Vatican II and the Catholic Church's Relationship With Jewish People

Introduction: Post-War Catholicism and the Need for Reform

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 who adhered to other organized religions. Compared to where Catholics were living before and during the dark days of World War II, today Catholics can be found in places such as Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, indicating 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 is the Second Vatican Council, the twenty-first ecumenical meeting held from 1962 to 1965 at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, 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 (1939–1945). During these times, the Church had attempted to prevent and at times alleviate the suffering incurred by those who experienced war first-hand, while the papacy — often highly criticized for its perceived nonchalance toward Nazi Germany and the policies of Adolf Hitler — continued to evolve as one of the most recognized and respected moral forces on the planet. As the Church reached out to those who required its assistance, many theologians and Catholic scholars realized that the institution itself needed to be thoroughly examined, particularly in relation to its structure, liturgy, and religious teachings, which had not significantly changed since the Council of Trent in the 1500s. 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 Nazi Germany's policies and its use of concentration camps to systematically eliminate Jews from Europe.

Pope John XXIII and the Calling of Vatican II

The papacy of Pope John XXIII, compared to that of Pope Pius XII, was one of great openness and compromise. Many of the cardinals who elected him viewed him as lacking strong convictions and considered him merely a transitional figure bridging the gap to the next important pope. But soon after becoming pope, John XXIII surprised even his harshest critics. He was warm and approachable, and appeared to be a true "Renaissance" pope, owing to his cosmopolitan attitude and desire to communicate with ordinary men and women. The greatest surprise came 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).

Pope John XXIII's call for this ecumenical council was quite unusual, as such councils had historically been convened only during times of great crisis in the Church. The last Vatican Council had occurred in 1869, and this new council, in the eyes of many Catholics, seemed unnecessary, as most did not recognize an urgent need for reform. But John XXIII clearly understood that such a council was required. He recognized that the Church was facing new challenges as a result of World War II, and that the Church was no longer an institution wholly rooted in Europe but a worldwide entity composed of diverse cultures from all areas of the globe. By convening the council, the pope made possible meaningful discussions between Catholics and non-Catholics, creating much-needed unity that would ultimately help the Church and its leaders better understand and appreciate the vast cultural differences within the global community.

Key Documents of the Second Vatican Council

The various documents produced by Vatican II vary immensely in scope. The most important include the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the Decree on the Bishop's Pastoral Office, 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, most notably 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 that declaration — to be a historical anomaly, given 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). The Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions thus served an important purpose: it brought the Church's relationship with the Jewish people to the forefront while building upon what had already been accomplished prior to Vatican II regarding the Jewish question.

Conclusion: An Unprecedented Turning Point

The achievements of Vatican II are still in effect in our modern world and have brought about great changes in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people. For the most part, the immense strides that resulted from Vatican II are all due to Popes John XXIII and Paul VI — two leaders with genuine connections to the divine and minds full of openness and hope for the future.

Works Cited

"Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions: Nostra Aetate, Proclaimed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on October 28, 1965." Internet.

Hebblethwaite, Peter. Pope John XXIII: Shepherd of the Modern World. New York: Doubleday, 1985.

Hollis, Christopher. The Achievements of Vatican II. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1967.

Johannes, Cardinal Willebrands. "Guidelines and Suggestions for Implementing the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate." Vatican Commission for Religious Relations With the Jews. January 1975. Internet. The Ecumenical Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies.

Peters, H., Ed. De Ecclesia: The Constitution of the Church of Vatican II Council. New Jersey: Deus Books, 1965.

Reese, Thomas J. Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996.

Bibliography

Abbott, Walter M. The Documents of Vatican II. New York: Guild Press, 1966.

Barry, Colman J., Ed. Readings in Church History. Vol. 2. Westminster, MD: Newman Press, 1967.

"Declaration of the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions: Nostra Aetate, Proclaimed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on October 28, 1965." Internet. Accessed July 16, 2005.

Hebblethwaite, Peter. Pope John XXIII: Shepherd of the Modern World. New York: Doubleday, 1985.

Hollis, Christopher. The Achievements of Vatican II. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1967.

Johannes, Cardinal Willebrands. "Guidelines and Suggestions for Implementing the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate." Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, January 1975. The Ecumenical Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies. Internet. Accessed July 16, 2005.

Kloppenburg, O.F.M. The Ecclesiology of Vatican II. Chicago: Nihil Obstat, 1974.

Leddy, Mary J. In the Eye of the Catholic Storm: The Church Since Vatican II. Scranton, PA: HarperCollins, 1992.

Peters, H., Ed. De Ecclesia: The Constitution of the Church of Vatican II Council. New Jersey: Deus Books, 1965.

Reese, Thomas J. Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996.