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Proceedings of the Center for Jewish-Christian Learning
Summaries of Volumes I - II

Volume 1, Inaugural Lecture Series (1985)

Jews and Christians in Dialogue - The 20th Anniversary of Vatican II's Statement: Nostra Aetate
November 18-19, 1985

Twenty Years of Jewish-Catholic Dialogue: A Jewish Perspective
Presenter: Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum

In this essay, Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, director of international relations for the American Jewish Committee, discusses the effect that the Vatican document Nostra Aetate has had on Jewish-Catholic relations over the past twenty years. Highlighted by his experience in South Africa, Rabbi Tanenbaum shows how scriptural fraud has had a menacing effect on interfaith relations, specifically Jewish-Christian relations. Most significantly, Rabbi Tanenbaum discusses how important the Christian charge of deicide toward the Jews has been in creating a destructive climate for interfaith dialogue. A main point of discussion was the importance of Christians giving legitimacy to Judaism. Rabbi Tanenbaum claims that Nostra Aetate was a small, but first step toward this goal. In addition he reflects upon the many challenges of the Vatican statements that remain, most notably the lack of treatment that was given to the Church’s reaction to the Holocaust.

Twenty Years of Christian-Jewish Dialogue: A Protestant Perspective
Presenter: Dr. Paul M. van Buren

The noted theologian, Dr. Paul M. van Buren, an Episcopal priest who studied under Karl Barth, discusses in this essay how the last twenty years since Nostra Aetate are the first exciting steps toward undoing eighteen centuries of conflict between Jews and Christians. Van Buren, following in the footsteps of Catholic theologian Karl Rahner, divides Jewish-Christian relations into three periods in the church’s history: the church among the Jewish people, which lasted from its beginning until the Gentile mission; the church against the Jewish people, which lasted until Vatican II; and the period since Vatican I,I where Christians have begun to reverse their errant treatment and view of the Jewish people. Van Buren touches upon the issue of evangelization, claiming that for Jews there is no need, since their covenant is not "old" but everlasting. Most importantly, van Buren describes Nostra Aetate as both "profound and superficial" and claims the biggest challenge facing the dialogue will be what the World Council of Churches calls a "fundamental re-understanding of the church," and a critical self-examination of the church’s history as well as its purpose and identity.

Fr. Michael McGarry, a Paulist priest and author of Christology after Auschwitz, makes eleven critical observations about the twenty years since the advent of the Vatican document Nostra Aetate. Fundamentally, McGarry says, "Nostra Aetate has moved Catholics from a position of ignorance to interest, from contempt to appreciation, and from proselytism to dialogue" in regard to Judaism. McGarry discusses the great shift in language in the portrayal of Jews, from antagonistic to acceptance and appreciation. Fr. McGarry also highlights a renewed interest in theological issues as they "impinge on Jewish social and religious realities." In addition to these changes, McGarry cites progress in the areas of Holocaust teaching as well as a new acceptance of religious pluralism within Catholicism. McGarry also makes a point of discussing what Dr. van Buren cited as the superficiality of Nostra Aetate. Fr. McGarry believes that the groundbreaking document, Nostra Aetate, was left ambiguous to allow for the people within the dialogue itself to "create the blueprint." He believes rather than being "the final word," Nostra Aetate radically changed the direction of Church teaching regarding Jews and Judaism. He highlights that now Catholics pray for the Jews "to be faithful to the covenant as they hear it," rather than praying for their conversion to Christianity.

Rabbi Tanenbaum paraphrases the Vatican documents when he says that the great challenge of Christian theological understanding of Judaism is to "seek to understand Jews and Judaism, as they define themselves." Rabbi Tanenbaum discusses the need to continue be aware of the pockets of anti-Semitism that still exist in all areas of American consciousness. In addition, he cites a growing amount of anti-Catholicism, and notes that Catholics and Jews must be in mutual solidarity as each group faces a similar set of issues stemming from ultra-conservative and fundamentalist evangelical Christians outside of the mainstream. Rabbi Tanenbaum also discusses the political issues involving the Vatican’s lack of official recognition of Israel as a sovereign state, and the challenge this adds to the dialogue. Traditionally, this issue has been viewed as the Vatican’s refusal to recognize the permanence of Judaism. However, recent statements by the Vatican have put in place a de facto recognition of the permanence of the state of Israel. Rabbi Tanenbaum concludes by challenging Jews and Christians to work together on common goals, and continue to support exchange programs that encourage mutual understanding.

