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Evolution Of Vocabulary: A Sign Of Hope?
Jacqueline Des Rochettes

 

The first paragraph of Guidelines and Suggestions for Implementing the Conciliar Declaration «Nostra Aetate » (No. 4), published in 1975 by the new Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, affirms that the Vatican Council II declaration Nostra Aetate «marks an important milestone [French version: « turning-point »] in the history of Jewish-Christian relations ». Certainly, if we examine — as in the first part of this issue — a number of documents, publications and pastoral guidelines of the last ten years, we realize that an on-going process is unfolding before our eyes.

However, in immediate reactions it is too often hesitancy or ignorance which predominates. For example, Jews still expect from the Vatican some definite gesture (recognition of the State of Israel), while Christians, on the whole, are unaware of or indifferent to the efforts of special-fists who seem to be alone in working to promote the progress of Jewish-Christian relations.

Now, if there really has been a turning-point in history, it would be interesting to seek out the indications, particularly in official documents. A short comparative study of the vocabulary employed in 1965 by Nostra Aetate and that used in 1975 by Guidelines and Suggestions should enable us to verify this evolution of language. The history of vocabulary is also « on the move » from one document to another.

Many have pondered, discussed, written and published to express in what terms they see the Mystery of Israel. Perhaps they will find in this parallel (in spite of their still-unfulfilled expectations) a word, an expression, a sentence (now made official by the Church) which echoes their hope and is, in fact, the direct or indirect result of their long labor.

1. Following an examination: some terms which are striking.
2. The need to single out: a controversial word.
3. Inevitable regret over: certain words which are missing.

Nostra Aetate: 1965	Guidelines: 1975
- « the spiritual bonds which tie the people of the New Covenant to the offspring of Abraham » (N.A. No. 4 #1).	— « the spiritual bonds and historical links binding the Church to Judaism » and further: « these links and relationships » (G. Introd. #5).
— makes no mention of the religious tradition of Judaism.	— encourages study by Christians in order to « acquire a better knowledge of the basic components of the religious tradition of Judaism » (G. Introd. #5). mentions « the Old Testament and the Jewish tradition founded upon it » (G. III #4). — notes that « the history of Judaism did not end with the destruction of Jerusalem, but rather went on to develop a religious tradition» (G. III #7). — associates « Jewish and Christian tradition » (G. IV #1).
— confines itself to « the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews » (N.A. No. 4 # 5) and to « the patrimony she shares with the Jews » (#7).	— wants to learn « by what essential traits the Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious experience » (G. Introd. #5).
— defines the Jews in biblical terms, that is, in reference to their past: • the Jewish religion • the chosen people . the people with whom God in his inex pressible mercy made the ancient covenant . « the apostles . . . sprang from the Jewish people » the words of the Apostle about « his kinsmen » • the wild olive shoots • the Jews (8 times, always in the context of the N.T.).	— speaks of the Jews of today, in modern terms: . Judaism . the Jewish people (twice, but taking care to place it in a specifically religious context, as is shown by the expression « the Christian people » which follows immediately in the next sentence) . the Jews (8 times) . Jewish brothers (once) . the Jewish soul (once).
— confines itself strictly to religious and spiritual terms.	— deals with other areas: « Research into the problems bearing on Judaism and Jewish-Christian relations will be encouraged among specialists, particularly in the fields of exegesis, theology, history and sociology » (G. III #11).
— presents the Church as the new people of God (N.A. 4 #6).	— avoids taking up this expression and insists strongly that « the Old Testament and the Jewish tradition founded upon it must not be set against the New Testament » (G. III #4).

When we reflect on the new expressions used in the Guidelines, they open a door into the historical dimension of relations between the Church and Judaism. Four times the religious tradition of Israel is proposed to Christians as an object of interest and study in which they will be able to discover an aspect of Judaism, often unknown but nevertheless essential. The Church is courageously facing the fact that in her religious research she must take into account the findings of modern science, sociology included. Finally, and above all, the spirit that animates the whole document is stressed by that phrase, full of respect, in which hope predominates: the Church truly wants to learn « by what essential traits the Jews define themselves in the light of their own religious experience ».

A Controversial Word

It is true that Jesus Christ is, by definition, at the center of a Christian's faith. The Christian knows that his « light must shine before all men », but why choose the word « mission » to speak of the light that every believer bears within himself? If the faith of a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian is real, a particular light emanates from him and shines on the world.
Would it not have been possible to have gauged the extent to which the word we here reject is loaded with all its deformed meaning in a deplorable past? Has it been forgotten that « mission » means more or less forced conversion, and this not only in the Middle Ages butalmost up to Vatican Council II? The declaration Nostra Aetate gives us hope of soon being able to forget this attitude of conquest, but can one expect the descendants of the Mortara family in Italy and of the Marranos in Spain to have such short memories? Are there people who do not know that even today, when a Christian comes into contact with an Israeli Jew, he is immediately reproached because of the Pope's failure to recognize the State of Israel and because of the « missionizing » going on at present in Israel itself? Even if this missionary activity is exercised by only a few evangelicals, we as Christians cannot completely disassociate ourselves from them.

A Controversial Word

If it is normal for a Christian to speak first of Jesus Christ, a time must come when he will accept as normal for a Jew to speak first of the only living God who has given a Torah and a land to his people; he will then understand that this same Jew lives this threefold dimension of his faith in all its concrete reality. The absence of the word « Land » is a grave omission in the Guidelines, as also the lack of clarification on the notions of people of God and covenant (this term appears only once in the Guidelines where it is qualified by « old »). No theology of Judaism can exist without these essential foundations, and how can a theology of Jewish-Christian relations be developed where these foundations are lacking?

It must, of course, be mentioned in conclusion that at the pastoral level the Guidelines explain and develop the theological meditation of the Council in Nostra Aetate. The two literary forms are at once different and complementary, but this fact does not suffice to explain the evolution of language from one document to another to which we have drawn attention. It therefore seems good that we can finally rejoice over what is a sign of vitality.