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The Theologian - Jewish - Christian Relations as seen through the writings of Cornelis Rijk
The Editors

 

The question comes to mind: what led Father Rijk to his life's interest in the field of Jewish-Christian Relations and Dialogue? One word suffices to explain it: The Bible. His love for the written Word of God and his deep penetration of the mentality of the people who gave the world this Revelation led him inevitably to a love for the Jewish people and an ardent desire to heal the breach between Christians and Jews — a breach of almost two thousand years' standing — for to prayerfully read the Bible is to be attuned to the Spirit of God who inspired it. And what does the Bible unfold? It lays before us the unity of the plan of God which men with their poor limited vision have failed to see. It shows how God gave a special mission to a particular people in order that this people in its turn might fulfil the universal vocation of witnessing among all nations on earth to the revelation that had been given them of the knowledge of the One True God.

It is significant that the first article that he wrote for the SIDIC bulletin in 1968 should be on this very topic. After having briefly outlined the biblical renewal in the Catholic Church he goes on to speak of

The Bible, Source, Nourishment, Rule of Life

A more familiar and existential contact with the Bible must, of necessity, make Christians encounter "the people of the Book" as the Jews are sometimes called. It still happens that Christians are shocked when they realise that Jesus was a Jew, that he worked, lived, prayed, and also suffered as a Jew. Apart from many other things, this fact clearly indicates to what extent Christians are alienated from their origin. Through study and reading of the Bible, they are constantly confronted with Jewish authors, since all, with the exception of St. Luke, were Jewish. By trying to understand and live what the Lord says to us through the spirit, words, and manner of expression of these Jewish writers, wewill arrive at a new and deeper awareness that he established his covenant with a definite people at a certain moment in history, and that Jesus opened the way for the whole of mankind to participate in a unique way in this very covenant. Realising this, we will be able to discover, or re-discover — almost as a surprise —that this same Jewish People still lives among us. This discovery can prepare for a new encounter, solidly based on revelation and Scripture.

Besides, the Bible deals with the human hope and the divine promises concerning the coming of the kingdom of universal love, peace, justice, and life. Against this background, the New Testament books proclaim the coming of Jesus as the Messiah — who is awaited still as the glorious Messiah. It goes on then to speak of the relation between those, either Jew or Gentile, who accept Jesus as the Christ and those Jews who do not accept him as the Messiah. This relation, according to the New Testament, was a real problem for the first Christian community. Struggling for years with it, St. Paul called this relation a mystery (Rom. 11:25) — that means a secret, hidden plan of God's salvation history. Thus, the Bible itself, basis and rule of faith, confronts us constantly, not only with the Jewish origin of Christianity, but also with the enduring relationship between the Church and Judaism. Living in the spirit of the Bible then, we should search into this unique mystery in view of the complete fulfilment of the promises.

Finally, the Bible has always needed interpretation. To become alive in the community, to be really the living Word of the Lord (see Deut. 30:14, Is. 55:10-11, Heb. 4:12) the Bible needs, not only a climate of receptivity, but translation, preparation, and explanation as well. Now, there exists a remarkable correlation between the interpretation of Scripture and contacts of Christians and Jews. An open and existential understanding of the Bible will reveal the lines of a Jewish-Christian mystery, and this will further the actual contacts between Jews and Christians. A more "closed" view of the Bible will not even see a problem, and therefore, will not consider Jewish-Christian relations as a concern of the Church. On the other hand, where serious relations between Jews and Christians develop, the biblical aspects of this relationship will be carefully studied, and will become an essential part of Chirstian thinking and attitude. Throughout history, the interpretation of Sacred Scripture in commentaries, introductions, notes, etc., has done much harm to the understanding of the relationship between the Church and Judaism, with disastrous consequences. Sound biblical exgesis will also contribute vitally to a positive understanding of this relationship.

May a greater receptivity to the value of the Bible as a source of nourishment and a rule of life finally educate Christians and Jews in a spirit of openness, comprehension, and love, in which they may collaborate and look forward to the complete realisation of the word of the Lord to Abraham: "In you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Gen. 12:3)1

To live in such a way that one truly finds in the Bible one's Nourishment and Rule of Life is to be conscious of the biblical understanding of man, of man's place in history, and of the way in which God enters into human history. This is shown very clearly in an article entitled:

The Importance of Jewish-Christian Relations for Christian Liturgy

It is a matter of common knowledge that dualism does not exist in biblical life and thought. Man is considered as a totality; he lives in the reality as Ganzheitliches Denken — totality thinking. This means that the people of the Bible lived an intimate, fundamental link with one another, with creation and history, without separating one from the other. Called to explicit faith in the one God, this people believed him to be the creator of all reality and master of history. There is only one God, one creation, one people of God (which, necessarily, is linked to the whole of mankind; there is only one mankind, created in the image of God, cf. Gen. 1: 26-28; 12: 3-4). This unique God acts in creation and history. Biblical thinking, therefore, does not make any separation between revelation and creation, between grace and nature, between the supernatural and the natural, because revelation, redemption and God's salvific action take place in nature and creation and history; creation itself is grace and revelation of God.