Dr. van Buren highlights significant challenges that lie ahead for Christian-Jewish dialogue. First and foremost, he says that Christians must learn and correct the deep ignorance they still hold about Jews and Judaism. He stresses that Judaism is not merely the root of Christianity but rather a living tradition that grew up side-by-side with Christianity, a kind of sibling rivalry. However, this sibling rivalry must never come between the mutual love that God has for both Jews and Christians. Van Buren states that the future of Christian-Jewish dialogue "depends absolutely on our rising to the challenge of the largeness of God’s love." Van Buren then describes another important challenge for Christians, which is to "come to understand and finally to give thanks for, the Jewish "No" to the Church and its faith in Christ. The problem is to understand that the Jewish "No" does not simply mean a rejection of Jesus as the messiah, but rather it is in keeping with the integrity of the Torah and the Jewish people. According to van Buren, Christians must realize that the figure of the messiah is not as central to Judaism as is the ‘messianic age.’ This age has obviously not come; therefore, the Jews still await the messiah. In addition, Jesus did not fulfill many of the roles that the messiah was supposed to take on, according to Hebrew Scriptures. We must give thanks for the Jewish "No" because the alternative "Yes" means a world rid of Jews. According to van Buren, without the Jews there is no covenant, and without the Jewish people, we would lose the "single most concrete and most enduring sign in the world of God’s faithfulness," He also states that the Jewish "No" keeps alive the foundations of the Church. Finally, van Buren talks of the need for both Christians and Jews to be looked upon by both outsiders and each other as friends and supporters of the other. While seemingly a modest hope, van Buren cites the historical relationship and the issue of forgiveness as possible roadblocks to this goal.

Father McGarry touches upon eleven critical points that he finds are the most important challenges to Jewish-Christian dialogue. He describes himself as a "post-Auschwitz Catholic" and thinks that Christians must come to terms and understand what the issue of the Holocaust means for their faith. Other important points that McGarry makes primarily deal with understanding the Jews as a people as well as the historical and theological aspects of Judaism. He asks, "Why have the Jews survived as a people?" He notes, for example, that it is essential to learn about the historical context of the Pharisees – what they actually taught at the time of Jesus. A deeper understanding of Judaism promotes removing the deicide charge against the Jews; the use of Hebrew Scripture on its own terms rather than as a preparation or introduction to the New Testament; a reexamination of Christians evangelization; and specifically, from a Catholic perspective, a renewed view of the Jewish people and their Covenant as a sacramental sign to communicate with Christians. Therefore, it is essential that Catholics do not try to convert Jews, but rather take steps to ensure their survival. Father McGarry also emphasizes that in order to promote mutual understanding between the two faith traditions, we must move to deeper discussions. Father McGarry cites Rabbi Eugene Borowitz who states that, "...in knowing each other better we realize there is much about which we disagree. ....We need to find a way to explore each other’s claim to truth and engage each other substantively, to the extent that it is possible."

Volume 2, 1987 Lecture Series (1986)

Judasim, Christianity, Islam: Common Origins, Present Problems, Future Hopes
April 28, 1987

Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Presenter: The Honorable Abba Eban

The distinguished scholar and statesman Abba Eban addressed a crowd of about 2,500 people at the University of St. Thomas in the spring of 1986. His lecture focused on the relationship of the three great faith traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He began by noting that through history, "man has learned by experiencing the factors which cause harmony and conflict." Mr. Eban takes the audience through the great story of the Jewish people, making specific note of its great cycles of triumph and tragedy. This generation, he says, is particularly unique because it has felt both the tragedy of the Holocaust and the triumph of the creation of the state of Israel. Not since the time of the Exodus have a generation of Jewish people had this experience.

Mr. Eban discussed how the revelation to the Jews contained what he called, "three revolutionary ideas: individual conscience, social justice and international peace." These concepts were unheard of in human history and have since become the foundation for Jewish, Christian, and Moslem civilization. To this day, they remain the greatest contribution of the Jewish people. In addition, it is impossible to discuss any academic discipline without tackling what Jewish scholars, artists, and leaders have said.

The final portion of Mr. Eban’s lecture dealt with the relationship of Christianity and Islam to Judaism. He spoke of how Jesus was of the same flesh and blood as the Jews, yet tension and hostility has always existed between the two peoples, ignoring the "inherent compatibility of their ideas." Islam, like Christianity, has a history of hostile relations with the Jews, and while there have been periods of slight tolerance, Judaism and the Jews have been subjugated by the early theocratic regimes of the West. It was not until the Enlightenment that change and emancipation came to the Jewish people, which allowed their culture to flourish. He notes that the great religions must transcend their historical experience with each other and triumph over the exclusive, fundamentalist elements they each possess, and begin to live together. The seedlings of such progress can be seen in Pope John Paul’s visit to the great Roman synagogue.

