Vatican II and the Jewish people

History of Christian Anti-Semitism - Vatican II and the Jewish People

In the second half of the 20th century, following the debacle known as World War II, the Catholic Church experienced new and unprecedented expansion in many important areas, especially in its relationship with Catholics and those that adhered to other organized religions. Compared to where Catholics were living before and during the dark days of World War II, in today's world, Catholics can be found in places like Asia, Africa and the Middle East which indicates that the Catholic faith is spreading and being accepted by diverse peoples and cultures. The main source of the dramatic changes that have taken place since 1945 are due to the Second Vatican Council, the twenty-first ecumenical meeting held from 1962 to 1965 at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and called upon by Pope John XXIII.

By the middle years of the 20th century, the Catholic Church had witnessed the great devastation and carnage brought about by World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1941-1945) and during these times, the church had attempted to prevent and at times eliminate the suffering incurred by those who experienced war first-hand while the papacy, often highly criticized for its nonchalant attitude toward Nazi Germany and the policies of Adolph Hitler, continued to evolve as one of the most recognized and respected moral forces on the planet. But as the church reached out to those that required its assistance, many theologians and Catholic scholars realized that the church itself needed to be thoroughly examined, particularly in relation to its structure, liturgy and religious teachings which had not significantly altered since the Council of Trent in the 1500's. Thus, the Vatican II Council, under the guidance of Pope John XXIII, initiated new hope and direction, especially regarding the church's relationship with the Jewish people who had experienced great suffering and humiliation as a result of the policies of Nazi Germany and its use of concentration camps to effectively eliminate the Jewish race from Europe.

The papacy of Pope John XXIII, as compared to that of Pope Pius XII, was one of great openness and compromise, and many of the cardinals who elected him to the papacy viewed him as not possessing any strong convictions and considered him as merely a bridge to the next important pope. But soon after becoming pope, John XXIII surprised even his harshest critics, for he was warm and approachable and appeared to be a true "Renaissance" pope, due to his cosmopolitan attitude and desire to communicate with the common man and woman. But the greatest surprise occurred in 1959 when he called for an ecumenical council of bishops from all over the world to participate in this unprecedented event. According to Peter Hebblethwaite in Pope John XXIII: Shepherd of the Modern World, the idea for the council came directly from God, for John XXIII stated "My soul was illumined by a great idea... which I welcomed with ineffable confidence in the divine teacher... There sprang to my lips a word that was solemn, (and) my voice uttered... A Council" (316-17).

Of course, Pope John XXIII's call for this ecumenical council was quite unusual, for it was only designated during times of great crisis in the church. The last Vatican Council had occurred in 1869, but this new council, at least in the eyes of many Catholics, was uncalled for, due to most not recognizing the urgent need for reform. But John XXIII clearly knew that such a council was required, for he recognized that the church was facing new problems as a result of World War II. He also understood that the church was no longer an institution wholly based in Europe but a worldwide entity, composed of diverse cultures from all areas of the globe. Thus, by convening this new council, the pope made it possible for discussions between Catholics and non-Catholics and created much-needed unity which, in the end, would help the church and its leaders to better understand and appreciate the vast cultural differences within the global community.

The various documents which came about as a result of Vatican II vary immensely. The most important of these documents include the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the Decree on the Bishop's Pastoral Office and the Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, the Declaration on Christian Education, and the Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests. Several other documents were also formulated, especially the Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions which makes special reference to the Jewish people. However, Thomas J. Reese, writing in Inside the Vatican, considers the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, an extension of the above-mentioned declaration, to be an historical anomaly, due to the church's past relations with the Jewish people and its alleged cooperation with Nazi Germany during World War II.

Reese also points out that "Jewish groups developed a relationship" with the prefect of the Christian unity office "before the Council for Interreligious Dialogue was created," meaning that this relationship pre-dated Vatican II (117). Obviously, the Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions served a good purpose, for it brought to the forefront the church's relationship with the Jewish people while building upon what it had already accomplished prior to Vatican II regarding the Jewish question.

Thus, one of the most pivotal parts of the Vatican Council was the ecumenical movement, being an attempt to bring about discussion and find common bonds with non-Christian denominations and other non-Christian religions. In order to achieve this goal, Pope John XXIII invited various leaders and sponsors from non-Catholic entities to attend and vigorously participate in the Second Vatican Council. Since this council, numerous theological groups, both Catholic and non-Catholic, have attempted to study the similarities and differences in their various religious traditions which has effectively brought together diverse religious groups in an atmosphere of cordiality and understanding.

Aside from the relationship with the Jewish people, the Catholic Church, as a result of Vatican II, has attained great success in its attempt to heal the deep wounds among Christians and non-Christians. For example, in 1964, Pope Paul VI, the successor to John XXIII, met and embraced the Greek Orthodox leader Athenagoras in the city of Jerusalem, a meeting which effectively defrosted more than nine centuries of separation. With the Jews, the Second Vatican Council's Declaration of Religious Freedom affirmed and placed much value on the importance of religious liberty and the right of all people to express their conscience, even those without any religious convictions.

Also, the bishops that put together this declaration made it perfectly clear that people "must have the liberty to choose or reject their own religion -- that no religion, including Catholicism, should be the only one allowed by a given state" (Hollis, 245). An added benefit of this declaration was that the Vatican began important discussions with Jewish leaders and scholars in order to mend the gaping wounds related to the Jewish-Christian relationship, one that was marked by misunderstanding and much persecution for almost two thousand years, beginning with the death of Jesus Christ which historically has been relegated to the blame of the Jews in Palestine. In essence, Vatican II forced the Catholic Church to relinquish its false superiority over other religions. For the Jewish people, Vatican II "renounced a share of the church's power which it had previously claimed without inhibitions... A border had been crossed which was now impossible to re-cross, not even in small matters of the church" (Peters, 256).

On October 28, 1965, Pope Paul VI issued a very important document that summed up the church's relations with the Jewish people which to this day serves as an apology from the Vatican for all of the problems and misunderstandings related to the Jews and their religious preferences. A number of sections in this document, known as the Declaration on the Relations of the Church to Non-Christian Religions or Nostra Aetate require some examination in order to fully appreciate the efforts of the church to bind up the wounds between Catholicism and Judaism.

First of all, the church acknowledges that all religions, whether Islam, Buddhism or Judaism, stem from the same source, being "the community of peoples" who share the same origins, "for God made the whole human race to live over the face of the earth" with their ultimate goal being God and "His providence... manifestations of goodness (and) His saving design." In addition, the church professes that "through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions," it hopes to "promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among" all men and their various religions.

As a supportive note, the church adds that it "remembers the bond that spiritually ties the people of the New Covenant to Abraham's stock," and that the salvation of the church "is mysteriously foreshadowed by the chosen people's exodus from the land of bondage," a clear reflection of the historical triumph of the Jews when they left Egypt under the patronage of Moses. At this point in the declaration, the sentiments of the church become very expressive -- "The Church... cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Old Testament through the people with whom God... concluded the Ancient Covenant;" thus, "most of the early disciples who proclaimed Christ's gospel to the world, sprang from the Jewish people."

This declaration then concludes by focusing on the status of the Jewish people in relation to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ:

Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend... mutual understanding and respect...

True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction....Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God....Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone" (Declaration on the Relation," Internet).