Reflections by Rabbi Eugene Korn, Ph.D., a "Scandal" par-ticipant. Gene is an Associate Executive Director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding at Sacred Heart University.

The Scandal of Particularity Project, exquisitely co-designed by the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies in Baltimore and the Institute for Reformed Theology in Richmond, takes its name from Søren Kierkegaard's rich theological reflections. For the 19th-century philosopher Kierkegaard, the assertion of particularity was necessary for personal and religious identity, and it was a scandal to the reigning universalistic conceptions of truth and ethics of his day. A fierce individualist, Kierke-gaard opted for scandal. The phrase was later used to describe Jews and Judaism, the only exceptions to an other-wise exclusively Christian Europe during the Middle Ages and up to modernity. Today, however, it aptly captures the chal-lenge before Christians and Jews as they attempt recognition and appreciation of each other and his distinct faith.

The project provides a forum for Jews and Christians to help each other examine their central religious concepts. Whereas their respective differences put in relief the distinctive par-ticulars of each religion, today Jews and Christians face the same problem: the pervasive loss of a sober moderate center of theology and religious identity. This loss results from op-posite contemporary impulses, one toward secularization and the other toward community isolation for insulation from the complexities of pluralistic culture. And the costs are great: a withering of religious vitality and an increase in coarse religious extremism. Do our respective sacred texts and faith convic-tions contribute toward this polarization or can they point us toward a healthier vision for humanity's future? Thus Jews and Christians have a rich basis for vital conversation that is born out of both difference and commonality.

The project consists of six meetings spanning two years. Each meeting has a visiting Christian and Jewish scholar, an expert on the meeting's theme, who delivers an original paper. They develop their reflections in dialogue with each other, with canonical texts and with the project's permanent group of 25 Christian and Jewish scholars, clergy, educators and lay lead-ers, who participate in samll group discussions and plenary sessions.

The first meeting in November 2006 examined the theme of "The Particularity of Revelation." Led by the visiting scholars Rabbi Eugene B. Borowitz of Hebrew Union College and Professor Douglas Ottati of Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, the group focused on the deeper meaning of reve-lation and explored the implications of revelation at Sinai for Jews, the revelation of Christ for Christians, and how each faith can deal with the revelatory claims of the other.

The second meeting in March 2007 on the theme of "The Authority of the Text" dedicated itself to exploring how Jewish and Christian traditions read and interpret these sacred texts. Does the authority of the Bible allow for plural voices? Is the Bible's authority irreversibly wounded for us today? What are the implications for Christianity of accepting the Jewish inter-pretation of the Bible, and vice versa? Visiting scholar Dr. Samuel Balantine explored the connection between interpreta-tion of gospel passages and the Torah, while scholar Wendy Zeirler offered a feminist reading of the biblical story of Rachel.

The third meeting in June 2007 looked at "The People Israel, The People of God," and was highlighted by a rich personal and scholarly dialogue between visiting scholars Profs. Michael Wyschogrod and R. Kendall Soulen. Prof. Wyschogrod demon-strated a close connection between Jewish biblical theology of election, covenant and the people Israel in sacred history on the one hand, and traditional Christian theological concepts on the other. Prof. Soulen paid homage to the unique claims of Prof. Wyschogrod's thought and reflected on how his Jewish understanding enabled him -- and other Christian thinkers -- to better understand Christianity and Christians as the "new people of Israel." The group also explored new scholarly under-standing of Paul and his writings, emphasizing continuity between Paul's understanding of the continuing validity of the Torah for Jews and the new role of Christian gentiles in sacred history.

The Scandal of Particularity Project is an ambitious attempt by committed Christians and Jews to understand their faiths in relation to each other and to help transform the historical relationship of enmity between Christians and Jews into a constructive partnership -- both spiritual and practical. If Christians and Jews can make peace with each other through understanding their particulars after 2,000 years of hostility, peace between any two people is possible. And if they suc-ceed in retaining their distinctive particularities while becoming active partners, they will fulfill their common covenantal obli-gation to be a blessing both to themselves and the world.