The Jewish people, so deeply and realistically integrated into history and reality, has always kept this sense of creation and reality very much alive.2

This biblical view of man and his world and their relation to God the Creator is exemplified in the liturgical life of the people of God, for what else in worship but the celebration of the Lord's presence among us as Father Rijk has expressed it. He goes on to show how Christians can benefit from a living contact with Jewish liturgy, not merely as a comparative study, but in order to help them come to grips with problems of a theological nature, problems that have arisen, perhaps, through attempts in the past to over-intellectualize what should be experienced deep within the heart of the believing community.

Let us see the problem first of all.

Experts on the history of Christian liturgy have given clear evidence that in liturgical development since the fourth century, and particularly since the eighth century, an ever wider gap has been created between liturgy and daily life, between clergy and people.

I think it is correct to say that the development of Christian liturgy was largely determined by the evolution of theological thinking in the Church. At the time when theology was becoming more dogmatic — sometimes consisting exclusively of reflection on dogmas of the Church — and later on more abstract, the liturgy was necessarily affected. There were, of course, other influences. It is not necessary to study the many aspects of the history of Christian liturgy here; we would observe only that the separation between life and liturgy is connected with many other aspects of the development of Christianity, such as an increasingly abstract and intellectual theology, neglect of the priesthood of the people, a static view of revelation and faith, separation between nature and grace, a dualistic view of man, etc. The result is that liturgy and life have become two separate worlds, in the same way that faith, doctrine and life, clergy and laypeople have done.3

And now, how should this problem be tackled? If liturgy and life are to become one again, who can better show Catholics the way than those who have always celebrated their liturgical worship in and through their daily lives — the Jewish people.

Celebration of the Lord's Presence

Vatican Council II has given clear expression to the Church's will to renew the liturgy. However, an essential aspect of this renewal is the bridging of the gap between liturgy and life, between faith and daily reality. Liturgy is the celebration of the Lord's presence among us. He acts and reveals himself in history, his salvific action touches the whole of life and history, and found its culminating point in the passion and resurrection of Jesus. The celebration of God's active presence, especially in the mysteries of Jesus' life and the sacraments, should not, however, be separated from the whole of reality in which the Lord continues to act and to reveal himself.

In this respect comparison with Jewish liturgy might be helpful, not primarily a comparison between Jewish and Christian liturgical texts, but much more a confrontation of two a-symmetrical realities. We can put it this way: because Christianity is first of all a religion, a universal religion, it is always in danger of becoming a doctrine separated from life. Judaism, on the other hand, being a complex reality of people, religion and link with a promised land, will always remain more realistic, historic and existential. This difference between Christianity and Judaism will be reflected in many aspects of thought and life, liturgy among others.

Nature of Jewish Liturgy

It is not my intention to deal with all the Jewish prayers, or even with all the Jewish liturgical feasts. I would simply like to indicate some characteristic features of Jewish liturgy which seem to be connected in a special way with the nature of Judaism as a people with a religion, linked to a land.

All the liturgical feasts are, first of all, feasts of nature; they are seasonal feasts, agricultural feasts. In the tradition of the Bible and of Judaism, the harvest feasts are increasingly linked to the redemptive action of God in history, because creation, nature and daily human life and work are in the hands of God and are part of his salvific action. Jewish liturgy and prayer have always maintained this fundamental link between life and daily reality. Liturgy "reminds" the Lord (and the people) of his great acts in creation and history, not as a static "reminder", but as the expression and the celebration of the conviction that the Lord is continuing to act in the same way as he has done in the past, and that he will finally bring his people and all the nations to complete redemption in a new heaven and a new earth.

When comparing Christianity and Judaism, in particular Christian liturgy and Jewish liturgy, one has the impression that Judaism is much more incarnated in history and reality than is Christianity, which believes in the incarnation of the Son of God. It would seemthat the incarnational aspect of Christian faith has remained too much a doctrine without realization in the history of daily life, and without clear expression in the liturgy.

Confrontation between Jewish and Christian liturgy might make Christians realize the importance of "incarnated liturgy". The implications of this question should be studied by liturgists. It is evident that here we are touching the question of the so-called adaptation of the liturgy to the different cultures, peoples and nations. Each country and people has its own culture. If it is true that God is the creator of all that exists, and that people are the co-creators with God, then the variety of cultures needs a variety of liturgical expression, variety in unity. Serious consideration of this problem would probably lead to most interesting conclusions and practical suggestions. The intention should always be to make liturgy more relevant to people as they are, that means, in their everyday situation with their specific link to creation and history. Efforts have been made to adapt liturgy to different cultures, but to a very small extent, and, perhaps, for different reasons. The question of home liturgy should be considered in the same perspective.

