How to Respond to Anti-Semitism in Christian Biblical Interpretation

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Over 55 years ago, the Roman Catholic Church promulgated Nostra Aetate, or “In Our Times,” which opened up relations between Catholicism and non-Christian religions. In particular, this landmark document repudiated anti-Semitism and the charge that Jews were collectively guilty for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This document has had positive implications for Catholic and Jewish relations and more broadly for Christian and Jewish relations.

In recent years, however, there has been a rise in anti-Semitic incidents throughout North America, including the horrific murder of eleven people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018. The terrorist who carried out these murders even cited biblical passages from the New Testament in defense of his actions. All people of goodwill renounce this sort of evil behaviour, but in recent New Testament textbooks and popularizing books on the New Testament, one can still find subtle anti-Semitic tropes and themes in discussions of Jesus, the Pharisees, and “the Jews.” Ordinary readers and churchgoers can take in this sort of biblical interpretation without realizing that what’s being said or written runs counter to official Church teaching and good historical understanding of the New Testament. The goal of this panel is to shed light on why it’s important that Catholics and Christians generally know how to recognize, respond to, and speak against biblical interpretation that is anti-Semitic.

Panelists:

Rabbi Dr. Laura Duhan-Kaplan, Director of Inter-Religious Studies and Professor of Jewish Studies, Vancouver School of Theology

Dr. Matthew Thiessen,  Associate Professor of Religious Studies, McMaster University.

Moderator:

Dr. John Martens, Professor of Theology and the Director of the Centre for Christian Engagement at St. Mark’s College at UBC.

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