Archbishop of Canterbury Meets Chief Rabbi to Address Jewish Community’s Pain Over Pro-Palestinian Document

Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally met with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis at Lambeth Palace to address tensions arising from the Church of England General Synod’s recent vote. The Synod, meeting in York earlier this month, voted to “hear” the controversial Kairos II document rather than “receive” it, a decision that has sparked significant concern within the Jewish community.

Archbishop Mullally described the meeting as an “honest conversation about events of the past few weeks.” She expressed that she was “deeply saddened by the hurt and distress that so many in the Jewish community are feeling” following the Synod’s decision. The Archbishop acknowledged the “profound connection that the Jewish people have to the State of Israel” and emphasized the Church’s duty to value and protect every faith in shared national life.

In her statement, Mullally called for safety and dignity for all individuals affected by the conflict, stating that every person—Christian, Jewish, and Muslim; Palestinian and Israeli—deserves to live in safety, dignity, and peace. She pledged solidarity with British Jews during a time of “fragility and fear” and committed to continuing to pray for Palestinian Christians. She noted that the violence and suffering in the Middle East have been deeply felt in the UK by those connected to Israel and Palestine through faith, family, or heritage.

Chief Rabbi Mirvis, in his own statement, described the discussion as “comprehensive” regarding the Synod’s decision to “hear” the Kairos Palestine II document. He characterized parts of the document as having “alarming and appalling elements” and shared the “deep pain felt by many in the Jewish community” due to what he termed the Synod’s “most deplorable decision.” Mirvis emphasized the need for the Church to seek ways to repair the damage caused to Christian-Jewish relations.

The Kairos II document, produced by the Palestinian Christian movement Kairos Palestine, was the subject of the Synod’s deliberation. The vote to “hear” rather than “receive” the text represented a compromise in the Church’s engagement with the document. Both leaders highlighted the importance of dialogue despite the current difficulties in hearing one another, aiming to foster deeper understanding and justice for Israelis and Palestinians.

The meeting underscored the delicate balance between institutional decisions and their impact on interfaith relations. By engaging in direct dialogue, the Archbishop and Chief Rabbi sought to address the immediate fallout while reaffirming their commitment to partnership and mutual respect. The exchange reflects a broader effort to navigate complex political and religious issues with care and accountability.

As Christian-Jewish relations face these challenging weeks, the focus remains on seeking peace and justice. The leaders’ statements point toward a renewed urgency for dialogue and understanding, grounded in the shared desire for safety and dignity for all people affected by the conflict.

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