BIRMINGHAM — The Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations considered an overture that wanted to affirm the “common Abrahamic heritage” of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, submitted by Newton presbytery.
Some commissioners said they thought that affirmation — a sense that the three faiths in some way were “family” — might help interfaith relations and conversation.
But there were questions about what it means to say there is a common heritage among religions with different teachings, and the assembly decided to delete that reference.
“It is not at all clear what it means to claim a common heritage,” said Jay Rock, the PC(USA)’s coordinator of interfaith relations. Rock said it’s better to talk about three separate but interrelated traditions, each of which interpret the figure of Abraham in distinct ways. “To use the language of common heritage was confusing,” Rock said.
The assembly voted 466 to 29 to remove language from the proposal regarding a common heritage, but left in a statement encouraging Christians, Muslims and Jews to work together for peace, justice and righteousness.
