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Convergences and Divergences There are a number of matters on which Feinstein, Soloveitchik and Heschel agree and a number of matters on which they disagree. A rudimentary framework situating the approaches toward interfaith dialogue advocated by these rabbinic personalities on a spectrum of liberal (left) to conservative (right) would probably feature Heschel advocating a liberal position, Feinstein advocating a conservative position, and Soloveitchik advocating a moderate (more accurately, center-right) position. All three have a conception of honor or self-respect they wish to preserve and are, therefore, unwilling to countenance certain events. Thus, Feinstein, wishing to proscribe interfaith dialogue, addresses himself to Soloveitchik, stating: ―But it is for the honor of G[-]d to stand in this great breach‖ 198 and prohibit interfaith activity. Soloveitchik limited interfaith dialogue to nontheological matters, and even this, he believes, must be done ―carefully and with tact‖ 199 not only to preserve Jewish moral values, but also Jews‘ ―self-respect.‖ 200 Heschel, upset over an early draft of Nostra Aetate in which the Church‘s belief in its mission to the Jew seemed present, chose to call the draft ―spiritual 198 Ellenson 124 199 Sklarin 371 200 Sklarin 371 37
fratricide,‖ 201 asserting that, were he forced to choose between ―the choice of conversion or death in the gas chambers of Auschwitz, he would choose Auschwitz.‖ 202 He personally succeeded in convincing the Pope to change the wording of the document, later speaking of the ―precious[ness] of Judaism.‖ 203 Heschel and Soloveitchik ―share an understanding that excludes the core of faith from the field of dialogue,‖ 204 motivated by a desire ―to safeguard dialogue from slipping into proselytism [and] their respective understandings of the nature of faith and its attendant experience.‖ 205 The rabbis differ when one considers the manner in which they tend to characterize the Church in interfaith dialogue. Feinstein describes the Church as ―idolatr[ous],‖ 206 calling Christians supposedly wishing to engage in interfaith dialogue ―evil ones‖ 207 who are guilty of performing the ―deeds of Satan,‖ 208 reflecting a cosmically negative perspective. Soloveitchik identifies the Church as the ―community of the many,‖ 209 acknowledging that the Church lacks the ―brute power‖ 210 that it once yielded while simultaneously intimating his recognition of the church as constituting ―a faith community with its own integrity.‖ 211 Heschel, in Maimonidean fashion, explicitly acknowledges ―a divine plan in the role of Christianity,‖ 212 regarding Christianity ―as part 201 Kimelman 6 202 Kimelman 6 203 Kimelman 6 204 Krajewski & Lipszyc 165 205 Krajewski & Lipszyc 165 206 Ellenson 122 207 Ellenson 124 208 Ellenson 124 209 Kimelman 9 210 Kimelman 9 211 Kimelman 9 212 Heschel 19 38
Page 1 and 2: The Views of Rabbi Moses Feinstein,
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Overview: Ecume
Page 5 and 6: any one denomination to pursue effe
Page 7 and 8: traditions (‗culture groups‘):
Page 9 and 10: Leaders, Protestant, Catholic, and
Page 11 and 12: the national creed.‘‖ 46 Accord
Page 13 and 14: elationship between the Catholic Ch
Page 15 and 16: of individuals, such as Roncalli an
Page 17 and 18: authoritarian regimes.‖ 82 In add
Page 19 and 20: Rabbi Moses Feinstein: Biographical
Page 21 and 22: was a Kohen.‖ 102 Through employi
Page 23 and 24: Rabbi Moses Feinstein on Interfaith
Page 25 and 26: on Christian-Jewish dialogue, feari
Page 27 and 28: Joseph B. Soloveitchik, whose own p
Page 29 and 30: descended from the Beis Halevi (the
Page 31 and 32: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on Int
Page 33 and 34: certain non-religious matters, shar
Page 35 and 36: I and Adam II is also found in Solo
Page 37 and 38: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel on Int
Page 39: not only given us rights, it has al
Page 43 and 44: also is not even an aspiration wort
Page 45 and 46: theologically than, the tradition o
Page 47 and 48: for Jews given that this religious
Page 49 and 50: Bibliography Berenbaum, Michael, an
Page 51: Sarna, Jonathan D. American Judaism

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