A warning that the Western world still faces “battles” for Christian-Jewish understanding and tolerance was voiced here last night by the Rev. Dr. Michael Ramsay, Archbishop, of Canterbury. The Church of England primate made his statement, urging genuine tolerance between peoples of all faiths, when he delivered the ninth annual Robert Waley Cohen memorial lecture the Council of Christians and Jews here. Sir Bernard Waley Cohen, son of the late Robert Waley Cohen, presided.
The Archbishop defined tolerance as “an active human effort of will power and self-discipline, which makes a person acknowledge that his fellow may have other convictions, held with equal sincerity.” “Magnaniminity,” he continued, “is akin to tolerance. The worth of a man is infinite because the Creator loves him. Christians and Jews have not always practiced toleration in the past. Today, their behavior has improved, but it is far from perfect. There is a lack of tolerance east of the Iron Curtain. But what about the West?
“There are still battles ahead for both Christians and Jews,” he said. “Christians and Jews are called upon to blend their deepest convictions with the utmost reverence for others whose beliefs are different. To accept people of another color as equals requires acceptance of the idea of freedom, over and above even tolerance. This is, this must be our aim.” Among those attending the lecture was Arthur Lourie, Israel’s Ambassador here.
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