Serious study of Jewish liturgy could help Christians to solve some theological-liturgical problems which originate from a rather intellectual approach to liturgy, an approach unknown to the first Christians who lived in the more realistic totality conception of the Jewish tradition. The well-known author L. Bouyer gives the example of three problems concerning the Eucharist which have been a bone of contention ever since theologians who did pose them lost sight of the fundamental ideas of Jewish thought on the berakhah. First, the problem of knowing whether the eucharistic consecration results from the recitation by the celebrant of the words of institution, or from an epiclesis, a special invocation (a problem argued between east and west); secondly, the problem of knowing whether the celebration of the Eucharist ought to be considered as being in itself sacrificial, or as being only the memorial of the sacrifice of the cross (a problem argued between Catholics and Protestants); and thirdly, the problem of the relation between the eucharistic symbols, the broken bread and the cup, and the presence, whether it be a matter of the simple presence of the body and blood of Christ under these symbols, or of the presence of his action (of his 'mystery') underlying the liturgical action (a problem argued today among Catholic theologians themselves).4

According to the author these oppositions are necessary aspects of one indivisible reality.5

In whatever way we seek to present the thought of Father Rijk as shown in his writings we shall find this theme of the biblical view of life running like a thread throughout. What has been said so far, therefore, about the concrete way in which the Jewish people look upon their lives, their relationship with God and their celebration of this relationship will enlighten the study we wish to make now on his attitude to Ecumenism in general and to Jewish-Christian relations in particular. We shall look first of all at this all-important question of dialogue:

Brotherly Dialogues

When the Vatican II Declaration Nostra Aetate (In our times) spoke about brotherly dialogues, which above all should further mutual understanding and respect between Jews and Christians, it placed itself and all Catholics in the atmosphere of today's trends in human relations. But dialogue is not easily realized; the word has become trite, and seems to cover very different realities.

When one searches into the background of the "dialogue movement", at least three factors must be indicated.

Man is a dialogical being. He has an essential tendency to communicate, to share, to be with the other. In its experience with the Lord, Israel learned that this is in accordance with the creation plans of God. In Holy Scripture this conviction has been expressed in several places: "It is not good that man should be alone" (Gen. 2: 18, see also Qo. 4:9-10, Si. 6:14...). This dialogical contact between men should be the expression of man's relation to the Lord himself. The Bible witnesses on every page to this twofold dialogical contact between man and man, and between God and man. It shows also the tremendous difficulties of establishing and living a real dialogue. But the principle of this interpersonal relation is given by divine Revelation.

In recent times a move is apparent in philosophical and theological thinking, at least among Christians, which seems to have a great impact on human relations and particularly on religious relations. There is a change from a more objective approach towards a more subjective one. Due to several circumstances a real discovery of the subject has taken place. In earlier centuries one-sided stress was laid on objective truth, whilepersonal convictions were more or less neglected. Nowadays subjectivity is very much stressed, sometimes too one-sidedly. The consequence is at least a greater respect for the other person and his convictions. Human relations and relations between man and God are increasingly considered within the context of relations between persons — individually or in community. In this way a really personalistic relational theology is being developed. This is, at the same time, a more realistic theology, because the concrete person is the center of daily reality. Obviously, this development does not solve all problems. It can even create new and serious tensions — between objective truth and personal conviction, between person and person. But in this atmosphere the way towards real dialogue will more easily be opened.

A New Climate

When we see this as the background of today's dialogue movement, we can understand the new tendency towards dialogue between Jews and Christians. Here also we are beginning to live in a new climate. In this new climate the return to the sources of the People of the Book should open the minds of Christians to a new understanding and appreciation of Jews and Judaism. H.J. Schoeps and others have shown that, with very few exceptions, in two thousand years a real dialogue between Christians and Jews has never taken place. The famous Dialogue with Trypho of Justin (second century) was not a dialogue but an apologetic explanation of Justin's faith. It is evident that we are still at the very beginning of a new era, and there are still many difficulties to overcome from both sides.

Some say: Christians need Jews; the existence of Judaism remains essential for them, but Jews do not need Christians. Others say: there can be the beginning of dialogue between Jews and Christians, but not as yet between Judaism and the Church. Orthodox Jews, in particular, view with reserve anything more than social contacts with Christians. And many, indeed most, Christians do not yet understand the real sense of dialogue with Jews and the real importance of Jewish-Christian relations. Confidence is a necessary condition, but we will have to show in acts that we are worthy of confidence!

It is interesting to note how tentatively, and therefore how realistically, he uses the word "dialogue". Our age is, more than any other, perhaps, the age of the cliche gliding easily off the tongue, without sufficient thought being given to the deep implications of the word spoken. One of these words about which many people have misgivings is this extremely meaningful one — "dialogue". "The word has become trite", he warns us. "There can be the beginning of dialogue..." "Dialogue is not easily realized". But if we accept the challenge and step our into the unknown, he promises us a discovery: a difficult, dialogical discovery of the deep and unique relation between Christians and Jews.

He returns to his guarded use of the word "dialogue" at the opening of an article on Ecumenism and Dialogue which highlights, not only the importance of Jewish-Christian Dialogue in itself, but also the very necessity of such an exchange in the ecumenical vision of a united Christianity:

Jewish-Christian Relations and Christian Unity

Without discussing the question as to whether existing contacts and conversations between Jews and Christians can really be called dialogue, I want to point out the meaning of Jewish-Christian relations for the attainment of Christian unity by indicating some general lines and potential possibilities.

The actual development of Jewish-Christian relations often brings Christians of different Churches and denominations together with Jews. The experience of this kind of gathering shows that divided Christians are slowly rediscovering more points of unity among themselves. This fact, which can be observed in several countries, is a sign of the influence Jews could have on the development of Christian unity.

