Catholic Editor Says Christian Teachings Spread Contempt of Jews

Christians are responsible for age-long anti-Semitism, although the Christian gospel is not at fault, a prominent Catholic editor told 150 Denver religious leaders, lay and clerical, attending an all-day seminar on Christian-Jewish relations conducted here at Regis College.

The charge against Christians, who were urged to reject anti-Jewish accusations of deicide, and to condemn anti-Semitism, was made by James O’Gara, managing editor of the national Catholic weekly, Commonweal. He was one of the two principal speakers at the seminar, the other being Dr. Joseph L. Lichten, intercultural affairs director for the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League. The seminar had been co-sponsored by the college and the ADL.

Asserting that Catholic-Jewish relationships will never be set aright until Christians face honestly the fact that some of their teachings result in contempt for Jews, Mr. O’Gara said: “Over the years even our textbooks have justified the Jewish persecution carried out by Christians throughout history. For many Christians, the cry ‘His blood be upon us and our children’ was louder and more powerful than Christ’s plea for pardon, ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.’ “

Citing theological theories which would blame the Jews exclusively for the crucifixion of Jesus, and the myth that the Jews were condemned to wander over the face of the earth for all time, the editor declared: “The Church teaches that the Jewish people were not and are not cast away. On the contrary, they are cherished by God–not solely because of merits of their own but because He is faithful and His gifts irrevocable. “

Mr. O’Gara noted that it was not Christianity but secularist liberalism that freed the Jews. He asserted that the dialogue between Jews and Christians “has barely begun, ” saying “we need more of it. We need to give pluralism a chance to work.”