Although relationships between Christians and Jews have improved measurably in the past decade, the new ecumenism has been confined largely to the top level of the religious communities, and, in particular, has not reached the masses of Christians at the parish level, a group of Christian and Jewish theologians and scholars declared here.
They presented their analyses at a symposium, co-sponsored by the American Jewish Committee and the National Conference of Christians and Jews, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jules Isaac, the noted French-Jewish historian, whose monumental study, “Jesus and Israel,” demonstrated that certain themes in Christian teaching throughout the centuries had been responsible for creating a tradition of “contempt” towards Jews and Judaism.
Serving jointly as hosts of the meeting were Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, AJCommittee’s national director of interreligious affairs, and Donald McEvoy, the NCCJ’s senior vice-president for national programs. The symposium panel included Mme. Claire Huchet Bishop, a friend and disciple of Isaac, who was largely responsible for the publication of Isaac’s work in the United States, and who edited the English translations.
A PROMISE OF SOLIDARITY
Tanenbaum made particular reference to an historic meeting between Prof. Isaac and Pope John XXIII in 1960 which, he said, “helped lead ultimately to the Vatican Declaration on Non-Christian Religions.”
“Prof. Isaac and Pope John are among the spiritual fathers of the effort to confront and uproot anti-Semitism in Catholic and other Christian teachings today,” he said. “In their dramatic meeting, they symbolized the promise and the possibility of Christian and Jewish friendship, solidarity, and mutual caring.”
All members of the symposium panel agreed that Isaac, in his detailed analysis of the accusations against Jews that had been used as the rationale for anti-Semitism over the centuries, had set the stage for much of the progress that has been made in Christian-Jewish relationships in recent years.
MASSES HAVE NOT BEEN REACHED
Mrs. Bishop, who is Catholic, and author of the book “How Catholics Look At Jews,” deplored the fact that “though a number of Christians the world over have undergone successfully what could be called ‘deprogramming’ regarding the Jews, the masses have not been reached.” She expressed the belief that “logical arguments need to be augmented by some sort of emotional appeal.”
“When more Christians have become convinced in their hearts,” she said, “then the much-needed theology of Jewish-Christian relations will develop.” Mrs. Bishop also pointed out that “anti-Zionism today is but the accepted word for anti-Semitism, whether people are aware of it or not,” and declared that “the very existence of Israel” is a constant reminder of Jules Isaac’s statement that “the unassimilable element in Israel is essentially of a religious nature, neither generic nor ethnic.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.