Who are the people of God? This question was discussed last week by Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum of the American Jewish Committee; Dr. William R. Cannon, dean of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University; and by Father Donald J. Martin S.J. director of the Jesuit House of Studies at Mobile, Ala.

The three speakers, before a packed auditorium, at the Jewish Community Center, discussed the meaning of the term within their traditions. Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan served as moderator and introduced the three.

Rabbi Tanenbaum, national director of the AJC’s Interreligious Affairs Department, said, “To discuss the concept of the People of God in 20 minutes is not an act of blasphemy, but it is an act of impertinence.

“There is no definite conception of the idea, and yet there is emerging enough thought that we may be able to understand each other. We must take a moment to ask why in the 20^th Century relatively thoughtful people are wrestling with this idea.

“We may want to do it for solely religious reasons. This will not be the first time theology has been formed as a response to history and we are confronted with the fact that Christians and Jews are less than one-third of the human family.”

He pointed out—quoting Karl Rahner, S. J., that Jews and Christians of the future may live in the diasspora of the world. He asked were the Moslems also people who have a claim as a part of God’s family or are “they objects of the colonial, imperialist Christian-Judaic world?”

The rabbi said, “A number of fundamental things have been resolved, thank God, by the Second Vatican Council, by the World Council of Churches, by the National Council of Churches. There has been a commitment to overcome anti-Semitism found in certain traditions.

One of the critical questions not resolved in any fundamental way has been how Christians understand theologically the place of Jews in God’s economy. What is the meaning of Judaism that has existed over 1,500 years since the closing of the canon of the Old Testament?

“Jews have the same problem in determining what is the meaning of Christianity in Jewish theological tradition.”

He said a strong tradition had developed that Judaism died with the closing of the Old Testament and was superseded by a new covenant.

Rabbi Tanenbaum said in asking the question who are the people of God, Jews and Catholics had “the same hang up, namely that outside the Church there is no salvation…

“In answering the question whether God’s sovereignty, His majesty was exhausted in one chosen people, the Jews have had to face Scripture. Jeremiah said Jews have only the privilege of being the first born in the Kingdom of God, not to the exclusion of other nations. Jeremiah said that God is also the King of the Gentiles. There is the recognition that all men stand in direct relationship to God’s sovereignty.”

Father Martin said, “This concept of the People of God is not a well-known theme in Catholicism. It was used by the council as a subjective, biblical concept. The plan of the council was to show the different functional roles within the People of God, the diversity of gifts. Therefore, it was discussed in rather traditional terms.

It is important to realize that the council wanted to clearly restate a traditional group of propositions—Christ is the unique mediator, the Church by its identity with Christ is necessary for salvation, that baptism is the necessary means by which we enter the Church.

There is nothing new, nothing ecumenical about that. There is no clear way to speak about the image of the People of God. St. Paul found it difficult to be clear on this.

“The council takes the position on the People of God that it is a heavenly reality, not an earthly one.”

Dean Cannon said the concept refers to the people of Israel, but there has been a development in the term.

In the most inclusive sense it refers to the act of creation itself—it means the human race. Man was made in the image of God and everything exists because of His power.

The People of God means, in the Old Testament, those whom God called for a particular mission, who God ordained in order to achieve a purpose for all mankind.

Historically speaking, it has been easy to say “We are those people of God and you’re not.” The Jews said they were the People of God and said “look at those Philistines.” The Christian said they were the People of God and that the old covenant was gone. The Protestants then said the Catholic Church was corrupt and “we’ve got to have a new People of God.”

Dean Cannon said the term was an exhortation to godliness. “The People of God” are they who act like God, they who behave like God, they who fulfill the will of God. Until that is done you can call them Jews, Protestants, Catholics or anything else.”

In introductory remarks, Archbishop Hallinan said, “Another step has been taken toward Christian-Jewish understanding in our Atlanta community. To have men like Rabbi Tanenbaum, Dean Cannon, and Father Martin on the same platform means that our hopes and visions of unity have gained a strong, clear will.

“Events like this do not just happen. They are the fruit of the work of Christians and Jewish laymen was well as clergy in this city. It is a tribute to them that we explore together the beautiful term, the People of God.”

James A. Eichelberger, a member of the Archdiocesan Religious Unity Commission, urged persons attending to take part in living room dialogues between Catholics and Jews.