But, let us analyse this phenomenon in a more theological way. Two movements seem to predominate in the life and thinking of the Churches and Christian denominations today: a more existential adaptation to the world and to circumstances, and, on the other hand, a return to the very sources of Christian life in order to present Christian faith in the most authentic way. Both movements impel Christians to make their finest efforts in the search for unity. Now, the immediate purpose of the spirit and activities of Christian ecumenism is the establishment of the visible unity of the Church.7

The Churches and Judaism

In the discussions between different Churches and Christian denominations there are several sectors in which contact with Judaism could be useful in surmounting continual difficulties and one-sidedness.

a) The relation between faith and works has raised acute difficulties among Christians — and still does. Too great a stress on the one means neglect of the other. The tension, vaguely present between the letter to the Romans and the letter of James, has become a struggle between different Christian Churches and denominations, particularly since the sixth century. Return to the living sources and to Judaism could help in this and make Christians more aware of the unity of which faith and works are aspects. They belong together and should not be separated.

b) The question of Scripture and Tradition, too, remains a difficult problem. Some Churches proclaim Scripture alone — sola Scriptura — as the source of Christian faith; others accept Scripture and Tradition and then the question arises about the relation between them. In Judaism this question is different because of the more realistic approach to Revelation. For Judaism. Scripture is the reflection and expression of life, and thus, of history and Tradition. Living with and reflecting on this question could further comprehension and understanding among Christians.

There are other points which could be mentioned here, such as the priestly character of the people. But these few examples may suffice to make clear the following standpoint: Divided Christianity in search of greater unity is not only concerned with institutional unity, but with the full and complete realization of the entire biblical message; the desire of Jesus must always be understood against the background of the realistic sense of Revelation, in which Jesus lived, spoke, and fulfilled his mission. But, then, contact with the living reality of Judaism seems indispensable for Christians and for Christian ecumenism, not because Judaism should have the key to all solutions, but because it lives the values of Tanach, has a different approach to many questions and is, in a way, the underlying basis of Christian search for unity. So we can understand the words of Karl Barth (1966): "There are now many good contacts between the Catholic Church and many Protestant Churches, between the Secretariat for Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches — the ecumenical movement is driven by the Spirit of the Lord. But do not forget, there is only one really important deep ecumenical question: our relation to Israel".8

"There is only one really important deep ecumenical question: our relation to Israel".
Challenging words! It is not without significance that the Vatican Office for Catholic-Jewish Relations is not, as one might expect on first thoughts to find it, under the auspices of the Secretariat for Non-Christian Religions, but rather in the Secretariat for Christian Unity.
Father Rijk, who was himself the first to be in charge of this Office in 1966, working there until 1972, goes into the reasons for this choice, the chief of these being theological.

A Unique Relationship

Even though the office to be concerned with Catholic-Jewish relations had been placed by the Holy Father under the direction of the President of the Secretariat for the Unity of Christians, the work was to be special and to fulfill its proper role within the context of the Secretariat. Jews not being Christians, contact with them is not proper to the work of Christian unity. On the other hand, the unique relation between Jews and all Christians creates a close bond between the unity of Christians and relations with Judaism. In fact, we can see several reasons which justify placing this work within the context of Christian unity. Over and above practical and administrative arguments, besides psychological and historical reasons which must recognize the uniqueness and the historical situation of Judaism, the theological arguments are paramount. As long as the Church considers the Old Testament as the inspired word of God and belonging to the foundation of her faith, there exists a particular and essential bond between the Church, all Christians, and those who find in this book the foundation of their existence, consequently Judaism. Furthermore, experience seems to show that contacts with Judaism can have a favourable influence on the search for Christian unity.9

The aim of this office was to put into effect the teachings of the Second Vatican Cauncil concerning the relations of the Church with the Jewish people as enumerated in the Conciliar Declaration, Nostra Aetate, and its task is outlined- as a two-fold one:

To establish new relations with the Jews, relations characterized by respect and love; and to do away with traditional prejudices. Thus is a climate of understanding to be created which will lead to a deeper comprehension of the history of salvation 10

The History of Salvation. Thus we always come back to the question of biblical revelation and hence to the biblical view of life around which, it might not be an exaggeration to say, the whole question of Jewish-Christian relations turns.

Under the title: Some Observations on a Christian Theology of Judaism we shall find summarized much of Father Rijk's teaching and his deep feeling concerning the Jewish people and the necessity of the Church, not only to enter into Jewish-Christian Dialogue, but to develop a Christian theology of Judaism.

The first problem is an absence of any systematized theology at all.