How Jews and Christians Look at Jesus
November 19-20, 1986

Jesus the Jew in Light of the Jewish-Christian Dialogue
Presenter: Rabbi Eugene B. Borowitz

In this intriguing lecture, distinguished lecturer Rabbi Eugene Borowitz identifies what he sees as the nature of the Jewish Jesus. Initially, establishing a coherent picture of Jesus from Scripture is very difficult because of the variety of depictions of him within the Gospels and the New Testament. Furthermore, finding a clear historical picture of Jesus is difficult to establish from contemporary viewpoints for the same reason of differing ideas of what and who Jesus was.

Rabbi Borowitz examines Jesus through a partner in dialogue, as one who reaches out to him, a Jewish theologian, and speaks openly about his or her Christian faith while recognizing their differences. This person encounters him because he/she sees something of the Jewishness of Jesus in him. What Rabbi Borowitz sees of Jesus through this Christian is a Jesus who he identifies as inherently and recognizably Jewish. He notes that Jesus, first and foremost, loves God and this God is the God of Israel, of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus ministers in typical Jewish style; he is a teacher, however, whose style is somewhat unfamiliar in that he speaks often in parables. Another characteristic that is somewhat unusual as a Jewish teacher is that Jesus associated with people on the margins. Rabbi Borowitz notes that this is not an entirely foreign concept, as biblical sources call for the need to minister to the "widow, the stranger, and the orphan." He also cites another particularly attractive element of Jesus, his social activism. Rabbi Borowitz says that rather than hiding out in the desert with his followers, Jesus’ outlook is "one that confronts and seeks to change real people facing real situations. He notes the excitement of the Jewish Jesus he can identify with being brought back into the light after 1,600 years of being hidden in the darkness of oppression, persecution, and hatred of the Jews.

Rabbi Borowitz focused his lecture of the Jewishness of Jesus being brought back into light. However, he also mentioned the Jesus of persecution and suffering, the one who did not speak during the Holocaust as the Jesus that most Jews think of: the Jesus of darkness. Radical steps have been taken in the last twenty years to overcome this image. Still Rabbi Borowitz warns of the consequences should Jewish-Christian relations again hit an impasse. With this in mind, he advises that Jesus not be allowed to slip again into the darkness in the minds of the Jews.

Responding to Rabbi Borowitz, Fr. John Pawlikowski is reevaluating Jesus as Christ, and Christology in regard to Judaism and the Jewish people. He begins by noting the difficulty Catholic bishops had in formulating a means of communicating in positive dialogue with the Jewish people. The Vatican settled on the words of Nostra Aetate that gave the impetus to Christians for "building a positive and constructive theology of Judaism and the Jewish-Christian relationship and reappropriating the Jewish Jesus as the heart of the Church’s faith life." This statement affirms the idea, according to Pawlikowski, that "Jews and Christians are integrally related to each other, that they share a partnership in the joint effort at human redemption, that when one looks at the Church and at the heart of the Church, there the Christian sees Judaism and Jesus the Jew."

Describing the dawn of the Pharasaic period in Judaism, Fr. Pawlikowski notes some interesting similarities between the Pharisees, who are supposed to be Jesus’ archenemies, and Jesus himself. This revolutionary period in Judaism, which was a movement away from ritual observance in the Temple, a movement towards tradition, teaching, and observance of Torah, began to invoke a new image of God as "God the Father," establishing a deeper intimacy between persons and God. Indeed, Jesus used this image himself as he often spoke of "the Father." Jesus and the Pharisees were both critical of the priests and the rituals performed in the Temple at that time. Both Jesus and the Pharisees used the same Scripture; there was no ‘Old Testament.’ This begs the question, "Was Jesus a Pharisee?" Probably not, but as Pawlikowski cites, the Pharisees were a diverse movement within first-century Judaism and Jesus actually had more in common with them than with any other group of Jews. Pawlikowski characterized the quarrelling between the two as the quarrelling of members of the same party during presidential primaries. These quarrels are mostly small differences in ideology rather than radically different worldviews.

Fr. Pawlikowski concludes with a discussion of the Council of Jerusalem and its implications on the history of Christianity. James and Peter may have been shortsighted in not allowing for the spread of the Word, however, Paul in his mission to preaching to the Gentiles, demonized Judaism and "threw the baby out with the bath water." We are just beginning to reclaim the Jewish roots of Jesus and Christianity that James and Peter held so dear.

