In an unusual public statement, Jews and Catholics in Chicago have together addressed the topic of abortion, one of the most divisive issues debated in political and religious circles today.
The 21 Jewish and Catholic religious leaders who signed a joint statement about abortion treaded carefully around the contradictory positions held by Judaism and Catholicism, which differ fundamentally on the point at which “human life” begins and whether abortion is always wrong.
Instead, their statement addressed the often-vociferous tone of public debate on abortion.
They expressed concern about the way in which “the public debate on abortion has harmfully polarized our society,” in their statement, made public July 24.
“Many parties to the public debate on abortion question the integrity and intent of their opponents,” the statement read. “Not only is this behavior counterproductive but it is also profoundly unjust.
“We condemn the stereotyping of religious traditions and attacks upon the integrity of those who hold different views. Such vilification creates divisiveness between groups and makes it more difficult for our society to resolve this complex ethical dilemma.
“Moreover, it can easily lead to a cold, unthinking lack of compassion for the women who must grapple with this dilemma most immediately and inescapably. We call upon all to proceed with sensitivity and dignity in their public discourse and action on this subject,” the statement said.
TRADITIONS DIFFER ON ISSUE
The Jews and Catholics who signed the statement agreed that “neither tradition considers the voluntary termination of a pregnancy to be good but our traditions differ on whether that choice is always morally wrong.”
They acknowledged that “the range of appropriate options and acceptable responses to real life dilemma is quite different in our two traditions.”
And they urged “the public and private sectors of our society to implement programs which address the basic health care needs of women and children at risk. The debate over abortion should not interfere with this objective.”
The statement’s creation grew out of a dialogue which has been conducted by leaders of the two faith communities since the early 1980s, when it was founded by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago.
The Catholic-Jewish Scholars Dialogue, as it is known, is co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Every two months, dialogue participants gather for scheduled meetings at the federation, which coordinates the effort, to discuss issues of mutual concern.
It is rare that they issue a statement, There have been only two others — on the Carmelite convent at Auschwitz, in 1989, and on the proposed beatification of Spain’s Queen Isabella, in 1991.
The statement on abortion was written after the topic was discussed at the group’s spring meeting and two further sessions. The group decided to issue a statement on this topic because the first meeting “was a profound session, and people were moved by the depth of the discussion,” said Michael Kotzin, associate executive director and director of communications for the federation.
It was decided that “we could play a role by making a statement of concern about the tenor of the debate,” he said.
Signers of the statement include: Rev. Daniel Montalbano, director of Catholic-Jewish relations at the Chicago archdiocese; Rev. John Pawlikowski, a professor of social ethics at the Chicago Theological Union; Rev. Michael Place, theology consultant to the cardinal; Rabbi Mordechai Simon, executive vice president of the Chicago Board of Rabbis, and Rabbi Louis Tuchman, the board’s president; and Maynard Wishner, chair of the Chicago Jewish Community Relations Council.
There are about 250,000 Jews in the Chicago area, according to Kotzin, and 2.3 million Catholics within the archdiocese.
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