Theological manuals speak about the Old Testament, but never about Judaism after the coming of Christ. The general, widespread conviction of Christian theology seems to be that Jews belong to the Church but refuse to admit it. The words of Cardinal Willebrands at a recent meeting of the Secretariat for Christian Unity: "Christians usually consider Jews either as fossils from the past or as future Christians, but they must be seen as they really are", contain elements for an arduous long-term program. They indicate not only a new, respectful social relationship, not only the elimination of much conscious prejudice, they also point to the task of discovering, in the light of divine revelation, the significance and importance of the Jewish people and their religion today; of discovering Judaism's specific role in salvation history, of studying the relationship between the Church and Judaism.11

In seeking for those things in modern Christian thinking that could provide the favorable conditions in which a truly Christian theology of Judaism could develop, Father Rijk lists the biblical renewal in the Church and the Church's new awareness of her relations with non-Christian religions. We have indicated already the paramount importance which the Bible played in his life. The following excerpt is offered to re-in force his ideas:

A few words on the permanent value of Tanach may be added. The whole Bible can be called "gospel" — good news — because it throws the light of God's Spirit on human history (cf. Ps. 39:10; 95:2; Is. 40:9; 60:1). The whole Bible reveals God and man, God's intentions and man's response. According to the modern exegetical, more anthropocentric approach, we can say that God revealed himself to Abraham and his descendants, or that Abraham and his stock, under the inspiring presence of the Lord, became clearly conscious of the guidance of the one true God in their history.

Man — the Collaborator of the Lord

In their covenant relationship with God they discovered increasingly who God is, how he acts, and who man is. Their knowledge and understanding developed in and through everyday experience. Thus, they knew that man is created by God in his image and that he has been made the master of creation. They knew that this creation and the history of man was incomplete, but that man had been given a task to achieve, to complete creation and history, always as the collaborator of the Lord who must be revered as God, and who always opens up new perspectives for the future. This task of man, then, is one of re-creation, of redemption. The exodus from Egypt and Babylon became symbolic for humanity, which, according to Israel's conviction, is on the way to paradise, to a new world and a new heaven; the people is always under the judgment of the Lord, to whom it must be faithful through the fulfilment of the commandments. Infidelity is punished; exile is a punishment; but the final word is ever one of consolation and the vision of a new future. In this sense, the people always has a messianic role to play for the salvation of the whole world.

According to our Christian faith, Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and his disciples were given the task of accomplishing his work in the world, always following his example of absolute love and faithfulness to God, always acting in his Spirit. When seen in this way, it is clear that the whole of the Bible keeps an essential and permanent value for all Christians. And this view will necessarily have a favorable effect on Christian-Jewish relations, as well as on Christian thinking about Judaism.12

Father Rijk then goes on to situate the question of Jewish-Christian relations in the broad spectrum of the Church's relations with non-Christian religions in general, thus emphasizing the universality of the Jewish-Christian tradition.

The Council took a positive stand when it declared "God's providence, his manifestations of goodness and his saving designs extend to all men, against the day when the elect will be united in that Holy City ablaze with the splendor of God, where the nations will walk in his light". "From ancient times down to the present, there has existed among diverse peoples a certain perception of that hidden power which hovers over the course of things and over the events of human life; at times, indeed, recognition can be found of a supreme Divinity and of a supreme Father too. Such a perception and such a recognition instill the lives of these peoples with a profound religious sense". And the Council continued: "the Catholic Church rejects nothing which is true and holy in these religions. She looks with sincere respect upon those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teachings which, though differing in many particulars from what she holds and sets forth, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men... The Church therefore has this exhortation for her sons: prudently and lovingly, through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, and in witness of Christian faith and life, acknowledge, preserve, and promote the spiritual and moral goods found among these men, as well as the values in their society and culture".13

Revelation to all Men

It seems to me that these texts are important for a better understanding of relations between the Church and Judaism, because in them the Church acknowledges the values of other religions which she also desires to promote. This attitude, must therefore be translated into concrete dialogue and collaboration. Hence the following points may be observed:

1. During the Vatican Council the Church expressed, without naming it explicitly, the biblical concept of what is termed "general revelation", or "cosmic revelation". Tanach and the New Testament proclaim God the Father and Creator of all men. But creation is a continuous activity; the "preservation" of creation means, in fact, a permanent, active, dynamic presence of the Lord to all men, who are called to collaborate as images of God in the transformation and re-creation of the world and history. This divine, creative activity necessarily includes revelation, or even is revelation.14 This revelation vaguely perceived by the nations and peoples, comprises God's loving, helping and saving action through events, the seasons, and internal illumination of mind and heart. World religions are the human, partial, often confused answers to this active presence of the Lord.15 The followers of these religions are saved, not in spite, of but through and because of the values of their religion.

2. According to this view, "revealed religion" in Judaism and Christianity is in the midst of and linked with the other world religions, the more explicit answer of the people whom God chose to listen to his more explicit, more clearly expressed revelation. It should be observed that this view in no way minimizes the uniqueness of divine revelation in Judaism and Christianity. What it does mean is that revelation in Judaism and Christianity is regarded as the explicit expression or revelation of the one God who, as omnipresent Creator, is vaguely perceived by the whole of mankind. This, of course, has immediate implications for the validity and legitimate value of Judaism. I am not saying that this is the best or the most direct approach to the relationship between Judaism and the Church, but that this approach, after many centuries of stagnation, might be favorable to the development of a Christian theology on Judaism. It is interesting to notice that the Church recalls her positive link with Judaism at the very moment when she is confronted anew with world religions and is trying to re-define her own attitude towards them. It could be an indication of a kairos, a Godgiven moment of grace for a deeper understanding of her own nature, and a distant preparation for the final Kingdom of God.

