Foreword to Benedict Xvi's

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

FOREWORD TO BENEDICT XVI’S “GRACE AND VOCATION WITHOUT REMORSE” KURT KOCH The Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, “Nostra aetate,” the fourth article of which is dedicated to Judaism, was approved with a near-moral unanimity by the Council Fathers and promulgated by Bl. Pope Paul VI on November 28, 1965. The Council peritus Joseph Ratzinger judged that, above all, the fourth article opened “a new page in the book of reciprocal relations” between the Church and Israel.1 On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of Nostra aetate, the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews published a new document entitled “The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable” (Rom 11:29). This document was presented to the public with the aim of being “a starting point for further theological thought with a view to enriching and intensifying the theological dimen- sion of Jewish-Catholic dialogue.” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI graciously accepted this invitation and wrote extensive “Comments on the Treatise De Iudaeis.” These comments were admittedly not intended for pub- 1. Joseph Ratzinger, Theological Highlights of Vatican II, 254. Communio 45 (Spring 2018). © 2018 by Communio: International Catholic Review 162 KURT KOCH lication. When I was allowed to visit him again last fall, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI presented these comments to me for my personal use as President of the Vatican Commission. After studying the text in detail, I came to the conclusion that the theological reflections they contained should be incorporated in future discussions between the Church and Israel. That is why I asked Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI to publish his text in Com- munio. I am grateful that I was able to convince him to give his consent. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s reflections are an impor- tant response to the Vatican Commission’s invitation to engage in a deepened theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and Judaism—a dialogue that Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI has always taken to heart. I am convinced that the present contribution will enrich the Jewish-Catholic conversation.— Translated by Nicholas J. Healy Jr. KURT KOCH is a cardinal and the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity..

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Examining Nostra Aetate After 40 Years: Catholic-Jewish Relations in Our Time / Edited by Anthony J
EXAMINING NOSTRA AETATE AFTER 40 YEARS EXAMINING NOSTRA AETATE AFTER 40 YEARS Catholic-Jewish Relations in Our Time Edited by Anthony J. Cernera SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY PRESS FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT 2007 Copyright 2007 by the Sacred Heart University Press All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, contact the Sacred Heart University Press, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, Connecticut 06825 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Examining Nostra Aetate after 40 Years: Catholic-Jewish Relations in our time / edited by Anthony J. Cernera. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-888112-15-3 1. Judaism–Relations–Catholic Church. 2. Catholic Church– Relations–Judaism. 3. Vatican Council (2nd: 1962-1965). Declaratio de ecclesiae habitudine ad religiones non-Christianas. I. Cernera, Anthony J., 1950- BM535. E936 2007 261.2’6–dc22 2007026523 Contents Preface vii Nostra Aetate Revisited Edward Idris Cardinal Cassidy 1 The Teaching of the Second Vatican Council on Jews and Judaism Lawrence E. Frizzell 35 A Bridge to New Christian-Jewish Understanding: Nostra Aetate at 40 John T. Pawlikowski 57 Progress in Jewish-Christian Dialogue Mordecai Waxman 78 Landmarks and Landmines in Jewish-Christian Relations Judith Hershcopf Banki 95 Catholics and Jews: Twenty Centuries and Counting Eugene Fisher 106 The Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding of Sacred Heart University:
[Show full text]
Declaration on the Way Church, Ministry, and Eucharist
Declaration on the Way Church, Ministry, and Eucharist Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Copyright © 2015 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Published by Augsburg Fortress. Permission is granted to download and reproduce a single copy of this publication for individual, non-commercial use. Copies for group use and study are available for purchase at www.augsburgfortress.org. Please direct other permission requests to [email protected]. Augsburg Fortress Minneapolis DECLARATION ON THE WAY Church, Ministry, and Eucharist Copyright © 2015 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of Augs- burg Fortress, PO Box 1209, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440 or United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 3211 Fourth Street NE, Wash- ington, DC 20017. Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Cover art: The Road to Emmaus by He Qi (www.heqiart.com) Cover design: Laurie Ingram Book design: PerfecType, Nashville, TN Print ISBN: 978-1-5064-1616-8 eBook ISBN: 978-1-5064-1617-5 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z329.48-1984.
