Yad Vashem challenged me deeply. I knew that there were things I would hear and see that would shine a light on how Christians of the past contributed to the atrocities of the Holocaust. I was unprepared for how I would feel to hear specifics. For example, as a lover of theology, I deeply respect Augustine, but I was disappointed to see his words on a plaque at Yad Vashem and how careless he was for the Jewish people. I was raised in a Lutheran church and currently serve as a pastor at a Lutheran church. I was aware of Luther’s poor words about the Jews. I did not know how awful some of his words were or that the counselors of Hitler used them to justify the burning of Jewish people. I knew there were Lutheran pastors who endorsed Hitler and the Nazi party. I did not know that I would hear about specific Lutheran pastors who participated in arresting and mistreating Jews.
It drove me to repentance. Not for my role; I am not personally responsible for the choices of my forefathers. Not for the ones who wrote the words or committed the acts; they are gone and judged. But I thought about the Old Testament prophets and how they would repent on behalf of their people. In the same way, if I am going to be part of the Lutheran tribe, I need to own our faults. I found myself repenting for my people, asking God’s mercy, and resolving to advocate better for the Jewish people.
I returned home from Israel with a heart full of love for the land and the people and a desire to do something reflecting everything I had learned. How can I get the people of my congregation to see the value of Israel and its people? How can I better understand my community’s Jewish people? I live in a town in Wisconsin, and we have a tiny Jewish population,but they are here…I decided to connect with that community and learn…
Who are they, what do they find important, and how do they view the Christian churches around them?…
How can we ensure they feel like the Christians are their friends?…
As of writing this, I have established with the rabbi that I will visit their synagogue worship to experience it firsthand… In the meantime, I have also shared many things I learned in Israel with my congregation through presentations and a podcast. These presentations have been well attended and well received. I end each with the simple request: “Pray for Israel.” I do so every day, and I hope my people will also.
