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Editorial
The Editors

Nostra Aetate marked a turning point in the Church's attitude to Judaism and this was only the beginning. Since then there have been twenty-five years of development and the relationship between the Church and the Jewish People has been transformed. Problems have certainly arisen and these have sometimes caused a crisis in the relationship. On reflection this is not surprising. It will take much longer than twenty-five years to reverse nearly two millennia of a "teaching of contempt" and to draw out the implications of the new understanding for all areas of Christian life. This work must continue with ever-renewed energy and creativity.
One of the milestones in this new encounter was the clear recognition by the Church of the Jewish People as "People of God of the Old Covenant which has never been revoked". Christians are called "to strive to understand Jews in the way they explain themselves". Dialogue does not seek to change the identity of the partner, but as friendship develops it confirms the other in its own distinctive self-understanding. Fear is diminished and trust grows. In the words of Pope John Paul II in 1985 "there is love between us (Christians and Jews)". This kind of relationship has the power to bring to light dimensions of being that were deeply hidden; it gives courage to face up to challenges that call for repentance and it releases new energy.
The Church is related to the Jewish People at the very level of her own identity. Therefore it is not surprising that the Church's self-understanding develops as the dialogue with Judaism deepens. This is not something imposed from without but grows from within-it may not be ignored. The more Christians are able to consciously follow through this process (and Jews also face up to the demands the dialogue makes of them) so will the Kingdom of God become a reality among us.
One of the most urgent consequences for the Church lies in the theological domain. The new understanding of Judaism challenges its traditional theology. With the help of our Jewish brothers and sisters this issue of SIDIC tries to contribute to the theological reflection on the most basic concept underlying our two faith communities-Covenant. Colette Kessler explains the Jewish understanding of Covenant and lays a solid foundation for what follows. In a profoundly moving article, Leon Klenicki reflects on what it means for him personally to belong to a Chosen People, after the Shoah and in pluralist America. Eugene Fisher makes a thoughtful Christian response to this. John McDade outlines the difficulties that the statement "the Old Covenant has never been revoked" poses to Christian theology and opens up new paths to follow.
In January 1991 a small international conference of Jewish and Christian scholars will be held in England to pursue these questions further. This issue of SIDIC prepares readers for it and a subsequent issue will publish the Conference proceedings.