Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - It is impossible to plan, programme or develop serious and frank dialogue between Christians and Jews without knowledge of the milestone documents which have marked for more than forty years relations - and not only diplomatic - between the two Abrahamitic faiths. Documents issued both by the Catholic Church and the Jewish world.
In the Catholic field these acts are certainly easier to collect and examine: one is the Magisterium and another the hermeneutics of dialogue which the Church has established with her 'elder brothers'. Instead, in Judaism, today as in the past, the voices are many and at times conflicting, a fact which represents, yes richness, but also not always pleasant disorientation. Nevertheless, regarding the principal identity what counts is a continual desire to meet in order to remove ignorance, misunderstandings, doubts and prejudice from the field of dialogue.
Returning to the Catholic Church, the history of church documents on dialogue with Judaism– except for the Council records - can be divided into three parts: the first, the official documents of the Church; the second, the long Magisterium of Pope John Paul II; the third, the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI which has just begun.
One of the first official documents issued by the Holy See came from the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews on 24 June 1985; Cardinal Johannes Willebrands presided the work. The text, with a significant title ' Notes: on the correct way to present the Jews and Judaism
in preaching and catechesis in the Roman Catholic Church', certainly drew inspiration from paragraph 4 of the Council Declaration Nostra Aetate, the magna charta of dialogue between Christians and Jews: “ All should take pains, then, lest in catechetical instruction and in the preaching of God's Word they teach anything out of harmony with the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ …Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred Synod wishes to foster and recommend mutual understanding and respect…”.
However another document must have convinced the Commission of the urgency of correct preaching about Judaism in the Church: “Guidelines and suggestions for implementing the conciliar declaration 'nostra aetate' n. 4”. In Chapter 3 “Teaching and Education”, we read: “ Information concerning these questions is important at all levels of Christian instruction and education. Among sources of information, special attention should be paid to the following: - catechisms and religious textbooks; - history books; - the mass-media (press, radio, cinema, television). The effective use of these means presupposes the thorough formation of instructors and educators in training schools, seminaries and universities.”.
From what we have said so far, it is clear that a first significant aspect of Christian/Jewish dialogue is adoption of the correct method. Before tackling questions of substance or content it is necessary to agree on method: there can be no serious and frank dialogue if we renounce the objectivity of identities and historical truths. In this way what is gained will be of use for both sides not only for one party. On March 6th, 1982, Pope John Paul II told delegates of Bishops' Conferences and other experts, meeting in Rome to study relations between the Church and Judaism: “ 'you yourselves were concerned, during your sessions, with Catholic teaching and catechesis regarding Jews and Judaism. We should aim, in this field, that Catholic teaching at its different levels, in catechesis to children and young people, presents Jews and Judaism, not only in an honest and objective manner, free from prejudices and without any offences, but also with full awareness of the heritage common" to Jews and Christians”.
Yes, the “common heritage”, shared by Jews and Christians, which forms a spiritual bond between the two faiths. To a point that the Church of Christ can say with pride: this great spiritual heritage is the origin of her faith and her calling, according to the divine mystery of salvation, in the patriarchs, in Moses and in the prophets. (Michele Loconsole) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2008)
