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From Nostra Aetate to the Notes For Catechists and Preachers - Part II The Development of a Tradition
Eugene J. Fisher

 

The following chart" lists several areas in which the wording of the 1975 Vatican Guidelines and the more recent "Notes" have specifically clarified wording left "creatively vague" by the Second Vatican Council, thus determining how Nostra Aetate is today to be read. Many of these, it will be noted, are directly responsive to critiques made of Nostra Aetate and the 1975 Guidelines in the dialogue between Catholics and Jews sparked by the Council. It is to be expected that the "Notes" will undergo a similar process of clarification through dialogue.


I) — "The Church decries hatreds, persecutions and manifestations of anti-Semitism directed against Jews at any time and by anyone." Nostra Aetate, 7965
- "condemn, as opposed to the very spirit of Christianity, all forms of anti-Semitism and discrimination." Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— "The urgency and importance of precise, objective and rigorously accurate teaching on Judaism for out faithful follows too from the danger of anti-Semitism, which is always ready to reappear under different guises" (1, 8) n. 26 *" reaffirms the condemnation of antisemitism. "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

2) — makes no mention of the post-biblical religious tradition of Judaism. Nostra Aetate, 7965
— "The history of Judaism did not end with the destruction of Jerusalem but rather went on to develop a religious tradition" (III,7).
— associates "Jewish and Christian tradition" (IV,I). Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— Contains an entire section on "Judaism and Christianity in History" (VI): "The permanence of Israel (while so many ancient peoples have disappeared without a trace) is a historic fact and a sign to be interpreted within God's design . . . ac companied by a continuous spiritual fecundity, in the rabbinical period, in the Middle Ages, and in modern times." (n. 25) "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

3) — "the spiritual bonds which tie the people of the New Covenant to the offspring of Abraham" (4, 1) Nostra Aetate, 7965
.— "the spiritual bonds and historical links binding the Church to Judaism"... "these links and relationships" (intro., 5). Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— "Because of the unique relations that exist between Christianity and Judaism — 'linked together at the very level of their identity' (John Paul II, March 6, 1982) — relations "founded on the design of the God of the Covenant" (ibid.), the Jews and Judaism should not occupy an occasional or marginal place in catechesis: their presence there is essential and should be organically integrated." (I, 2). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

4) — makes no reference to traditional false stereotyping of the Pharisees or to misunderstandings which can arise from reading the N.T. or in the liturgy. Nostra Aetate, 7965
— mandates an "overriding preoccupation" in liturgy and education to provide adequate background for Scriptural readings "which Christians, if not well informed, might misunderstand because of prejudice," and specifies John's Gospel and the treatment of the Pharisees (II, 5) Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— Two major sections of the text (III and IV) spell out the issues in detail, E.g.: Jesus "extolled respect for" the Law and "invited obedience to it" (n. 13). He shared, "with the majority of Palestinian Jews of that time," central elements of pharisaic doctrine (n. 17). "...references hostile or less than favourable to the Jews have their historic context in conflicts between the nascent Church and the Jewish community. Certain controversies reflect Christian-Jewish relations long after the time of Jesus." (n, 21, A) "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

5) — defines the Jews solely in biblical terms, i.e. in reference to their past: "the Jewish religion," the "chosen people," "the wild olive shoots," "the Jews" (8 times, always in the context of the N.T.). Limits itself to "the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews" Nostra Aetate, 7965
— speaks of the Jews of today as well as biblically, and in modern terms: "Judaism," "Jewish brothers," "the Jewish people" (twice, and in specifically religious context, being followed immediately by "the Christian people). Encourages Christians to learn "by what essential traits the Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious tradition" (IV, I). Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— Citing John Paul II, calls the "common patrimony" of the Church and "Judaism considerable," calling on catechists and preachers "to assess it carefully in itself and with due awareness of the faith and religious life of the Jewish people as they are professed and practised still today" (I, 3; cf. n. 25). In this context, mentions the Holocaust and the State of Israel as proper subjects for affirmative Catholic teaching (n. 25). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

6) — makes no reference to the Holocaust of European Jewry Nostra Aetate, 7965
—refers to the Holocaust as the "historical setting" of Nostra Aerate and the present Jewish-Christian dialogue. Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— mandates the development of Holocaust curricula in religious education programming: "catechesis should... help in understanding the meaning for the Jews of the extermination [Shoah] during the years 1939-45, and its consequences" (n. 25). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

7) — no reference to State of Israel. Nostra Aetate, 7965
— no reference to State of Israel. Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— speaks of the "religious attachment" between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel as one that "finds its roots in the Biblical tradition" and as an essential aspect of Jewish covenantal 'fidelity to the one God." Affirms "the existence of the State of Israel" on the basis of "the common principles of international law," while warning against a biblical fun damentalist approach to contemporary "political options" in the Middle East (N. 25). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

