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Editorial
The Editors

8th May 1995 was the fiftieth anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. 28th October 1995 is the thirtieth anniversary of Nostra Aetate. The two events are related for 3 the horrors of World War II, especially the destruction of European Jewry, awakened the Christian conscience to the evil of anti- semitism, led the Church to rediscover the vitality of post-biblical Judaism, the Jewish roots of Christianity and to re-define her relationship to the Jewish People.
SIDIC has chosen to focus this anniversary issue on Jewish-Christian Dialogue in the context of Interreligious Dialogue. It was said that "the life-blood of the Council" ran through the dramatic history of this Council document. What started out as a statement condemning anti-semitism became the Declaration on the Church's Relations to non- Christian Religions. Though the attempts to sabotage the document and the bitter controversies at that time were often disconcerting, yet the final "compromise" proved to be providential. Coming to grips with the Church's relationship to Judaism propelled the Church to take seriously the great religions of the world. If the relationship at the very origin of the Church can be healed all other relationships would, hopefully, fall into place.
Nostra Aetate has had an ongoing life. Not only have further documents appeared but the teaching of contempt has been exposed and to a great extent overcome; the Jewish roots of Christianity are appreciated at all levels of Christian catechesis; the discovery of living Judaism and ongoing dialogue at various levels have led to a partial correction of supercessionist theology. Jewish faithfulness to the Sinai Covenant "which has never been revoked" led to the acknowledgement of the distinctiveness of Judaism and to insights into the Church's relationship with the Jewish People.
But Judaism and Christianity are minorities in the midst of many religions. The challenges of the contemporary world and of God's word in the Bible call them to dialogue and to establish peace and justice within it. In this issue Cardinal Kdnig, who was a pioneer both in Jewish- Christian and interreligious dialogue, sets the scene for the ongoing reflection. Rev. L. Frizzell in an impressive bibliographical survey shows, not only the immense activity in this area, but points to achievements and uncertainties. Two articles focus on Jewish-Christian issues, which will always have special relevance for the Church. The first century is crucial; Asher Finkel's research into this period is well known to Sidic readers. In this issue he clarifies some developments in the two distinctive traditions and gives advice for the future. Richard Harries shows how far dialogue between Jews and Christians has developed while taking seriously Jacob Neusner's particular and challenging view of it. Jewish-Christian dialogue has repercussions for the whole spectrum of human relations which means it is crucial for the well-being of society.