“Anti-Semitism is betrayal of the Christian faith”

Cardinal Koch stressed this at a convention on dialogue between Christians and Jews

“The scourge of anti-Semitism seems impossible to eradicate in today’s world; even in Christian theology the ancient Marcionism and anti-Semitism re-emerge with a vengeance and not just among traditionalists but also in the liberal currents within contemporary theology.” The President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and of the Holy See Commission for Religious Relations with Jews, Cardinal Kurt Koch said this, during the “Berrie lecture at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).  The cardinal was invited by the John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue , directed by Rabbi Jack Bemporad.  Cardinal Koch’s lecture was dedicated to the dialogue between Christians and Jews, based on the conciliar declaration on non-Christian religions.

 

“Jewish-Catholic dialogue - Cardinal Koch said - will therefore never become stagnant, particularly on an academic level, and particularly since the new epoch-making course started by the Second Vatican Council on the Jewish-Christian relations is naturally put constantly to the test.” According to the prelate, “the Catholic Church is forced to declare that anti-Semitism and Marcionism are a betrayal of Christian faith itself and to recall that spiritual fraternity between Jews and Christians is firmly and eternally rooted in the Holy Scriptures.”

 

According to Koch, “the Second Vatican Council’s call for a fostering of mutual understanding and respect between Jews and Christians must continue to receive the focus it is due. This is an essential pre-requisite for ensuring that Christians and Jews do not start dangerously drifting apart again but that they stay aware of their spiritual affinity.” This way, a better understanding will develop between them so that “as the people of God they will be able to bring the word of peace and reconciliation to today’s non-conciliar world and be a blessing not just to each other but to all humanity.”

 

Vatican Insider Staff

Source: vaticaninsider.lastampa.it