The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has held talks with Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis at Lambeth Palace, in an attempt to address the fallout from the Church of England General Synod vote to "hear" the controversial Kairos II document.
Speaking after the meeting, Archbishop Mullally said she was "grateful" to welcome the Chief Rabbi for an "honest conversation about events of the past few weeks".
She said she was "deeply saddened by the hurt and distress that so many in the Jewish community are feeling" following the Synod's decision, and told him that she and the Church "recognise the profound connection that the Jewish people have to the State of Israel".
The Archbishop called for safety and dignity for all those affected by the conflict, saying "every person - Christian, Jewish and Muslim; Palestinian and Israeli - deserves to live in safety, dignity and peace."
She added that she would continue to pray for "our Palestinian Christian sisters and brothers," while pledging solidarity with British Jews "in such a time of fragility and fear".
"The terrible violence, destruction and suffering in the Middle East have been deeply felt in this country by everyone who is connected to Israel and Palestine – whether by faith, family or heritage," she said.
"It has become harder to hear one another, but it has never been more important that we do.
"The Church of England’s vocation is to value and protect every faith in our shared national life, including the Jewish community who are an integral and essential part of our society. It is my duty and privilege to extend the hand of friendship and partnership to every faith community.
"I will always stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in this country, and I pray for their protection in such a time of fragility and fear.
"My prayer is that these challenging weeks for Christian-Jewish relations give us renewed urgency to work together for deeper understanding and dialogue in this country, and for the justice and peace that Israelis and Palestinians deserve."
In his own statement after the meeting, the Chief Rabbi said the two had held "a comprehensive discussion" about Synod's decision to "hear" the Kairos Palestine II document, despite what he called its "alarming and appalling elements".
"I shared with her the deep pain felt by many in the Jewish community on account of the Synod's most deplorable decision, and emphasised the need for the Church to seek ways to repair the damage that has been caused to Christian-Jewish relations," he said.
General Synod, meeting in York earlier this month, voted to "hear" Kairos II, rather than "receive" it as was originally proposed. Produced by the Palestinian Christian movement Kairos Palestine, the text describes Israel's military campaign in Gaza as genocide and characterises the country as a colonial, apartheid state.
Ahead of the vote, Chief Rabbi Mirvis had urged Synod members to reject any engagement with the document, calling it "little more than political activism dressed up as theology".
He said it was "shameful" that Synod had recommended engaging with what he described as "a document full of falsehood" that "uses extreme rhetoric to challenge the very existence of Israel". He warned that, despite presenting itself as a path to understanding, it in fact "functions as an egregious barrier" to it.
Following objections from Jewish leaders, Archbishop Mullally told Synod that hearing documents like Kairos II "does not mean we agree with everything in them".
In the wake of the vote, a coalition of pastors, theologians and lay leaders published the "Declaration Against Kairos II", arguing that Kairos II amounts to "inaccurate, one-sided, and dangerous rhetoric" that "falsely and without substantiation accuses Israel of genocide".
Regan King, a London pastor who helped organise the declaration, said it was "astounding" that Synod had decided to give the document "any hearing", arguing the Church had drifted from a historic tradition of support for Jewish people associated with figures such as William Wilberforce.
He said the Church "has a responsibility to speak truthfully, biblically and with humility", while adding that Christians "must reject all narratives that undermine the legitimacy of Israel".
Anglican theologian Ian Paul, who spoke against the motion during the Synod debate, questioned why Palestinian voices alone were being heard.
He asked how the Church could claim to seek "a just and lasting peace" while refusing to hear from "the bereaved and the maimed" of October 7 and the Second Intifada. He also raised concerns about apparent inconsistency in the Church's engagement with Palestinian Christian communities that he said have, in some cases, celebrated violence.
Other signatories to the Declaration Against Kairos II include Rev Hayley Ace, of Christian Action Against Antisemitism, and Dr Juergen Buehler, president of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.
