Baptists’ Resolution Stirs Jewish Leaders

American Jewish leaders called a Southern Baptist resolution targeting Jews for conversion offensive and divisive on Friday, and one rabbi described it as a “setback” in Christian-Jewish relations.

“We respect your right to propagate your faith to all nonbelievers,” Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie wrote in a letter to Baptist leader Rev. Tom Elliff. “But singling out the Jews for special missionary efforts runs contrary to the spirit of the times and the movement toward dialogue and cooperation.”

The resolution adopted Thursday states that the Southern Baptists would “direct our energies and resources toward the proclamation of the Gospel to the Jews.”