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A Rationale and Proposed Curriculum for Jewish-Christian Dialogue " (1982)

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A Rationale and Proposed Curriculum for Jewish-Christian Dialogue Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1982 A rationale and proposed curriculum for Jewish- Christian dialogue Barry Daniel Cytron Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Other Education Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Cytron, Barry Daniel, "A rationale and proposed curriculum for Jewish-Christian dialogue " (1982). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 7033. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/7033 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 8221181 Qftron, Barry Darnel A RATIONALE AND PROPOSED CURRICULUM FOR JEWISH-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE lov/a State University PHJD. 1982 University Microfilms Internâtionâl mN.ZeebRoatAnnAibor,MI48106 Copyriglit 1982 by Cytron, Barry Daniel All Rights Reserved A rationale and proposed curriculum for Jewish-Christian dialogue by Barry Daniel Cytron A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department: Professional Studies in Education Major: Education (History, Philosophy and Comparative Education) Approved: Members of the Committee: Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. In Charge of Major Work Signature was redacted for privacy. the Major Department Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Gradu^t% College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1982 Copyright © Barry Daniel Cytron, 1982. All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION iv INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER I CONTEMPORARY JEWISH ATTITUDES TOWARD INTERFAITH DIALOGUE 4 Judaism's Historic View of Christianity 4 Opponents of Dialogue 10 Hesitant Endorsements of Dialogue 19 Proponents of Dialogue 26 CHAPTER II CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN VIEWS OF INTERFAITH DIALOGUE 47 Historic Background 47 Pre-Vatican II Influences 60 Evaluations of Dialogue by Christian Traditionalists 73 Perspectives on Dialogue Among Non- Traditionalists 84 CHAPTER III INTERFAITH DIALOGUE AND ADULT DEVELOPMENT 99 Adult Personality Development 101 Christian and Jewish Perspectives on Adulthood 116 The Adult Person in Interfaith Dialogue 124 CHAPTER IV CURRICULUM CONSIDERATIONS FOR DIALOGUE 130 Dialogue and Faith: Definitions as Determinants 131 The Agenda of Dialogue 141 Methodology of Dialogue 150 Evaluating the Dialogue 165 CHAPTER V A REVIEW OF POTENTIAL CURRICULAR MATERIALS FOR USE IN DIALOGUE 170 Booklets from the National Conference of Christians and Jews 171 Face to Face - An Introductory Book on Dialogue 173 iii Page Several Comparative Religion Texts 176 Two Books with a Christian Orientation 180 Dialogue - In Search of Jewish/Christian Understanding 183 CHAPTER VI A PROPOSED CURRICULUM FOR INTERFAITH DIALOGUE 186 POSTSCRIPT 230 APPENDIX READINGS FOR SESSIONS NINE AND ELEVEN 232 SOURCES CONSULTED 276 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 293 iv DEDICATION To Phyllis Jeremiah 31:3 1 INTRODUCTION To read of the encounter between Christian and Jew is to reflect on a chronicle marked by disharmony and dis­ trust, religious dispute, and social isolation. The first nineteen centuries of the relationship are ones overwhelmed with anguish. To be sure, there are breaks in that bleak record, historical circumstances which permitted or required Jews and Christians to draw together.^ But such occasions were the exception rather than the rule. Perhaps it will be said that the two faith commun­ ities altered permanently that relationship in the middle of the twentieth century. When Pope John XXIII convened Vatican Council II in 1962, it precipitated an entirely new attitude among many adherents of both faiths. For the Pope challenged those present to participate in aggiomamento, in a "bringing up to date" of the Church, and he wanted the Church to include in any renewal its attitude toward the 2 Jewish people. The "Declaration of the Church to Hans Joachim Schoeps, The Jewish-Christian Argu­ ment: A History of Theologies in Conflict,- trans. David E. Green (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963), passim. 2 Robert McAfee Brown, The Ecumenical Revolution (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Co., 1969), pp. 180-181. 2 Non-Christian Religions" adopted by the Council was applauded for the new orientations towards other religions which it expressed, as well as criticized for the timidity of the language and the conservatism of its range.