News in Christian-Jewish Relations:  August 2001

This month:

 


Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America considers the Middle East 

By a vote of 953 to 58 the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passed the following memorial concerning Israeli-Palestinian relations.  

2001 CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY: Preliminary Minutes Plenary Session Two

CA01.02.09

To affirm the concern raised in the Alaska Synod memorial over continued U.S. aid to Israel and to request the presiding bishop to send a letter to the President of the United States, Vice President, Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and all members of Congress: (1) asking that they urge and work with both the Israelis and the Palestinians to end the cycle of violence and seek a just and lasting peace; (2) urging the conversion of funds presently budgeted or allocated for military assistance for nations of the Middle East to support for humanitarian assistance and economic aid; (3) discouraging the private, direct or indirect, sale of military weaponry to Middle Eastern nations; (4) urging the immediate international protection of Palestinian populations under occupation; and (5) to urge the cessation of human sacrifice by suicide bombings from Palestinian military factions.

To encourage ELCA members to participate in the ecumenical prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East, to support through prayer and material assistance the people in the region affected by civil strife, and to pray for the ELCA missionary staff in the region; 

To affirm the work of the Division for Global Mission and the Division for Church in Society in their efforts to organize an ecumenical response to the crisis in Palestine and Israel that includes accompanying Palestinians and Israelis in nonviolent efforts to end the occupation; mobilizing grass-roots activists in the U.S. for prayer and advocacy; developing and distributing congregational resources; and engaging the public media concerning U.S. policy toward the Middle East; and

To commend the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and Palestine, Bishop Munib Younan, its congregations and schools for steadfastness in faith and courage in witness throughout this time of crisis; for their ministries of reconciliation and peacemaking; for their tireless assistance and service including ministries with traumatized children, students, and congregation members.

August 12 - Two changes to the Aug. 9 assembly action on Middle East tensions add balance to that action, said Jack Sharlier, a voting members from the ELCA's Metropolitan Chicago Synod, who proposed the additions. They request the presiding bishop to send a letter to the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, in which he urges that diplomatic pressure be placed on those opposing peace in the Middle East; and acknowledge the pain and suffering of all those involved in Middle East tensions.

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Statement of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews

Vatican translation from the Italian original.

Relations between the Catholic Church and the Jews recorded a positive turning point with the Declaration Nostra Aetate (n.4) of the Second Council Vatican (1965). Dialogue therefore replaced their ancient disputes. 

In this new atmosphere, the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism and the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations took the initiative in October 1999 of forming a group of experts, consisting of three Jewish representatives and the same number of Catholics, with the duty of examining and presenting important questions concerning the eleven volumes of the collection Actes et Documents du Saint Siège relatifs à la seconde guerre mondiale, published by several famous historians between 1965 and 1981. Indeed since that date, in the public discussion on the Holy See and the Holocaust only marginal attention has been paid to the abundant documentation contained in those volumes.

The Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism learned with regret of the decision of the group of experts, last July, to suspend their research. At the same time, it is grateful to the group members, especially the Catholic representatives, for all that has been achieved so far and for their availability.

From the outset it was obvious that it would not have been possible, within the limits of the mandate entrusted to the group, to solve all the problems, which could only have been solved with the  consultation of sources not yet accessible, or with further research. However, it was believed that the possible results might for now encourage an objective discussion.

The experts of the group agreed to take on their difficult task. They were never, at any time, led to expect that they could have had access to documents in the Vatican Archives after 1922.

In October 2000, the group of experts presented a Preliminary Report, which included 47 questions; this document was the subject of controversial discussions by other historians. The continued research of the group was examined thoroughly at the meeting of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee held in New York (1-4 May 2001). The positive outcome of this examination incited both parties to continue their research and to present a Final Report

In fact, one had to accept the impossibility of resolving the different interpretations of the group's tasks and aim. In addition, indiscretions and polemical writings on the Jewish side were instrumental in giving rise to a sentiment of distrust. All this made it practically impossible to continue joint research.

This scientific work can only be done on the basis of uprightness, in respect and mutual trust of those who undertake it. This indispensable presupposition was totally lacking, because of the controversy that resulted after the suspension of the research and because of the suspected offenses that accompanied the suspension. The Catholic members of the group publicly disassociated themselves from these polemical interpretations and evaluations. At the present state of affairs and on these grounds, it does not therefore seem possible to foresee the resumption of the common endeavor. 

The Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism wishes to remove every doubt about the irreversibility of the progress made towards understanding between Jews and Christians, a journey that must be made in the interest of both. This process, which began with the Council, was continued by Pope John Paul II. Authoritative Jewish representatives also made it plain that they did not want such public controversy, reaffirming  their desire to continue further dialogue on religious matters.

Of course, understanding between Jews and Christians also requires an investigation of history. Access to all the relevant historical sources is therefore a natural prerequisite for this research. The desire of historians to have full access to all the archives concerning the pontificates of Pius XI (1922-1939) and of Pius XII (1939-1958) is understandable and legitimate. Out of respect for the truth, the Holy See is prepared to allow access to the Vatican Archives as soon as the work of reorganizing and cataloguing them has been completed.

In the coming months, the Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism will do all it can to find adequate means to reactivate research on a new basis, in the hope that it will be possible to reach the point of a common clarification of the questions raised. All this with the conviction of the Commission that the Catholic Church does not fear the historical truth.

August 24, 2001

Cardinal Walter Kasper,

President

Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism

 

See the news page for July 2001 for previous documentation on this subject. 

 

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