In the sequel to his previous lecture, Rabbi Borowitz addressed the issue of the Jewishness of Jesus’ nature and its implications for the Church; particularly his intimate with God and his deep connection to the Land of Israel. Specifically, Rabbi Borowitz addressed the question of Jesus’ familiarity with God from the standpoint that it lacked an intermediary, namely the Church. Jesus felt he had continuous access to God and that God was ever present. Second, what is the role of the Land of Israel in a Christianity that highlights the Jewishness of Jesus? Today this question can be best understood in the Church’s relationship with the state of Israel.

Rabbi Borowitz also addresses the notion that to be Jewish is not to be part of a church but rather a people. The history of this people is found in their sacred Scripture, which contains no reference to metaphysical dogma but rather an account of a nation’s dealings in economic, political and social affairs in the context of the will of God. Christians must also comprehend what this means for the person of Jesus. Namely, that he is part of an ethnic group; one that would not have survived a Holocaust that came about because of Christian anti-Semitism. Rabbi Borowitz highlights this glaring contradiction in Christianity’s history and claims that the challenge for the Church is to confront these issues of Jesus’ identity.

Fr. Pawlikowski begins his lecture by noting the progress that has been made in Jewish-Christian relations. Specifically, he cites the notion that Christianity no longer claims to have replaced Judaism and that their Covenant with God was no longer valid. Christianity, he says, cannot ignore its Jewish heritage and must reflect upon the theological implications of this as well as deal with the historical relationship that has occurred between Christians and Jews. Christians must seriously reflect on Judaism. However, Jesus did not fulfill the messianic claims for the Jews, and they have the ability to disregard him while maintaining their self-identity. He says, "I can’t see very many Jews, if any, getting in any way excited about thinking positively about what Jesus or Christianity might have to contribute to Jewish faith today. And I can say honestly as a Christian that I can understand why this is so."

In the body of his lecture, Fr. Pawlikowski outlined some challenges for Judaism regarding the person of Jesus. While he notes that Judaism has applauded the advancements in Christianity regarding its perspective on Jews and Judaism, there needs to be a "linkage" of the two communities from a theological perspective; a new theology of the Jewish-Christian relationship. He outlines four areas where Judaism can learn from Christians: in the area of liturgy; in theological construction i.e., looking at Christianity as simply failed messianism; in exploring how Jews can improve their own faith experience by examining Christian doctrine such as the Incarnation, while examining its implications on their own faith experience; and finally, in building with Christians a greater theology of religious pluralism.

This bibliography, part of a more comprehensive work published by Indiana University Press, represents books and articles that are utilized by those who study Christology in the context of Jewish-Christian dialogue. As this conference has made many aware, Christology has become an increasingly challenging issue for those engaged in dialogue and is currently receiving more recognition as an important topic.

Volume 3, 1988 Lecture Series (1987)

An Evening With Elie Wiesel: The Eternal Question of Suffering and Evil
April 28, 1987

The Eternal Question of Suffering
Presenter: Elie Wiesel

In an enlightening lecture delivered at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis on the evening of April 28, 1997, the distinguished humanitarian, Elie Wiesel, addressed the question of suffering in the world. Wiesel elaborated on the history of suffering both in the Hebrew Bible and in the greater world.

The question of suffering was addressed in the context of the story of Job in the Scriptures. Wiesel begins by pointing out that Job was not Jewish, but rather from the mythical city of Uz; however, he belongs in the history of Jews who argued with God. Wiesel points out that had Job not spoken to God in anger, the prayer might have been, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Job," who wasn’t Jewish. Wiesel highlights the fact that Job was not Jewish because he did not question and press God for answers like Jews would. Job accepted the will of God after his initial anger and continued to suffer. Jews would not accept this suffering that God has allowed to happen to them and would argue with God. Job acts contrary to human nature when he accepts the tragedy in his life without denial or initial rejection of the possibility. Wiesel points out that had the Jews accepted the rumors of tragedy during the Holocaust, they may have saved themselves. However, in their culture of questioning and disbelief that humans could sink to such levels, they did not see what was upon them until it was too late.

Wiesel describes the irony of the importance of the book of Job in the Hebrew canon when the man was not even Jewish. The book of Job is studied and read during Yom Kippur. During the Temple era, the High Priest kept a vigil on the eve of the Day of Atonement by reading the book of Job with the elders of the Jewish people. The subject matter of the book -- the question of suffering -- has particular prominence in Jewish theology, culture, and history. Wiesel points out that while Job was not Jewish, his suffering still concerns the Jews. This is analogous to our present day situation because Jews and Gentiles alike should pay attention to the suffering of others. While others may not be Jewish, Wiesel says suffering concerns him because he is a Jew. While suffering has its own history in each tradition, it is a universal phenomenon that requires the attention of all. The book of Job highlights this phenomenon.

