Ruth Gledhill Weblog: Archbishop and Israeli Chief Rabbis do Lambeth talk

I hardly dared hope I would one day be writing this, but I find that the Archishop of Canterbury improves with scrutiny. Heaven knows it is easy enough to criticise, particularly in a Church newsaper, and I was among his fiercest critics when he personally backed the controversial General Synod motion on disinvestment from companies with interests in Israel last year. But now he has not merely gone a long way towards repairing the damage. By signing this week's declaration with the Ashkenazi and Sephardi Chief Rabbis of Israel, he has taken a characteristically courageous step which could have far-reaching consequences, not just in rebuilding broken bridges between the Anglican Church and Israel, but helping to broker that impossible peace many of the other countries of the Middle East and the Jewish state as well.

The declaration signed at the meeting coincides with the 350th anniversary of the resettlement of the Jewish community in Britain after its expulsion centuries before. In it, the three religious leaders express concern about the present rise of anti-Semitism in Britain and the rest of Europe. They recognise, rightly, how complicit the Church has been in this. They speak of their longing for peace and justice in the Holy Land and 'condemn without reserve those who deny a place for Israel and especially those who engage in the evil work of seeking to bring about its destruction.' It is a long declaration, and you can read it all for yourselves on the Lambeth Palace website. It represents a new bridge between the Church and Israel that it is hoped the Muslims will be able to walk over also. The aim is of course not conversion. The declaration contains a firm commitment to eschew proselytism. the rest