The Coming of the Kingdom

If, as has already been observed, according to Christian theology the world religions are means of salvation for the nations, the Jewish religion is even more so. There can be no doubt that the books of Tanach and the whole Jewish tradition look towards the coming of the messianic age, the Kingdom of God. And, if Christian faith and theology proclaim the coming of Jesus as the Messiah and the Kingdom of God, they state that the messianic age is only fulfilled in the person of Jesus. It has its beginning in the Church, but there is still much room for expectation and preparation for the final Kingdom. It is well known that the fundamental Christian attitude as expressed in the New Testament, is determined by an eschatological tension concerning not only the return of Jesus in glory, but also by a real involvement of Jesus' disciples in history to prepare for that final Kingdom. The words of Peter, for example are very definite in this respect, when they exhort Christians to live "in holiness and godliness, awaiting and hastening the coming of the day of God"." The Jewish tradition and religion based on Tanach look explicitly to this final realization of the Kingdom of God. Through the Bible and liturgy God continues to address the Jewish people, to speak his word to them, a word which is always both active and saving. Thus, Judaism, considered as it is in itself, is witness to the permanent presence of the Lord. It is, without any doubt, a legitimate world religion with great values for the whole world.17


It is interesting to look back on Father Rijk's thoughts on the relationship between Judaism and the Church in the plan of God which he entitles: A personal essay towards theological reflection on the relationship between Judaism and the Church in the plan of God.

Reflecting then, on the mystery of Israel, he writes:

First of all, it should be kept in mind that St. Paul places this relationship between the Church and Judaism into the broad context of the salvation of the Gentiles; moreover, he calls it a mysterion, meaning a still hidden dimension of divine salvation history. But it is a mystery which should be lived with, which should belong to the deepest concern of Christian thinking and acting. In actual fact, this mystery has just been neglected. It has not played a role in Christian thinking and attitude. We may, perhaps, say it has been translated by "conversion", but that is not a very good translation of mysterion.

Fidelity to Fulness of Revelation

Although the Church finds its direct historical origin in the Jewish people of the first century, and its basic expression in the New Testament books, she knows that she is essentially linked to the experience of the whole of the covenant people. This conviction is shown by the honor officially accorded to the books of the Hebrew Bible as the inspired Word of God, which means that the Church wants to be faithful to the whole of divine revelation, as expressed in the whole of the Bible. Jesus is recognized as the Messiah and Son of God, but not independently of the tradition and the Bible of his people. This points to a possibility that in the course of history, because of opposition, controversy, and apologetic attitudes, values of the Hebrew Bible were neglected in Christian thought and life.

Jesus, according to Christian faith, is the true Messiah, but apart from the necessarily one-sided expressions in history of this messiahship, Jesus himself has pointed out that there is still much to be done, and much to be revealed. "The Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things"." "I have yet many things, to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth"? This means, I think, that Jesus, who spoke these words, and John who wrote them down, were convinced that not all the dimensions of Jesus' messiahship had yet been revealed; that, as Gabriel Moran has rightly observed, this ongoing revelation continues even in the world to come, since there is a permanent relationship between the transcendent God and human persons — the human community. The relationship between the Church and Judaism must be seen in the light of the full revelation and realization of the messianic kingdom.

Relations between the Church and Judaism must be studied and lived in a truly ecumenical, deeply respectful spirit. This is clear from the Vatican declaration on this relationship, and from the context in which Jewish-Christian relations are being developed. It is also clear that the Church wants us to develop this relationship in the eschatological perspective. The Council document, looking towards the future, states: "In company with the prophets and the same Apostle (Paul), the Church awaits the day, known to God alone, on which all people will address the Lord in a single voice and serve him with one accord"20

Fr. Rijk then proceeds to develop some thoughts concerning the relationship between the Church and Judaism which show both the complexity and the richness of this relationship. He sees in fact three main lines which could well serve as the basis for a well-developed theology. According to his view the Church is the continuation of Judaism; he looks squarely at the discontinuity; he then sees in the Church the fulfilment of Judaism. Continuity — discontinuity — fulfilment —these three theses could, if taken superficially, be considered as showing a rather triumphalist attitude were we not certain that, far from the old rejected idea of the substitution of the Church for Israel, Father Rijk is very clear in making understood the teaching of St. Paul that God's election of his people is valid for all time. Thus he is very sensitive to the fact that Jews and Judaism must be seen and appreciated, not in Christian terms, but as they define themselves in the light of their own religious experience. (Guidelines and Suggestions for Implementing the Conciliar Declaration "Nostra Aetate").