The Novel as Religious Education
October 19, 1987

Presenter: Rabbi Chaim Potok

By beginning the lecture with his own story, Rabbi Chaim Potok discussed the power that stories have in conveying messages. He told of how storytellers pick a corner of the experienced world and "tell" about those experiences and realities. For him, the religious realhm was this corner of the world. He discussed how he first found the power of a religious story in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited and the struggles with faith that each of the characters possessed. Rabbi Potok used this novel as a pattern for his own novels which all dealt with the confrontation of realities, culture, and values.

Rabbi Potok discussed the dichotomy between secular culture and religious culture. This struggle forms the basis of a good religious story. By nature, secular literature is individualistic. Rabbi Potok believes this type of literature is an expression of an individual coming to grips with the ugly realities of human life; the hypocrisies, the injustice, the games people play, etc. By its very nature it is rebellious. There is an element of suspicion and alienation with the larger community; the individual versus the community. Rabbi Potok states, "Modern literature is at its very core, the expression of individuals giving life to very personal visions of the world, visions that are very often at odds with visions handed down by the communities, by the systems of value into which those individuals were born." By its very nature Biblical literature is communal, containing a set of values passed on through tradition and over time. It is in the "passing on" where the conflict in the religious stories that Rabbi Potok discusses, exists. According to Rabbi Potok, his job as a religious novelist is to record this confrontation.

Father Greeley, noted sociologist, novelist and columnist, began his lecture by dispelling the idea that storytelling is a nice anecdote but not necessary for religious education. He states: "...storytelling is religious education. And what is now called religious education is at best intelligent reflection on a story, and at worst a distortion of it." Father Greeley comments about how religious education has the potential to reduce the value of stories because it moralizes, allegorizes, and perverts them "because they are too shocking to be taken at face value." He cites the example of Jesus the judge not passing a verdict on the adulterous Mary Magdalene. The apparent condoning of adultery is so scandalous that the line, "Go and sin no more" is added for the happy ending. Greeley discusses how these perversions can take the full meaning away from the story and the message it was meant to convey.

Father Greeley goes on to discuss the value of story in religious education. He does this by describing how story describes the everyday living of the sacraments. Not sacraments with a capital "S" but a lower-case "s." These sacraments are the ones that are lived in everyday life that are meant to convey the beauty of life and the relationship with God; falling in love, having children, prayer, reconciliation, etc. Greeley describes sacramental living as illuminating God’s life-giving acts; creation, incarnation and redemption. These themes of life, love and renewal of the community, occupy his stories and provide "narrative symbols that relate the experiences of life, love, and renewal of community in daily life, with the overarching experiences of life, love, and renewal of community in the tradition. Rather than educate, Greeley believes stories are meant to "fascinate so as to illuminate, to which another author has suggested: to invite the reader or listener into the world of stories so that when the story is over, she/he may return to the other world with new visions of the possibility of life in that world."

Volume 4, 1989 Lecture Series (1988)

Jewish Roots: Passover and Easter
March 23, 1988

Jewish Roots: Passover and Easter
Presenter: Rabbi Max A. Shapiro

Rabbi Shapiro’s lecture was a discussion on the origins of Passover as well as an explanation of its place in the Jewish calendar. Because the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar that is 354 days long, and in order to reconcile it with the Gregorian calendar, Passover (Pesach) falls on different days. Passover, like the rest of the Jewish holidays, was established through the Word of God—different from Western holiday traditions. Jews celebrate these holidays because they have been commanded to do so.

"Passover," says Rabbi Shapiro, "is a combination of an ancient Hebrew nature festivals." One commemorated the month during spring when the lambs were born. This festival was combined with the celebration of Matzot, which was related to the new agricultural element of the Hebrew community after they ceased to be nomads. As the community matured, nature festivals lost their appeal. Coincidentally, spring was the time of the Hebrew liberation from Egypt. As Rabbi Shapiro states, "freedom became the dominant mode of the spring festival." Although Passover was a home observance, the practice of lamb sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem brought Jews from near and far. The ritual took on a community observance.

When the Temple was destroyed and this communal sacrifice was no longer possible, the celebration moved back into the home, where Rabbi Shapiro says it gained in importance. The celebration became known as the Seder, which was a ritual meal commemorating the Passover of the Lord. In time, a written form of this ceremony was produced, known as the Hagaddah. The Hagaddah tells of the Exodus from Egypt while containing the rituals and symbols of Passover. The Seder contains many ritual foods; however, unleavened matzah bread and wine are the most important. The unleavened bread is the symbol of the bread that the Hebrews did not have time to prepare fully when they left Egypt. Some scholars believe Jesus used matzah bread and wine at the Last Supper.

