This book addresses the state of play in Jewish-Christian relations as well as reflections on the more recent encounter with Islam. It brings together a number of inter-related themes in the writings of Ed Kessler, starting in 1998.
Part One, 'Jewish-Christian Relations: status questionis', explores some of the key issues in modern Jewish-Christian relations including Christian antisemitism and the Holocaust, the significance and impact of Israel, theological controversies such as mission as well as Jewish responses to changing Christian attitudes.
Part Two, 'Jews, Christians and the Bible', traces different biblical stories and figures, from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, demonstrating Jewish-Christian contact and controversy. Both Jews and Christians lived - and continue to live - in a biblically orientated culture, sharing a sacred text, and more surprisingly, a common exegetical tradition. One consequence of this shared tradition is an ability to deal with some of the more problematic and polemical biblical texts.
Part Three, 'Jews, Christians and Muslims', explores the encounter with Islam, including topics associated with history and memory, as well as interpretations of similar scriptural stories. It begins with Jewish approaches to Christianity and Islam, followed by an analysis of the interpretations of one shared story, the Sacrifice of Abraham's son. It ends with reflections on contemporary relations between the three Abrahamic faiths.
