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Cardinal Ratzinger on Eatholic-Jewish dialogue - Interview in the Italian Weekly "II Sabato"
The Editors

The interview with Cardinal Ratzinger which appeared under the signature of Renato Farina in the Italian Weekly II Sabato (organ of the Comunione e Liberazione movement) for 24-30 October 1987 astonished and disturbed many Jews and Christians engaged in the dialogue; all the more so because it came so soon after the Pope's meetings with Jewish leaders in Castel Gandolfo and Miami in September. This long interview concludes with the following exchange which has been translated from the Italian:

"II Sabato: When it comes to religions and dialogue and the need to follow the true spirit of Assisi, the Jewish question cannot be avoided. In what concerns the Jewish religion, perhaps even more than Catholicism, there is a process of secularisation going on. a loss of a religious sense. Certain protests against the beatification of Edith Stein {the Carmelite killed at Auschwitz and proclaimed a martyr at Cologne by the Pope on May 1st) and against the visit of Waldheim to the Pope, have shown the Jewish people to be imprisoned. spiritually imprisoned, in the memory of the Holocaust, Even the great Jewish philosopher. Levinas, in an interview given to our journal. has called upon his people to go beyond the Holocaust.
Ratzinger:It is important not to become enclosed in past political debates, but to get down to the roots. In this sense it seems to me that the discourses of the Hon, Father and above all the homily on Edith Stein contain a very important message. For the very reason that the Jews disagree with him there can be true dialogue. The Pope offers respect, but also a theological line. This always implies our union both in the faith of Abraham and also in the reality of Jesus Christ, in whom the faith of Abraham finds its fulfilment. Among other things it is important to note that Edith Stein, agnostic, atheist, become Catholic, said: "Now I feel I have returned to true Judaism". This was because she had not only regained faith in God but also discovered faith in Christ and entered into the fulness of Abraham's legacy. She had exchanged her Jewish inheritance for a new and different one, but by entering into the unity of Christ she entered into the very heart of Judaism. Following the thought of St. Paul one could say "By becoming Christian become a true Jew because I have the fulness of the Old Testament within me." It seems to me that such a position on the one hand accepts the whole inheritance of the Old Testament, but on the other expresses the journey towards the complete truth, the profound truth of the religion of Abraham which is revealed in the coming of Christ, son of Abraham, son of God."

Criticism of these remarks came from Catholics and Jews in many parts of the world. They saw them as a step back from previous Catholic positions on dialogue with Judaism.

Jewish reaction

On the Jewish side reaction was very sharp. In Italy the interview was seen as a return to "conversionism" and as evidence of a certain duplicity on the part of the Catholic Church in her desire for dialogue. The rabbis of Italy even decided not to participate in Jewish-Christian
activities for a time. The following words of Tullia Zevi, President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, are taken from the October (1987) issue of Shalom. "The Cardinal theologian, with the clarity and precision which characterises him, highlights the meaning and value of conversion for the Church, especially if the convert comes from Judaism. From these words, and even from many of the Pope's discourses, emerge a Church which sees Judaism only and above all as a preparation for Christianity. But a dialogue can only take place between believers of different faiths if there is a reciprocal recognition of an equal validity and dignity. If Judaism has to pass into Christianity in order to attain its maximum validity and dignity," said the President of the Union, "where then is dialogue? It is an invitation with open arms, a cloak spread wide, but not a dialogue between equals. Cardinal .Ratzinger with his serious, profound, theologically considered statements, sides with the theology of appropriation and substitution. Christianity appropriates Judaism, the "new Israel" takes the place of the "old Israel". Is there then no room for a Jewish-Christian dialogue? I do not think all Catholics share the position of Ratzinger. But it needs to be seen whether the current in the Church which comes largely from Vatican II is today a flower in bloom or a seed buried under the snow."

