why many rabbis
refuse to officiate at an intermar-
riage. "This refusal to participate
creates a lot of tension but we need to
discuss it, to let Christians ap-
preciate why this is so."
There are those in the Orthodox
Jewish community who view inter-
faith dialogue as frivolous, Lyons
says. "They won't talk theology with
us. But there's a certain sense of
curiosity in hearing what I have to
say."
In speaking to Jewish groups, he
quotes Jewish sources in discussing
themes like the Holocaust, particu-
larly the Christian role; the Church's
teaching of contempt and anti-
Semitism; the Middle East situation;
Christianity and its teachings; and
the response of Judaism to the new
non-hostile, non-conversionary
Christianity.
He discusses these same topics
with Christian groups, only this time
citing Christian sources. And the re-
sponses range from "thank God, I al-
ways felt this to be true and now
someone is saying it," to total rejec-
tion of his criticism of Christianity's
role.
It is far more difficult to bring his
message to Christians, he says, cal-
ling it "a fearful challenge."
"No active Christian wants to
think of himself or herself as an
anti-Semite. The horrors of the
Holocaust, the hatred exhibited at
that time has made Christians aware
of the evils of anti-Semitism.
"Most Christians are not overt
anti-Semites, that is, they relate eas-
ily to Jews, they would never advo-
cate violence against Jews, and they
would recognize the rights of Jews to
exist according to their own con-
sciences.
"So, when I stand before a group
of Christians and talk about the
theological anti-Semitism which is
part of our historical development,
when I talk about the 'Old' and 'New'
Covenants, or the 'Old' and 'New' Is-
rael, or when I talk about our concept
of the God of Israel as a God of ven-
geance and the God of the Christians
as the god of mercy and love, etc., I
find that there are nods of agree-
ment. When I talk about all of these
concepts as false concepts which do
not reflect the Bible itself, there is
shock. It is painful to have to admit
that — though you are a good person
— you have deep anti-Jewish pat-
terns of thought.
"The greatest statement of all
came from a Roman' Catholic priest.
After I read a paper, he said, 'I have
never believed what you are saying
to be true. However, you have con-
vinced me that my ways are not God's
ways, and that I better remember
that and follow God's ways.' "
Lyons says that, in general "lay
people are much more open to us be-
cause they have not been trained to
become anti-Semitic." Often though,
r;1,
A's
Friday, July 6, 1984 15
the positive response comes very
slowly, after a painful recognition.
"You plant seeds and you begin to get
some response. But I no longer look
for massive response. I'm just de-
lighted when there's any response."
He advocates Christians reading
the Bible again, preferably with
Jews, in a new and more critical
light, pointing to the fact that the
Gospel of John has more than 70
references to "the Jews," many of
them negative. But he also urges
Jews to be mindful of how difficult it
is for Christians to "read the holy
writing and say 'that no longer
applies.' "
"We have to begin to see what
Christians struggle with in order to
understand where they're coming
from. That's part of the mutual
growth."
Lyons says that while there is an
organized Jewish community he can
reach, there is no such organized Pro-
testant community because it is far
more diffuse. "Each Protestant group
has its own hierarchy, its own inter-
ests and programs, its own clergy,"
he notes. He praised the Catholic
community for its initiative in seek-
ing to rectify "the false image of the
Jews" in its teachings.
He credited a former Detroiter,
Dr. Eugene Fisher, who is now on the
Bishops Committee in Washington
dealing specifically with Jewish-
Christian relations, for playing a role
in Catholic sensitivity. The commit-
tee is reviewing Catholic teaching
materials to ensure that all refer-
ences to Jews are factual, historically
correct and not anti-Jewish. "It's a
mental attitude as well, a willing-
ness to confront these things."
As for the Evangelicals,i he ob-
served that their support for Israel
surpasses that of all other Christian
groups but their ultimate motive is to
have Jews convert to Christianity.
Their support for Israel surpasses
that of all other Christian groups but
their ultimate motive is to have Jews
convert to Christianity. Their sup-
port is for Israel, he says, but not for
Jews or Judaism.
Lyons' support for Israel is
strong, and he leads interfaith mis-
sions there to help people understand
the need to support the political state
of Israel as well as the Jewish people.
He finds, in his talks here, a criticism
of Israel based on prejudice and
ignorance. He tries to avoid political
debates and focus on realities.
"Israel is often criticized when I
speak," he says. "I used to do battle
with any criticism, defending Israel
to the best of my ability. But I have
come to the conclusion that Israel
doesn't need defending! Israel lives!
Most of those who criticize Israel re-
fuse to accept that simple fact.
"My goal is not to defend, but to
help people understand. Israel is a
nation, a democratic nation, with
people having the right to make their
own decisions. Whether we agree
with them or not is less important
than understanding why these deci-
sions are being made . ."
What do others have to say about
Lyons and his work?
Alvin Kushner, executive direc-
tor of the Jewish Community Coun-
cil, has only praise. "We've been very
supportive of him primarily in his
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