^ But no matter which estimate is correct, the Council signaled a new era in a two thousand year old encounter, not only be­ tween Catholic and Jew, but between Protestant and Jew as well. This current study views the year 1962, with the beginning of the Council, as a landmark by which to chart the history of Jewish-Christian dialogue. While there were efforts, even substantial ones at Jewish-Christian rapproche­ ment prior to 1960, the Council's work widened and deepened those efforts. The opening chapters of this work trace the history of dialogue from that time to the present, and sur­ vey the attitudes of both Christian and Jewish theologians who have written both in support of or in opposition to lay theological dialogue. The third chapter sketches the profile of the adult lay participant who would be invited to join in dialogue. Recent studies of adult personality development are compared See the essays in Lily Edelman, ed., Face to Face; A Primer in Dialogue (Washington, B.C.: B'nai B'rith Adult Jewish Education, 1967), pp: 75-107. 3 with the vision of adulthood which emerges from the theolo­ gies of the two religions, so as to illustrate the correspondence between the two fields of thought on the qualities which characterize the persons whose faith would be mature enough to take part in dialogue. The fourth chapter outlines the curriculum con­ siderations for adult dialogue. These considerations include an analysis of the subjects to be included in the exchange, and a review of the methodological principles for adult learners in a group setting. Some thoughts are then offered about the appropriateness of evaluating dialogue. The fifth chapter utilizes the conclusions of the earlier chapters as criteria for surveying and evaluating previously published materials which could be utilized in lay dialogue. The results of the survey indicate that no current materials exist which satisfy the criteria. Accordingly, the sixth chapter represents a detailed description of such a curriculum. The curriculum outline describes eleven sessions, and includes a listing of session objectives, a summary of readings for each, and sug­ gested strategies for reaching the objectives. The Appendix to the work contains the packets of readings for two ses­ sions, demonstrating how such material could be organized for the dialogue. 4 CHAPTER I CONTEMPORARY JEWISH ATTITUDES TOWARD INTERFAITH DIALOGUE Contemporary Jewish attitudes toward interfaith dialogue with Christians, as will be seen, are extraordi­ narily diverse. A survey of Jewish writings from the period under study {1960-present) reveals that the topic has re­ ceived ongoing attention. Throughout the two decades, there were significant cleavages between proponents of dialogue and their adversaries. This diversity among con­ temporaries will be best appreciated when viewed in the context of Judaism's historical perspective toward other religions, specifically Christianity. Judaism's Historic View of Christianity The Jewish faith expresses a seemingly contradic­ tory evaluation toward other religions. On the one hand, Judaism insists that the only appropriate faith is a mono­ theistic one. Biblical, rabbinic, medieval and modern Judaism make constant reference to the errors of pagan worship and idolatrous behavior. Yet, Jewish thought is decidedly accepting of a pluralistic approach to the 5 achievement of a monotheistic faith.^ The classical Jewish sources assert that Judaism is, by its nature, all inclusive, and that it possesses a universal mission. The prophet Zechariah anticipated a time when the God of Israel would be universally acknowl- 2 edged. The traditional liturgy incorporated the prophet's words into a selection that, to this day, occupies a cen­ tral place in the worship service of Jewish congregations in the orthodox, conservative, and reform movements. In the prayer, the worshiper expresses the hope that "To You, may all men bow in worship, may they give honor to Your glory. While there is the hope expressed in Judaism that all peoples would recognize its God, the faith did not See contributions by representatives of orthodox, conservative and reform Judaism in Relations Among Reli­ gions Today: A Han(p)00k of Policies and Principles, eds. Moses Jung, Swami Nikhilananda and Herbert W. Schneider (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1963), pp. 86-92. See, too, Steven T. Katz, Jewish Ideas and Concepts (New York: Schocken Books, 1977), Chapter 1. A demurral to the attitudes con­ tained in the above citation may be found in Immanuel Jakobovitz, a contributor to The Condition of Jewish Belief: A Symposium Compiled by the Editors of Commentary (New York; The Macmillan Company, 1966), pp. 112-13. ^Zechariah 14:9. ^The Aleinu prayer concludes every worship service and any prayerbook, of every denomination, would contain it. 6 insist on conversion
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