[Show full text]
Nostra Aetate Catholic Church’S Relation with People of Other Religions
259 The Catholic ChNuorscthr’as AJoeutartnee: y into Dialogue Patrick McInerney* The Declaration (NA) is Vatican II’s ground-breaking document on the Nostra Aetate Catholic Church’s relation with people of other religions. 1 The two previous Popes have called it ‘the Magna Carta’ of the Church’s new direction in interreligious dialogue. 2 For centuries church teaching and practice in regard to other religions had been encapsulated in the axiom extra ecclesiam nulla salus (outside the church no salvation). represents a ‘radically new Nostra Aetate understanding of the relations of the church to the other great world religions.’ 3 * Fr Patrick McInerney LSAI, MTheol, PhD is a Columban missionary priest. Assigned to Pakistan for twenty years, he has a licentiate from the in Rome (1986), a Masters in TheologyP foronmtif itchael MInsetlibtuotuer nfoer C thoell Segtued oy fo Df Aivrianbitiyc (a2n0d0 I3s)l aamndic Ps hD from the Australian Catholic University (2009). He is currently Director of the Columban Mission Institute, Coordinator of its and a staff member of its C. e Hnter el efoctru Crehsr iisnt iamni-sMsioulsoligmy Rate ltahteio ns anCde tnhter eB rfork eMn iBssaiyo nIn Sstiutduites’s In C2a0t1h1o lhiec wInassti tauwtea rodfe Sdy dthnee y title of Honorary Fellow of the CAeunsttrrea lfioanr MCiastshiolnic a Undn iCvuerltsuitrye.. He attends interfaith and multi-faith conferences, and gives talks on Islam, Christian-Muslim Relations and Interreligious Relations to a wide variety of audiences. 1. Vatican II, ‘ : Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions,’ inN ostra Aetate Vatican Council I, I:e dT.
[Show full text]
Press Release at the Conclusion
Press release at the conclusion XVIII International Ecumenical Conference Bose, 20 September 2010 XVIII International Ecumenical Conference Christians should know how to open those systems of human relations that tend to close in upon themselves, in order to give space to the Spirit’s transfiguring energy, who in them and through them vivifies the universe XVIII International Liturgical Conference on Orthodox spirituality COMMUNION AND SOLITUDE Monastery of Bose, 8-11 September 2010 Bose, 20 September 2010 “Communion and solitude” is the pair treated in the paper of the 18th International Ecumenical Conference held at the Monastery of Bose from 8 to 11 September 2010. The conference, organized in collaboration with the Orthodox Churches, for almost twenty years has been an important occasion for dialogue on the basic themes of the spiritual life, where the traditions of Christian East and West intersect the profound expectations of modern man. The course of he conference, in four intense days of study and fraternal encounter, has reflected on the ways the spiritual tradition of the Churches of the East can still today offer a sensible word to the searching and expectations of modern men and women. Theologians, historians, philosophers, scholars, and official representatives at the highest level of the Orthodox Churches, of the Catholic Church, and of the Churches of the Reform, together with many other persons participated in the work of the conference. The messages of the Churches In his warm greeting to the participants patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople recalled the prophetic quality for Christian unity of the cenobitic and eremitical life, which do not cease to be present in the Churches.
[Show full text]
The Holy See
The Holy See ORDINARY PUBLIC CONSISTORY FOR THE CREATION OF NEW CARDINALS ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO THE NEW CARDINALS, THEIR FAMILIES AND PILGRIMS WHO CAME FOR THE CONSISTORY Paul VI Hall Monday, 22 November 2010 Your Eminences, Dear Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood, Dear Friends, The feelings and emotions we experienced yesterday and the day before, on the occasion of the creation of 24 new Cardinals are still alive in our minds and hearts. They were moments of fervent prayer and profound communion, that we wish to extend today with our hearts filled with gratitude to the Lord who has granted us the joy to live a new page of the history of the Church. Therefore I am pleased to welcome you all today to this simple and family meeting and to address a cordial greeting to the new Cardinals, as well as to their relatives, friends and all those who have accompanied them on this solemn and momentous occasion In Italian: I first greet you dear Italian Cardinals! I greet you, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; I greet you, Cardinal Francesco Monterisi, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls; I greet you, Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, Major Penitentiary; I greet you, Cardinal Paolo Sardi, Vice-Camerlengo of Holy Roman Church; I greet you, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy; I greet you, Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, President of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See; I greet you, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture; I greet you, Cardinal Paolo Romeo, Archbishop of Palermo; I greet you, Cardinal Elio Sgreccia, formerly President of 2 the Pontifical Academy for Life; I greet you Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci, formerly Choir Master of the Sistine Chapel Choir.
