In many cases, this represents a wholesale reevaluation of the relations between ancient religious enemies. In many nations, a monastic community called the Order of the Beatitudes openly demonstrates its commitment to restoring Jewish roots to the Catholic Church. Begun around a little over a decade ago, this order has grown to over a thousand members. This and other such efforts in the Catholic church are a direct result of "Nostra Aetate," the document passed thirty years ago by the Vatican II Ecumenical Council which affirmed the Judaic heritage of Christianity and the ongoing validity of God’s covenant with the Jews.

Recently, the evangelical Lutheran Church in America (three million members) voted to repudiate the anti-Semitism of its founder, Martin Luther, and to begin teaching its seminary students the history of anti-Semitism. In a symbolic pilgrimage to a synagogue, church leaders confessed their denominational sins and asked forgiveness of the Jews.

Now, for the first time, some Greek Orthodox theologians have affirmed the continuation of the Jews’ covenantal relationship with God, despite the fact that their Easter liturgy still blames "the Jews" for killing Jesus. Even the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, which in the past has been openly anti-Semitic, has ordered the translation of a book on Jewish-Greek Orthodox dialogue.

In Protestant Christianity, much reevaluation of theology has made it possible for Christians and Orthodox Jews to form alliances based on shared values. Indeed, it was Protestant denominations, rather than the Catholic Church, which began interfaith dialogue in Western Europe just after the Holocaust. European Protestant denominations–particularly in Holland, Germany, and Switzerland–have issued some of the best position statements repudiating anti-Semitism in their former theology.

Pro-Israel evangelical denominations are among the strongest supporters of Israel and the Jewish people. While most are strongly evangelistic, they, nevertheless, support the right of existence and self determination of Jews and the nation of Israel. Generally they recognize the restoration of Israel as being in the prophetic plan of divine providence. This evangelical pro-Israel theology has inspired a rapidly-increasing Jewish roots movement that is circling the globe with philo-Semitism.

Many Protestant denominations, however, lag far behind the pace at which repentance is taking place elsewhere. This is particularly true of those that espouse anti-Zionist "liberation theology," a demonic doctrine which reinforces ancient stereotypes and caricatures of Jews as "evil." The New Zealand Anglican Church has gone so far as to remove the words Israel and Zion from its Psalter in order not to be tainted by Zionism.

Still, one wonders how much of the repentance of theologians and church leaders has filtered down into the pews. This is particularly true in Protestant churches, where official theological statements are not given as serious a reading as they are in the Catholic Church. It is sad that more Protestant denominational leaders have not followed John Paul II’s lead in denouncing anti-Semitism as a "sin against god and man."

Many have wondered whether it is not necessary for Jews to reexamine their traditional negative attitudes toward Christianity. Some have even demanded reciprocity as a precondition to increasing the dialogue. The truth is, however, that the historical church has been far more responsible for the separation of Christianity and Judaism than the synagogue. Being in the extreme majority and exercising often absolute power, the church has sponsored an unrelenting persecution of Judaism and the Jewish people that has lasted for well over sixteen hundred years. Jewish retaliation pales in comparison to Christian acts of violence. Many church leaders believe, therefore, that it is the responsibility of the church to initiate the repentance and to carry the dialogue until complete reconciliation is achieved. How can a mere thirty years of dialogue compensate for two millennia of contempt? Perhaps many Jews are right when they consider just showing up a significant contribution on their part to the dialogue.