Rabbi Shapiro concludes his lecture by discussing the particular significance of Passover, primarily as a symbol of freedom and liberation. According to Shapiro, "freedom is God’s wish for His children." Through the Passover celebration, Jews can remember the bonds of slavery and appreciate fully what it means to be free.

In this lecture, Arthur Zannoni presents his thoughts on the connections between the Jewish Passover and its Christian variant, the Eucharist. He begins by noting that before the Temple was destroyed, Passover was celebrated only in Jerusalem. Because of the huge crowds, rooms were rented so that 10 to 20 people would be able to gather and consume the sacrificed Passover lamb. At first glance, it appears that Jesus and his disciples followed this pattern. During the meal, blessings were conducted; a grace before the breaking of the bread, and a grace after drinking the cup of wine. Zannoni says it would have been at this point that Jesus would declare that the bread wine was his body and blood.

Zannoni uses much of his lecture to outline the notion of Jesus as the symbol of the new Christian Passover, portrayed in the narrative of the Last Supper, found in the Gospels. He is quick to point out that there lacks evidence to be sure that Jesus’ final meal was a Passover meal. However, the Synoptic Gospels interpret it this way regardless of whether it is historical fact or not. Zannoni points out the theological significance of this claim of Jesus as the new paschal lamb.

The Synoptic Gospels use the images and symbols of Passover as a setting for the Last Supper. This conveys the idea that Jesus represents the new salvation. The followers of Jesus believed that just as God liberated and saved the Hebrews from the angel of death through the blood of the lamb, Jesus was the new sacrificial lamb, who would save and protect his people. At first, Christians continued to celebrate a "Christian Passover" which was a traditional Jewish Passover with references to the death and Resurrection of Jesus. However, Passover became a victim of Christian theologizing as it was moved to Sunday in the form of the Eucharist. The divergence grows as Easter becomes now the most important celebration in the liturgical year. Zannoni States: "…Passover for Jews is to Exodus what Eucharist (and Easter) for Christians is to Jesus’ death and resurrection."

Zannoni concludes his lecture by citing four instances where Passover and the Eucharist converge. Both contain a ritual of celebration. Both rituals celebrate Exodus. Both Passover and the Eucharist are memorials (Jews remember their liberation from bondage. Christians follow the words of Jesus when participating in the Eucharist when he says, "Do this in memory of me"). Finally, both celebrations signify hope and the strengthening of the community.

How Jews and Christians Look at Paul
April 20, 1988

Rev. David Tiede focuses in this lecture on the apostle Paul’s nature as both Pharisee and messianic servant. He begins by noting that if Jews and Christians were looking for stable ground on which to hold dialogue, it would not be from the perspective of the apostle Paul. Paul presses everyone’s hot buttons because in Rev. Tiede’s words, "he is shockingly Jewish to Christians and unacceptably Christian to Jews."

Rev. Tiede begins the body of his lecture by focusing on what is known as "formative Judaism," Judaism at the end of the Second Temple period. In this context of Jewish religious and ideological diversity and conflict, the apostle Paul and the Pharisees lived. The Pharisees were a group of priestly scholars who advocated a return to the Torah as the path to which the Kingdom of Israel would be restored. According to Tiede, "if all of Israel were to keep the law for even one day, the reign of God’s Messiah would be revealed." Through a Messiah, this new state of being for the Jews would be achieved. The apostle Paul was a staunch opponent at first of the new Messianists. However, his vision of the world changed on the road to Damascus and he became a chief advocate of the Christians who believed that the Pharasaic prophecy of the messianic restoration had begun.

Rev. Tiede focuses on the idea of Paul as Pharisee. He says that Paul could never think of God as abandoning Israel, nor did he believe the Covenant was made null and void. He believed his mission to the gentiles was born out of the rejection of some Jews to the messianic promise of Jesus. In Tiede’s words, "Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is still the Israelite and Pharisee who trusts all of God’s promises to Israel, but now he sees Jesus the Messiah as God’s means of keeping these promises."

After the destruction of the Temple, only two sects in Judaism survived: the Pharisees and the Messianists or Christians. Paul, says, Rev. Tiede, is at the center of the debate between Torah and Gospel. Because of Paul’s dual identity as Pharisee and Apostle, Rev. Tiede believes Paul can represent a bridge between Jews and Christians in the future. This will illuminate the historical realities of Judaism and Christianity during their modern beginnings.

Jewish Appraisals of Paul’s Influence: A Critique and Defense
Presenter: Rabbi Michael J. Cook

Rabbi Michael Cook takes on one of the most contentious topics between Jews and Christians; the nature of Paul and his Epistles. His lecture deals primarily with Paul’s influence on the early Church and especially, the Gospels. He outlines six primary Jewish criticisms of Paul and then sets out to critique and support them.

