Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America

November 21, 1941

The Executive Committee of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America desires to make a public statement of its attitude toward anti-Semitism.

On many previous occasions we have expressed our abhorrence of the religious and racial intolerance which afflicts our world today. We have especially emphasized our opposition to unjust and unchristian attacks upon the Jews. In so doing we have been whole-heartedly supported by similar utterances officially made by the highest governing bodies of the great denominations cooperating in the Federal Council of Churches.

Recent evidences of anti-Jewish prejudice in our own country compel us to speak again a word of solemn warning to the nation. Divisiveness on religious or racial grounds is a portentous menace to American democracy. If one group be made the target of attack today, the same spirit of intolerance may be visited on another group tomorrow and the rights and liberties of every group thus be put in jeopardy.

We condemn anti-Semitism as un-American. Our nation is a free fellowship of many racial and cultural stocks. It is our historic glory that they have been able to live together in mutual respect, each enjoying in the rich contribution which the others have made to the common good. Anti-Semitism is an insidious evil which if allowed to develop would poison the springs of our national life.

Even more strongly we condemn anti-Semitism as unchristian. As Christians we gratefully acknowledge our ethical and spiritual indebtedness to the people of Israel. No true Christian can be anti-Semitic in thought, word or deed without being untrue to his own Christian inheritance. In behalf of the Christian churches which comprise the Federal Council we voice our renewed determination to unite in combating every tendency to anti-Semitism in our country. We recognize that a special responsibility rests upon us who belong to the numerically strongest group, to be staunch advocates of the rights of minorities. We pledge our best efforts in their defense.

Source

Bulletin of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America (October 1941), published in “Federal Council of Churches of Christ Condemns Anti-Semitism,” American Hebrew (21 November 1941), p. 5.