The theological arm of the World Evangelical Alliance has released a statement on Jewish evangelism in Europe with the hope of renewing commitment to take the Gospel to the Jews.
The "Berlin Declaration", as the 1,200-word document is called, comes one week after the conclusion of an August 18-22 meeting on how the Christian community might express genuine love for the Jewish people, especially in Europe.
The consultation in Berlin involved 13 scholars from the WEA Theological Commission, key seminaries and other organisations. It also included practitioners engaged in ministry among Jewish people, and Christians from Germany and Messianic Jews.
"[I]t is our prayer that the Berlin Declaration 2008, signed by the thirteen members of the Task Force, will prove to be equally useful in supporting the work of taking the Gospel 'to the Jew first' and also the rest of the world," commented the WEA Theological Commission's executive director, Dr David Parker.
He said the European setting of the statement is particularly significant.
"We hope that this declaration will encourage many Christians to see the importance and biblical warrant for this important ministry," Dr Parker stated. "We would like to see the Berlin Declaration 2008 circulated as widely as possible amongst those who are engaged in and interested in this ministry."
The declaration emphasises four main points - the need for repentance, the problem of sin, the solution to sin, and the call for action.
"We deeply regret the all too frequent persecution of Jewish people in Jesus' name," the declaration begins.
"During the genocide of the Holocaust, when the Jewish people were in their greatest peril, most Christian believers were silent," it continues.
"Many more today feel embarrassment and shame for the general failure to protest. As a result, there is an evident insecurity about relations with Jewish people. Also, there is a tendency to replace direct Gospel outreach with Jewish-Christian dialogue," the declaration adds.
