THE INTEGRITY OF JOHN RAYNER AND INTER-FAITH RELAT IONS

John Rayner had warm memories of the Christians he met when he first came to England and had a positive attitude to Christianity. Nevertheless, he believed that the Christian dispensation in Europe had broken down for good, that there were elements in Christianity unbelievable to modern people and that liberal Judaism could play a key role in building a new moral and spiritual foundation. Dialogue with Christians was an important part of his ministry. This was characterised by his unfailing courtesy and integrity. This integrity enabled him to transcend all personal considerations to focus on the issue in hand and to speak plain truths as he saw them, both to Christians and his fellow Jews.