For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity

A rabbi, theologian, scholar and teacher, Greenberg established CLAL, the national Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, in 1974. This think tank's staff is a mix of rabbis and scholars from all Jewish denominations, reflecting Greenberg's determination to cut across the lines that separate Jews. His new book goes beyond internal differences within the Jewish community to explore Jewish-Christian relationships, a subject that has long commanded Greenberg's attention. In nine essays, Greenberg recounts his thoughts and experiences on the association between Jews and Christians, especially in connection with the Holocaust. His mentor Joseph Soloveitchik, Orthodox Judaism's leading 20th-century sage, opposed theological discussions between Jews and Christians. When Greenberg asserted that this ban contradicted Soloveitchik's own view that "life is spiritually seamless," Soloveitchik surprisingly agreed, opening the door for the ideas presented here and for the interactions with Christian theologians that informed them. The book includes five short comments by theologians on Greenberg's thinking. Some religious knowledge is useful for grasping the complex ideas, but the effort required to understand Greenberg's theological conceptions will be richly rewarded, since he provides vital insights into the possibility of "two parallel covenantal communities working side by side to bring God's Kingdom." (Oct.)

Forecast: Greenberg will be speaking at six Jewish book fairs this fall.