Rabbi Cook begins by telling the story of some Jewish parents who secretly cut away the New Testament from their son’s newly acquired picture Bible. He notes that "solutions" to inter-testamental problems such as these do not take any steps toward advancing Jewish-Christian relations. Similarly, much of the writings of Paul have been "removed" to solve the problem of the ant—Jewish bias found in the New Testament. By attributing Christian anti-Judaism solely to Paul, who reshaped the teachings of Jesus, Jews can comfortably reclaim Jesus and his Jewishness as one of their own. This "solution" does not solve the problem, however, and there must be a critical re-examination of the influence of Paul to deal with the problem of Christian anti-Judaism.

Jewish criticisms of Paul begin by noting that the historical Jesus and his teachings went through the filter of Paul and his interpretation even before the Gospels were written, transforming his Jewishness and his ministry toward the Gentiles. Paul appears to Jews as overturning the Law of Moses and advocating the supersession of the Jews by the gentiles, proclaiming that through their faith, they are the true descendants of Abraham. This implies Paul, not Jesus, was the apostate from Judaism.

Rabbi Cook tells of why this view is faulty. First, he disagrees with the Jewish notion that Paul abandoned the disbelieving Jews for the gentiles as a matter of expediency. Cook says he thinks Paul intended his ministry for the Gentiles all along and this idea stemmed from Hebrew Scripture that said that Israel would be a "light for all nations," and that in the messianic era, all nations would achieve salvation. Paul’s mission was an extrapolation of his belief the messianic age had come. Rabbi Cook contends that his Jewishness and his belief in Jesus as the Christ come from an analogy of faith to a ladder. His faith in Jesus placed him on a higher rung in Judaism than the non-believers. However, Paul insisted that his fellow Jews would reach that rung some day. Rabbi Cook mentions there has been a failure on the part of Jews to distinguish what Paul actually said and what the later Church fathers said about him. This is important because Paul stressed his connection to the Jews and his belief that their covenant was still valid and that they would achieve salvation. The later Church leaders declared that their "blindness" was permanent and they were condemned to damnation. It is easy to see why the Jews have cast Paul as villain.

Critically examining Paul, Rabbi Cook begins with the fundamental question of why none of Paul’s teachings in his Epistles are backed up by references or quotations from Jesus. He notes this would have made them much more convincing. He also discusses the rift that formed between the "pillars of Jerusalem," Cephas, James, and John, and Paul during the Jerusalem Conference. Wouldn’t these close associates of Jesus have a better idea of what Jesus taught regarding the law than Paul did? Was this the context of their disagreement? If this is the case, then Paul’s teachings are certainly problematic. He claims that Paul wrote, influenced, or was responded to in over half of the New Testament, making him highly influential.

Rabbi Cook closed his lecture by noting that his remarks had two major implications for Jewish-Christian relations. First, by understanding the influence of Paul on the New Testament, Jews can accommodate their portrayal of Jesus to include his historical characteristics not influenced by Paul that addresses his connections to Judaism. Second, by understanding Paul, both religions can better understand the source of many negative feelings between Jews and Christians. Both groups can recognize Paul’s adherence to Judaism and reflect on those implications for their faith and Jewish-Christian relations.

This most interesting lecture begins with Father Heil describing what exactly interculturation means. He says, "it is the enterprise of translating the interculturated message of a biblical text from one cultural context to another." With this definition in mind, Father Heil applies the same process with Paul’s epistle to the Romans. Father Heil attempts to transform three elements of Jewish cultural and spiritual identity "in order to extend his Gospel to non-Jewish cultures." Father Heil says, "…what Paul presents in the Letter will have different ramifications depending on whether it is heard by Jews on the one hand or gentiles on the other." However, Paul presents a "gospel of Jewish origin" that is common to all people.

Father Heil uses the three elements of Jewish identity described by Paul to focus on the concept of interculturation. First, Paul recreates the notion of the Torah in light of the idea that one might observe the Torah from the heart without possessing it in cultural form. The non-Jew might know God without Torah because according to Paul, "it is written interiorly on their hearts." Paul declares that one is more Jewish if he practices Torah and has not received, than a Jew who transgresses the law. The externally written commands of the law have an interior correspondence deep within the human heart and conscience. Thus, Paul declares Gentiles to have a connection with the Torah, while Jews can fully grasp its deeper, spiritual meanings, because they will be judged on what he calls "the inner secrets" of human beings. The Torah is an intercultural bridge between Jews and Gentiles. Through observance of the written and inner Torah, both groups are made right with God.