Continuity — Discontinuity

Therefore, we cannot simply speak in terms of continuity or discontinuity. Both are true. There is continuity, there is a break, and there is fulfilment. But all are aspects of a continuing history of salvation. As long as the final Kingdom of God has not been established on earth, God acts in an explicit way through Israel and the Church. The word of God is still addressed to Israel; Israel still receives the gifts of God, because "the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable"." And, although the majority of the Jews did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, this people remains not only dear to God — for its election, beloved by God — but its negative attitude, and non-recognition of Jesus as the Messiah, "means riches for the world and for the Gentiles"." If the Bible is really to be a permanent source of faith and life, if the message of the Bible remains a daily actuality, then relations between the Church and Judaism should always be considered in this wide context, in the deep perspective of the complete salvation of the whole of mankind. The Church of Jews and Gentiles, in recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, is well aware of still being on the way to the final realization of the Kingdom. She knows that in Jesus the Kingdom has indeed arrived, has indeed been realized, but this realization, this newness, in a way this absolute newness, is not the final term, but a new, unfathomable dimension of the ongoing divine action in human history. Therefore, in the relations between the Church and Judaism we shall always encounter three elements — continuity, fulfilment, and discontinuity — but all play a role in the preparation of the final Kingdom of God in a new heaven and a new earth. Thus, it seems to me, that God acts through the permanent value of the Hebrew Bible and Jewish tradition, as well as through both Old and New Testaments and Christian tradition, in order to establish his Kingdom fully.

Continuity and Fulfilment

Thinking along the lines of continuity and fulfilment in the eschatological perspective does not deny the difference, even the discontinuity, between Judaism and the Church, but for a Christian who would base his thinking on Scripture and divine revelation, it is not permissable to act as though the meaning of Judaism and Jewish religion had come to an end with the coming of Jesus, and as though Judaism were a fossil from the past.

Here several remarks can be made. Judaism and Christianity have both known development, often in opposition and in polemical attitude to one another. After the separation at the end of the first century, they became two separate world religions, but both remained based on divine revelation and continued to develop its thought and life each in its own way. At a time when we are beginning to realize anew the essential links by which the Lord of history binds us together, we are becoming more aware of the biblical basis of our existence and of the common expectation of the eschatological tendency of divine activity in history.

It is worthwhile dwelling for a moment upon the way in which the Vatican Council struggled to elucidate the reality of the people of God. As is well known the Council once more used the biblical concept "people of God" to express the reality of the Church. This necessarily brought up the question of relations between Israel as the people of God, and the Church as people of God. The Church is called "the new people of God".23 But then, what about the "old" people of God? The texts do not make this clear. But the dogmatic constitution on the Church, speaking about the Jews of today, states: "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the People of God (i.e. the Church). In the first place, there is the people to whom the covenants and the promises were made, and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh. On account of their fathers, as regards the election, this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts he makes, nor of the calls he issues".24 The declaration on the relationship of the Church to non-Christian religions speaks (after the coming of Christ) about "the Jews" and not about "the Jewish people", or "the people of God". But in the expensio modorum it is clearly stated that the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity in doing so "in no way intends to decide in what sense the Jewish people, according to the words of the dogmatic constitution De Ecclesia, no. 16, remains the beloved people by election, on account of their fathers". This means, according to the Vatican Council, that they remain the elect people, but the exact meaning of this must be probed further.

We cannot speak merely of a schism; Jews as well as Christians are people of God. The difference between them consists fundamentally in the realized eschatology in Christ which has created a unique situation. Christians are linked to, are baptized into, this eschatological event, but they must extend its meaning and its historical dimensions to the whole of human history, in time and space. Jews, on the other hand, remaining faithful to their revealed heritage, and being thus a blessing for mankind, witnessing to the • "not yet" of the entire messianic age, force Christians to become more vividly aware of the dimensions of the final eschatological event. If, in this way, both Judaism and Church play a role in God's history with mankind, a necessary tension will exist between them; a tension such as that existing between the "not yet" and the "already", but both are on the way to, and in the perspective of, the final fulfilment. Considered in this way, there is, on the other hand, an urgent need for a positive relationship between Judaism and the Church on the basis of divine revelation itself; a relationship, in which, through real respect, mutual knowledge, and learning, an eschatological but thoroughly historic dynamism moves history towards its accomplishment.

Particularism and Universalism

An essential point in this dialectic relationship is the fact that Judaism is, first of all, a people — a people with a revealed religion linked to a country — while Christianity is a religion, linked neither to a country nor to an ethnic group. Here, of course, the tension between particularism and universalism plays a role. But, from the very beginning, Judaism has always had a universalistic tendency. Particularism does not necessarily exclude universalism; both belong essentially to salvation history. God does not save mankind in general; he saves this man, this people and, through this man, this people, he reaches all others. It means that there is a salvation history. History is always concrete. Salvation history and divine revelation take place in the concrete world, through and in events.

In Christianity, religion and faith are sometimes considered primarily as a doctrine, but then the danger arises that faith may become too separated from life; that it may become an abstract set of truths. Faith is, first of all, the expression of a real, existential covenant between God and man, which involves the whole of life, individually and in community. While Christians are becoming more realistic, more seriously involved in history, we are at the same time being confronted with renewed evidence of Jewish peoplehood in the existence of a state of their own. 25

Father Rijk has touched on a question of supreme importance for Jewish-Christian Relations — the State of Israel, the Land of the Bible. In this context it is worthwhile repeating the words quoted already from the Guidelines for Implementing Nostra Aetate:

"Christians . . . must strive to learn by what essential traits the Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious experience".

