For two thousand years, Christians and Jews have coexisted in an uneasy state of tension, mutual suspicion, and often hatred and violence. But in recent years, courageous Christian and Jewish leaders have together confronted the past with laserlike intensity and commenced the urgent task of building bridges of solidarity, mutual knowledge and respect. This extraordinary effort, coming after two millennia that were frequently filled with intolerance and distrust, reverses a tragic history and creates a new and constructive relationship between Christians and Jews. But it has not been easy. How did this happen? How was it possible to begin the process of overcoming centuries of stereotypes, caricatures and bigotry? And does the development of constructive Christian-Jewish relations, albeit still fragile, offer a successful model to resolve other intergroup conflicts? This probing examination of Christian-Jewish relations looks at the major issues facing both faith traditions to guarantee that the recent hard-earned gains and achievements will not be lost or weakened in the difficult years ahead.