8) Crucifixion "cannot be blamed on all Jews than living without distinction nor upon the Jews of today-. Christ freely underwent his passion and death because of the sins of all men." Nostra Aetate, 7965
— Repeats Nostra Aetate. Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— Adds details: Christians more responsible than "those few Jews" because we sin knowingly (n. 22). "...the Pharisees arc not mentioned in accounts of the Passion" (n. 19). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

9) Does not try to deal with significance of the Jewish "no" to Christian claims concerning Jesus and the significance of the Christ event. Nostra Aetate, 7965
— Calls on Christians to "strive to understand the difficulties which arise for the Jewish soul — rightly imbued with an extremely high, pure notion of the divine transcendence —when faced with the mystery of the incarnate word." (I) Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— Begins to grapple with it as "a fact not merely of history but of theological bearing of which St. Paul tries hard to plumb the meaning" In. 21, C and F) and hints at a positive response to "the permanence of Israel" as "a sign to be interpreted within God's design" In. 25). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

10) presents the Church as the new people of God (4, 6) Nostra Aetate, 7965
— avoids supercessionist implications and states instead: "The Old Testament and the Jewish tradition founded on it must not be set against the New Testament in such a way that the former seems to constitute a religion of only justice, feat and legalism with no appeal to the love of God and neighbor (Dt. 6:5; Lv 19:18)." Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— Jews are to be presented as "the people of God of the Old Covenant, which has never been revoked by God" (I, 3, citing John Paul II at Mainz, Nov. 17, 1980), and "a chosen people" In. 25). Both Jews and Christians "are driven... by the command to love our neighbour" (n. II). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

11) does not deal, as such, the °promise/fulfilment" theme. Nostra Aetate, 7965
— Distinguishes "fulfilment" of the promises in Christ from "their perfect fulfilment in his glorious return at the end of time" (II). Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— ... "the people of God of the Old and the New Testament are tending towards a like end in the future: the coming or return of the Messiah —even if they start from two different points of view." (n. 10; cf. also n. 1, 2 and 1, 5). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

2) does not deal with typology. Nostra Aetate, 7965
— does not deal with typology. Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— terms typology "perhaps the sign of a problem unresolved." Attempts to frame the question in terms of both the Church and Judaism as "awaiting" their "definitive perfecting" and "final consummation" in the End Time (n. 4-9). Allows for other models for relating the Scriptures (n. 2). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

13) — no direct reference to joint witness to the world, though the possibility is implicit in the affirmation that God "does not repent of the gifts he makes or of the calls he issues." Nostra Aetate, 7965
— "Jewish and Christian tradition, founded on the Word of God... will work willingly together, seeking social justice and peace on every level" (IV). Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— "...hanging on the same word, we have to witness to one same memory and one common hope in Him... We must also accept our responsibility to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah by working together for social justice . . To this we are driven... by a common hope for the Kingdom of God" (n. 11). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

14) no explicit acknowledgment of the validity of Jewish witness, to the Church or to the world, post Chris-turn. implicit in present-tense translation of phrase from St. Paul: "Theirs are the sonship and the glory and the Covenant and the law and the worship and the promises"( Rom 9,4-54 Many Christian translations of the New Testament (e.g. the New American Bible) had tended to trans late this key phrase in the past tense; ...theirs were..." Nostra Aetate, 7965
— still implicit,e.g. in IV. Vatican Guidelines, 1975
— "A numerous Diaspora... allowed Israel to carry to the whole world a witness — often heroic — of its fidelity to the one God and to exalt him in the presence of all the living" (n. 25). Affirms that Christian catechesis cannot adequately convey the Christian message without taking into account past and present Jewish tradition (I, 2-3; n. 11; 12; 17-18; 20; 25). "Notes for Preaching and Catechesis." 1985

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This chart, I believe, indicates at least in rudimentary fashion the painstaking, step-by-step character of the process in which the Church is engaged in its efforts to clean its own house of the rubble of centuries of misunderstanding. None of these statements, taken by itself, is adequate to the task. None can be interpreted rightly except in the context of the others. Taken together, they reveal perhaps only a direction, a gradual formulation of more positive outreach and acceptance of Jews and Judaism on its own terms, i.e. "as the Jews define themselves in the light of their own traditions" (Guidelines I, Notes I. 4).

This principle, accepted for the dialogue in the [975 Guidelines and repeated for catechesis in the 1985 Notes, has pertinence, I would maintain, for the reconsideration of the process of consultation (or lack of it) that should obtain in the procedures the Commission itself employs when considering the issuance of a document for and to the Catholic Church.

Notes
* Cf. Introduction to Part 1, p. 8, and note that Part [II of Dr. Fisher's presentation follows immediately on that of Part. II.
** Cf. note concerning numerical references to the NOTES on p. 5, relevant for Parts 11 and III.
12. For the idea behind this chart, now much expanded, I am indebted to Jacqueline des Rochettes, "Evolution of a Vocabulary: A Sign of Hope?", SIDIC (Vol. VIII, no. 3, 1975) pp. 21-24.