Antisemitism
Some comments: • Christianity’s New Testament has been the most dangerous antisemitic text in history. Its hatred charged diatribes against the Pharisees and the Jews have poisoned the texts and minds of millions and millions of Christians for almost two millennia. (Eliezer Berkovitz) • It is dishonest henceforth to refuse to face the fact that the basic root of modern antisemitism lies squarely in the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. (James Parkes) • Christology is the left hand of antisemitism… there is no way to rid Christianity of its anti ‐ Judaism, which constantly takes social expression in antisemitism, without grappling finally with the Christological hermeneutic itself. (Rosemary Ruether)
A prime example text; John 8.44 ‐ 47 You (the Jews) are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’ ‘The road to Auschwitz’ (Roy Eckhardt)
The Father of the Jews is the Devil At the creation of the world The Lord God conceived the races: Red Indians, Negroes, and Chinese, And Jew, too, the rotten crew. And we were also on the scene: We Germans midst this motley medley ‐ He gave them all a piece of earth To work with the sweat of their brow. But the Jew went on strike at once! For the devil rode him from the first. Cheating, not working, was his aim; For lying, he got first prize In less than no time from the Father of Lies. Then he wrote it in the Talmud.By the banks of Pharaoh’s Nile Pharaoh saw this folk, and said: “I’ll torment the lazy blighters, These people shall make bricks for me.” The Jew did this all wailing and whining, Never was there such cursing and swearing, With bent backs and over ‐ big slippers. Even today we see them shambling With lip hanging down and great red noses And looking daggers, flashing hate. They owe Pharaoh thanks, Who trounced them soundly for their pranks. The Jews soon had enough of that! The Devil brought them to Germany. Like thieves they stole into our land Hoping to get the upper hand. But the Ger man s — they stan d fours quar e. Look , child ren, and the two com pare , The Ger man and the Jew. Take a good look at the two In the pictu re dra wn for you. A joke — you thin k it is only that ? Easy to gues s whic h is whic h, I say: The Ger man stan ds up, the Jew give s way. The Ger man is a prou d youn g man, Able to wor k and able to fight . Beca use he is a fine big chap , For dang er does not care a rap, The Jew has alwa ys hate d him! Here is the Jew, as all can see, Bigg est ruffi an in our coun try; He thin ks hims elf the grea test beau And yet is the uglie st, you kno w!
The Father of the Jews is the Devil At the creation of the world The Lord God conceived the races: Red Indians, Negroes, and Chinese, And Jew, too, the rotten crew. And we were also on the scene: We Germans midst this motley medley ‐ He gave them all a piece of earth To work with the sweat of their brow. But the Jew went on strike at once! For the devil rode him from the first. Cheating, not working, was his aim; For lying, he got first prize In less than no time from the Father of Lies. Then he wrote it in the Talmud. By the banks of Pharaoh’s Nile Pharaoh saw this folk, and said: “I’ll torment the lazy blighters, These people shall make bricks for me.” .
The Jew did this all wailing and whining, Never was there such cursing and swearing, With bent backs and over ‐ big slippers. Even today we see them shambling With lip hanging down and great red noses And looking daggers, flashing hate. They owe Pharaoh thanks, Who trounced them soundly for their pranks. The Jews soon had enough of that! The Devil brought them to Germany. Like thieves they stole into our land Hoping to get the upper hand.
But the Germans — they stand foursquare. Look, children, and the two compare, The German and the Jew. Take a good look at the two In the picture drawn for you. A joke — you think it is only that? Easy to guess which is which, I say: The German stands up, the Jew gives way. The German is a proud young man, Able to work and able to fight. Because he is a fine big chap, For danger does not care a rap, The Jew has always hated him! Here is the Jew, as all can see, Biggest ruffian in our country; He thinks himself the greatest beau And yet is the ugliest, you know!
Dear pension officer, I would appreciate some advice about options over the payment of my clergy pension. My details are as follows : Alan John Amos; Ref: 27487 Date of birth : 22/06/1944; NI No: YK214111D I have received from you a statement of Retirement and Associated Benefits at 01/04/2008. My enquiry arises because I am applying for the post of priest-in-charge of our local group of parishes.
Jesus and the Samaritan woman: John 4.4 ‐ 42
One fundamental issue linked to all this which cannot be ducked is the question of ‘supersessionism’ or ‘replacement theology’. The key question is whether Christians have in some way replaced Jews as ‘the people of God.’ This has implications for Christian mission and evangelism: is it legitimate to try and convert Jews to Christianity? Some Jewish voices would regard Christian attempts to convert Jews to Christianity as a sort of spiritual genocide – a spiritual counterpart to the physical genocide undertaken by the Nazis.
Nostra Aetate The Church recalls that the Apostles, the Church's main ‐ stay and pillars, as well as most of the early disciples who proclaimed Christ's Gospel to the world, sprang from the Jewish people. …. As Holy Scripture testifies, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her visitation,(9) nor did the Jews in large number, accept the Gospel; indeed not a few opposed its spreading.(10) Nevertheless, God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues ‐ such is the witness of the Apostle.(11) In company with the Prophets and the same Apostle, the Church awaits that day, known to God alone, on which all peoples will address the Lord in a single voice and "serve him shoulder to shoulder" (Soph. 3:9).(12) Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues. True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ;(13) still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ. 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.
The tensions and hostilities around Israel/Palestine have provoked both legitimate criticism of Israeli policies, but also at times, undoubtedly a resurgence of antisemitism. Within Europe there has been over the last few years a clear targeting of Jewish institutions, schools etc for attacks by radical Muslims. Part of the response of the Jewish community has been to choose to leave Europe for Israel. There are many difficult questions linked to the complicated relationships between race, religion and nationhood – but they cannot simply be addressed to Jews and to Israel.
What does all this mean – particularly for Christians in parts of the world ‐ such as East Asia where engagement with Jews, positively or negatively, has not been part of Christian history? Perhaps for all of us – the Jewish Christian relationship can act as a ‘prism’ through which ALL Christians need to ask some hard questions about themselves and their faith. Questions such as: • How do and should we read the Bible? • What is the nature of biblical authority? • How do we hold together particularly and universality? • How do we talk about Judaism? How do we preach? • Can we talk about ‘superseding’ others? • And how do we treat the ‘other’? For above all, and for all who call themselves Christians, Judaism is the original religious other? Perhaps through coming to a healthier understanding of the Jewish ‐ Christian relationship – we can learn more about how we should relate to people of many other faiths.
Your help! I have been invited to speak at an important conference in 2 weeks time which is celebrating the 50 th anniversary of Nostra Aetate. I have been asked to reflect on where I think Jewish ‐ Christian relations will be travelling over the next 50 years. What do YOU – as young people from Asia – think about this question. What would be your answers?
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