It is no exaggeration to say that every Jew, every member of this people, sees as an integral part of his religious or cultural experience his relation to the Land that God gave him through the covenant made with his father, Abraham.

No-one will deny the difficulty of coming to grips with this problem, since we in the West, at least in theory, tend to make a separation between politics and religion, while in the East no such separation is possible being given the religious dimensions of the place which the Land occupies in the concrete reality of history.

But let Father Rijk explain this in his own words:

Link between People and Land

There have been discussions about the religious dimensions of the link between the Jewish people and the land of the Fathers, but much thinking still remains to be done. It is not my intention to discuss this problem at length, but one thing is sure, the link between people and land belongs to the self-awareness of the Jewish people, and if we want to take our relationship seriously, this link must be thoroughly studied.28 We must ask ourselves what this link, based on the revelation in Tanach, means in the plan of God, and what, therefore, it means for us Christians. This question touches many difficult social, political, historical problems, among others, but this must not prevent us from giving it serious consideration. I venture to suggest that the open and religious study of this phenomenon may help us to realize better the realistic and historic character of divine revelation, and thus overcome the unnatural separation of life and faith; the tendency of modern theology to emphasize the involvement of the faithful in social and political realities," may provide a point of contact with Jewish thinking, thus creating a better understanding between Jews and Christians. This may promote a deeper, common involvement in the preparation of the Kingdom of God on earth. Furthermore, this reflection on salvation history may have an impact on several aspects of Christian theology, e.g., the concept of redemption and messianism, of which, some dimensions revealed in Scripture may have been overlooked, through over-spiritualization.

This more "worldly" approach to revelation and salvation underlines the human, horizontal aspects of revealed religion. This has, no doubt, something to do with today's secularization tendencies, and with the efforts to make faith more relevant to people today.

However, this tendency should not neglect or minimize the divine character of revelation and its tremendous and incomprehensible riches as manifested by the Lord to His people and which reached its culmination in Christ. There may be a difference in emphasis, or rather, there is a search for a more complete, more total understanding and expression of divine revelation in human history.

People of God

The actual renewal of the Church is beginning to awaken Christians to some forgotten aspects of the Christian and biblical message. Already the fact that the Vatican Council once more emphasized the title "people of God", implies a consciousness of moving in an eschatological perspective. Furthermore, many Christians today, in opposition to an over-emphasis on institution and structure, want to stress the prophetic task of the Church. This, they say, would be a more faithful answer to biblical revelation which should always be the actual source of Christian life.28

Father Rijk died with his life's work unfinished; he could not have known when he wrote the following lines how little time was left to him, but he has handed on to us a program of work that could occupy many different experts for a considerable time to come:

The above are a few thoughts on the way in which a Christian theological view of Judaism could be developed. Much work, study and dialogue are still necessary, but it seems to me that this time of research, of renewal and of openness offers a very important starting point for a true, deep understanding between the Church and Judaism.

A great task lies ahead for theologians, exegetes, historians, and sociologists. Many difficulties must still be faced; difficulties arising from some "traditional" views, from a certain resistance and lack of theological flexibility and from the deep reality of Jewish-Christian relations themselves. However, one has the impression that a new openness in official Church documents and in an increasing number of Christian thinkers deeply involved in studying the significance of a rapidly changing world, offer new possibilities for developing a Christian theology of Judaism. It will be unprecedented in Christian history.29

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1. SIDIC, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1968, pp. 2, 3.
2. Ibid, Vol. VI, No. 1, 1973, p. 31.
3. Ibid, pp. 30, 31.
4. "Jewish and Christian Liturgies", in Lancelot Sheppard, ed., True Worship (London, 1963), p. 42.
5. SIDIC, Vol. VI, No. 1, 1973, pp. 32, 33.
6. SIDIC, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1968, pp. 2, 3.
7. Ibid, p. 15.
8 Ibid, p. 17.
9. Augustin Cardinal Bea (Special SIDIC Issue) 1969, p. 12.
10. Ibid, p. 13.
11. SIDIC, Vol. V, No. 1, 1972, p. 3.
12 Ibid, pp. 5, 6.
13. W. Abbott, The Documents of Vatican II, New York, 1966, p. 662.
14. G. Moran, Theology of Revelation, London, 1967.
15 Cf. J. Danielou, Les Saints Paiens de l'Ancien Testament, Paris, 1955.
16. 2 Peter 3 : 12.
17. SIDIC, Vol. V, No. 1, 1972, pp. 6, 7, 10.
18. Jn. 14:26.
19. Jn. 16.12f.
20. Zp. 3:9; Is. 66:23; Ps. 65:4; Rm. 11:11-32; SIDIC, Vol. V, No. 1, 1972, p. 12.
21. Rm. 11:29.
22. Rm. 11:12.
23. Cf. the Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to non-Christian Religions, Abbott, p. 666.
24. Cf. Abbott, p. 24.
25. SIDIC, Vol. V, No. 1, 1972, pp. 12-14.
26. Cf. the Declaration of the Dutch Reformed Church in 1970.
27. J.B. Metz, D. Bonhoeffer and others.
28. SIDIC, Vol. V, No. 1, 1972, pp. 14-16.
29. Ibid, p. 16.