[Show full text]
Confronting Anti-Semitism in Catholic Theology After the Holocaust Carolyn Wesnousky Connecticut College, [email protected]
Connecticut College Digital Commons @ Connecticut College History Honors Papers History Department 2012 “Under the Very Windows of the Pope”: Confronting Anti-Semitism in Catholic Theology after the Holocaust Carolyn Wesnousky Connecticut College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/histhp Part of the European History Commons, History of Religion Commons, and the Jewish Studies Commons Recommended Citation Wesnousky, Carolyn, "“Under the Very Windows of the Pope”: Confronting Anti-Semitism in Catholic Theology after the Holocaust" (2012). History Honors Papers. 15. http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/histhp/15 This Honors Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the History Department at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Honors Papers by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Connecticut College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the author. “Under the Very Windows of the Pope”: Confronting Anti-Semitism in Catholic Theology after the Holocaust An Honors Thesis Presented by Carolyn Wesnousky To The Department of History In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Honors in the Major Field Connecticut College New London, Connecticut April 26, 2012 1 Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………...…………..4 Chapter 1: Living in a Christian World......…………………….….……….15 Chapter 2: The Holocaust Comes to Rome…………………...…………….49 Chapter 3: Preparing the Ground for Change………………….…………...68 Chapter 4: Nostra Aetate before the Second Vatican Council……………..95 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………110 Appendix……………………………………………..……………………114 Bibliography………………………………………………………………..117 2 Acknowledgements As much as I would like to claim sole credit for the effort that went into creating this paper, I need to take a moment and thank the people without whom I never would have seen its creation.
[Show full text]
FULL ISSUE (64 Pp., 3.0 MB PDF)
Vol. 9, No.4 nternatlona• October 1985 etln• Mission since Vatican Council II n the history of twentieth-century Christianity, Vatican I Council II stands out as a landmark that is radically af fecting the course of the Christian world mission-for all Chris tians. It is now twenty years since the close of the council and On Page the promulgation of the "Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity" (Ad Gentes, Dec. 7, 1965), and ten years since Paul VI 146 Vatican II's Ad Gentes: A Twenty-Year Retrospective issued his apostolic exhortation on evangelization in the modern W. Richey Hogg world, Evangelii Nuntiandi (Dec. 8, 1975). In this period since the council there has been more change in Roman Catholic mission 154 The Church and Other Religions theology and practice than in the hundred years prior to the Thomas F. Stransky, C.S.P. council, and there will be more ferment in the remaining years of this century. 158 Interpreting Nostra Aetate through Postconciliar The articles in this issue seek to assess the council event and Teaching its continuing influence on world mission outlook and strategy. W. Eugene J. Fisher Richey Hogg takes a retrospective view of Ad Gentes, the basic mission document of the council, along with its sequel, Evangelii 165 Roman Catholic Missions since Vatican II: An Nuntiandi. Equally important was Nostra Aetate, the council's Evangelical Assessment "Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Paul E. Pierson Religions." Thomas F. Stransky, who was involved in drafting Nostra Aetate, discusses some of the concerns that went into shap 167 Noteworthy ing it, and Eugene J.
[Show full text]
International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches
INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION FOR THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES REPORT Twelfth Meeting Rome, January 24 to 31, 2015 The twelfth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches took place in Rome from January 24 to 31, 2015, hosted by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. It was chaired jointly by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and by His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette. Joining delegates from the Catholic Church were representatives of the following Oriental Orthodox Churches: the Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of All Armenians), the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. No representative of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church was able to attend. The two delegations met separately on January 26. Plenary sessions were held on January 27, 28, 29 and 30, each of which began with a brief prayer service based on material prepared for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. At the beginning of the opening session, Cardinal Koch noted first of all that since the last meeting Pope Francis had appointed a member of the dialogue, Archpriest Levon Boghos Zekiyan, as Apostolic Administrator sede plena of the Archeparchy of Istanbul of the Armenians, elevating him to the dignity of Archbishop. He also congratulated Archbishop Nareg Alemezian on his appointment as Archbishop of the Armenians in Cyprus (Holy See of Cilicia).