Christian reaction
Groups of Christians in various parts of the world also expressed their surprise and dismay at this interview. In Italy the Bishop of Ivrea, Mgr. Bettazzi, wrote about the matter in the diocesan weekly II risveglio popolare No. 43. He was not surprised that these statements were put forward by the "ciellini" (members of Comunione e Liberazione) but astonished that they were made by the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith. On enquiry he disscovered that there had been no question of an interview but the article was rather a summary of a conversation between the journalists and the Cardinal which was written up afterwards by one of them. Mgr. Bettazzi adds "I found nothing in the declaration to serve as a basis for the revision of ecumenism although a quotation from the interview-summary could have given rise to the reaction in Jewish circles: the head of the Holy Office recorded a remark attributed to the newly-beatified Edith Stein, agnostic-atheist, who on becoming a Catholic said 'Now I feel I have returned to true Judaism'. What had chiefly saddened the Jews", pointed out Mgr. Bettazzi, "was the conclusion of the 'Forum'. The journalists directed the discussion to 'certain protests about the beatification of Edith Stein and the visit of the Austrian President, Waldheim to the Pope'. They — the journalists, not the Cardinal — commented that this 'showed the Jewish people to be imprisoned, spiritually imprisoned, in the memory of the Holocaust'. Cardinal Ratzinger had not shared this opinion and had replied to the journalists that 'it is precisely because the Jews do not all agree with the Pope that there can be a true dialogue'." (reported by ADISTA 9/12 December 1987)

Further developments:
Some time after the publication of the text in II Sabato, Cardinal Ratzinger, through the intervention of Cardinal Willebrands, issued a clarification amending the final paragraph of the published interview. It was pointed out that the original conversation had taken place in German; the published "interview" in Italian was a translation and a summary of the longer conversation.

The clarification has been translated from the German and the differences from the former text are printed in italics:
"It is important not to continue to dwell on the political discussions of the past, but to get to the roots. Therefore it seems to me that the Holy Father's addresses, especially the homily on the occasion of the beatification of Edith Stein, contain an important message. Precisely because the Jews do not argee with him on everything, there can be a real dialogue. For the Pope's part, he offers on the one hand respect and consideration for the other's conviction, but also a theological direction. This theological direction involves implicitly both our unity with the faith of Abraham and the reality of Jesus Christ in whom, for us, Abraham's faith finds its fulfilment. Among other things it is important to note that Edith Stein, who was an agnostic, (atheist is omitted) said after becoming a Catholic: "Now I feel that I have again become fully a Jew." Since she had not only regained her faith in God, but found faith in Christ, she entered into Abraham's full heritage. She had given up her heritage as a Jew to find a new and different heritage. However, by entering into union with Christ, she reached again the heart of Judaism itself. If we follow St. Paul's thinking, we can say that, in becoming a Christian, he became and remained fully a Jew, since he carried in himself the fulness of the Old Testament. It seems to me that on the one hand, this position affirms the whole of the Old Testament's heritage. but. on the other hand — as we see it — it expresses the way towards the fullness of truth, the profound truth of Abraham's religion, which, according to our faith, is revealed in the Christ-event, that is in Him who was Son of Abraham and Son of God."

Further explanation from Cardinal Willebrands regarding the interview in II Sabato.

The intention of Cardinal Ratzinger:
1) A Christian should acknowledge his heritage from the Old Testament, the faith of Abraham. According to the Christian faith, the faith of Abraham and the first Alliance were accomplished in Jesus Christ.
2) When a Jew becomes a Christian Ms was the case with Edith Stein) he/she should never forget or lose his/her Jewish heritage.
3) We acknowledge and respect the Jewish people in its own faith and expectation.
4) Through dialogue we hope to overcome misunderstandings, the teaching of contempt in order to develop true knowledge, respect and love.

A Conclusion:
On reflection it seems that crises in the Jewish-Christian dialogue should riot surprise us. It is little more than twenty years since the epoch-making Nostra Aetate transformed the Church's understanding of Judaism. The implications for the Church's theology are only slowly becoming apparent. Differences of opinion among Catholics, at this stage, are inevitable after a different tradition that lasted nearly two thousand years. What appear as "steps backward" must stimulate further research and deeper reflection on matters that are still not agreed and a more effective education about what is certain. The relationship between Christianity and Judaism touches the very roots of the Church. It is the most sensitive but also the most fundamental question for the Church for it conditions her own self-understanding. The dialogue between Catholics and Jews depends upon mutual trust and respect. It calls both to continual endeavour to "know the other as it explains itself" and to follow the commandment to "love our neighbour as ourself".