[Show full text]
A Cta Œ Cumenica
2020 N. 2 ACTA 2020 ŒCUMENICA INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN UNITY e origin of the Pontical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is closely linked with the Second Vatican Council. On 5 June 1960, Saint Pope John XXIII established a ‘Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity’ as one of the preparatory commissions for the Council. In 1966, Saint Pope Paul VI conrmed the Secretariat as a permanent dicastery CUMENICA of the Holy See. In 1974, a Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews was established within the Secretariat. In 1988, Saint Pope John Paul II changed the Secretariats status to Pontical Council. Œ e Pontical Council is entrusted with promoting an authentic ecumenical spirit in the Catholic Church based on the principles of Unitatis redintegratio and the guidelines of its Ecumenical Directory rst published in 1967, and later reissued in 1993. e Pontical Council also promotes Christian unity by strengthening relationships CTA with other Churches and Ecclesial Communities, particularly through A theological dialogue. e Pontical Council appoints Catholic observers to various ecumenical gatherings and in turn invites observers or ‘fraternal delegates’ of other Churches or Ecclesial Communities to major events of the Catholic Church. Front cover Detail of the icon of the two holy Apostles and brothers Peter and Andrew, symbolizing the Churches of the East and of the West and the “brotherhood rediscovered” (UUS 51) N. 2 among Christians on their way towards unity. (Original at the Pontical
[Show full text]
SEIA NEWSLETTER on the Eastern Churches and Ecumenism
SEIA NEWSLETTER On the Eastern Churches and Ecumenism _______________________________________________________________________________________ Number 182: November 30, 2010 Washington, DC The Feast of Saint Andrew at sues a strong summons to all those who by HIS IS THE ADDRESS GIVEN BY ECU - The Ecumenical Patriarchate God’s grace and through the gift of Baptism MENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLO - have accepted that message of salvation to TMEW AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE renew their fidelity to the Apostolic teach- LITURGY COMMEMORATING SAINT S IS TRADITIONAL FOR THE EAST F ing and to become tireless heralds of faith ANDREW ON NOVEMBER 30: OF ST. ANDREW , A HOLY SEE in Christ through their words and the wit- Your Eminence, Cardinal Kurt Koch, ADELEGATION , LED BY CARDINAL ness of their lives. with your honorable entourage, KURT KOCH , PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFI - In modern times, this summons is as representing His Holiness the Bishop of CAL COUNCIL FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN urgent as ever and it applies to all Chris- senior Rome and our beloved brother in the UNITY , HAS TRAVELLED TO ISTANBUL TO tians. In a world marked by growing inter- Lord, Pope Benedict, and the Church that PARTICIPATE IN THE CELEBRATIONS for the dependence and solidarity, we are called to he leads, saint, patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate proclaim with renewed conviction the truth It is with great joy that we greet your of Constantinople. Every year the Patriar- of the Gospel and to present the Risen Lord presence at the Thronal Feast of our Most chate sends a delegation to Rome for the as the answer to the deepest questions and Holy Church of Constantinople and express Feast of Sts.
[Show full text]
Reading Nostra Aetate in Reverse: a Different Way of Looking at the Relationships Among Religions
Reading Nostra Aetate in Reverse: A Different Way of Looking at the Relationships Among Religions Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University If the adage “The best things come in small packages” is ever true, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate (NA) surely is an indisputable proof of its truth. This document is neither a “constitution” (dogmatic or pastoral), nor a “decree,” but rather a “declaration,” the lowest rank of the three types of conciliar documents. Vatican II issued four declarations, the other three—on the mass media (Inter Mirifi- ca), religious liberty (Dignitatis Humanae), and Christian education (Gravissimum Educations). With somewhat of an exception for the declaration on religious liberty, they were quickly forgotten. By contrast, NA went on to produce an enormous impact on the life of the Roman Catholic Church and its theology, and that in spite of the fact that it is com- posed of only 1,141 words, in 41 sentences and five paragraphs. “Small packages” indeed! Of course, it may be argued that NA is short because it does not need to provide the theological foundations for its teaching as these have been elaborated at length in the coun- cil’s other documents such as the dogmatic constitution on the church (Lumen Gentium) and the decree on missionary activi- ty (Ad Gentes). While this is true, still those theological foundations do not explain why the declaration has become the cornerstone of and impetus for radical and unexpected developments in both the practice and the theology of interre- ligious dialogue in the Catholic Church in the last fifty years.
[Show full text]
ON the Nostra Aetate: a Landmark Document of the Catholic Church's Engagement with Other Religions Batairwa K. Paulin Fu Jen C
ON thE NOStrA AEtAtE: A LANDmArk DOcUmENt OF thE cAthOLic chUrch’S ENgAgEmENt With OthEr RELIGIONS Batairwa K. Paulin Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan ABSTRACT 50 years ago (Dec 8, 1965), at the conclusion of Vatican II, the greatest event marking the life of the Church in the 20th Century, the Roman Catholic Church issued “Nostra Aetate.” The declaration has been a landmark for the Church’s relation and appraisal of other religions. It acknowledged the central role religions play in the history of humanity. Humanity has henceforth, been identified as the concrete platform calling for interactions and cross-fertilization among religions. Religions are to be more united in what they are best at: striving for answers to the existential riddles and sufferings of human persons. For those on the path of dialogue, the 50th anniversary of NA is an opportune occasion to acknowledge shared concerns and learn how respective efforts of religious groups pave the road to more cooperation and mutual enrichment. Introduction Nostra Aetate or the “Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions,” promulgated on October 28, 1965 is the shortest of the sixteen documents of Vatican II. Still, its significance for the development of relations of the Catholic Church with other religions has been unprecedented. As Ariel Ben Ami says, “it was the first time Prajñā Vihāra Vol. 18 No 1, January-June 2017, 1-28 © 2000 by Assumption University Press Batairwa K. Paulin 1 that a council had laid down principles in a solemn way concerning non-Christian religions and recognized in these religions positive values that could be appreciated.” 1 This was in fact to have implications for ways Catholics look and interact with followers of other living faith as well their engagement with existing religious traditions.
[Show full text]