Heil’s second example is Paul’s writings to the Romans on circumcision. He asks if the one who is not circumcised but follows the law is more a Jew than the circumcised transgressor. Paul declares, "He is a Jew who is one inwardly." Father Heil states Paul felt that "the real Jew is one who lives sincerely and inwardly from the circumcision of the heart." This forces Jews to recognize the interior meaning of the exterior, cultural sign of circumcision as a religious practice. Father Heil says, "Gentiles can remain within their own cultures and still become Jews."

The final example of differentiation is the fatherhood of Abraham. Paul creates the person of Abraham as the true father to both Jews and Christians, because before the Law of Moses, Abraham was justified by his faith in God. From this statement comes Paul’s emphasis on the justification of faith above doing the works of the law. "Abraham is now the father of those who put their trust in God, Gentiles as well as Jews." He is no longer just the physical forefather of the Jews, he is the spiritual father of all who are justified and made righteous by imitating his faith.

Father Heil declares that in no way does Paul negate the separate cultures and values of Jews and Gentiles. He says, on the contrary, that Paul affirms them full and completely and fully by placing them in an intercultural context. He closes by saying, "For Paul the interior and spiritual essence of the Gospel of God’s justification by faith provided an intercultural basis for Jews to welcome and accept non-Jews and non-Jewish cultures, and for Gentiles to welcome, respect and relate themselves to Jews and to the Jewish cultural origin of the Christian Gospel."

A Cardinal Looks at 25 Years of Jewish-Catholic Relations
September 28, 1988

Presenter: Joseph Cardinal Bernardin

Highly esteemed Joseph Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago gave a lecture at the College of St. Thomas that discussed the challenges, accomplishments, and opportunities within the Jewish-Catholic dialogue of the past 25 years (1990). Specifically, he touched on four main points: the Hebrew Scriptures and the Catholic Church; Jesus and the Jewish tradition, The Church and Judaism; and the Holocaust.

Since the document of Nostra Aetate better understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures has taken place within the Catholic Church. Cardinal Bernardin notes that there has been a shift away from interpreting Hebrew Scripture simply as background or a prophecy of the New Testament to recognition that they it is most worthy in its own right. Likewise, a revolution in New Testament scholarship has occurred because of a greater understanding of Hebrew and Aramaic of the "intertestamental" period. This has brought to light the real nature of Jesus and his Jewish heritage. Bernardin cites the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, whose proceedings produced statements that declared Jesus was actually in closest relation to the Pharisees because of his traditions and pedagogical style.

In regard to Judaism and the Church, great strides have been made. Cardinal Bernardin recognizes the Church’s role in "helping provide the seedbed for Christian collaboration with the fundamentally anti-religious philosophy of Nazism. Much has been done to eliminate supercessionist theology in favor of a theology of covenantal partnership. A catalyst in this change has been Pope John Paul II. He has made a point of urging Christians to understand their Jewish heritage and gain knowledge of how the Jewish faith is practiced today. In addition, he has created an emerging theology of the spiritual bond between the brethren faiths of Judaism and Christianity, with the notion of the permanent validity of the divine Covenant with Israel, at its center. Cardinal Bernardin points out the Holocaust presents major challenges to Christianity; however, he says that greater understanding between our respective faith traditions, especially on the part of Christians, will not allow the alienation of the past to be repeated.

Volume 5, 1990 Lecture Series (1989)

This discussion between four distinguished panelists, took place on the evening of April 6, 1989 and addressed issues surrounding fundamentalism. Rather than formal lectures, the participants engaged in a conversation moderated by Rabbi Max A. Shapiro, director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Learning at the College of St. Thomas.

The conversation took on many issues concerning Jewish-Christian dialogue, primarily the role Scripture plays, and more specifically, fundamentalist readings of Scripture, in the dialogue between Jews and Christians. The dialogue began with how Scripture is read and interpreted in its different contexts and among the different traditions represented by the panelists; liberal Judaism, Roman Catholicism, mainline Protestant, and evangelical Protestant. Some of the questions raised regarding Scripture included authorship, literary interpretation, and their relevance to contemporary society. The panelists addressed these questions in light of their own tradition and how they understood them in the context of Jewish-Christian relations.

While the topic of fundamentalism is usually discussed in the context of Scripture, the panelists also examined it through the lenses of its place in a modern, pluralistic society as well as in regard to the existence of the state of Israel. The panelists conversed over what the issue of fundamentalism meant to a pluralistic society as well as its compatibility with one. Rabbi Borowitz, in an enlightening comment, noted how the discussion was typically American in spirit, and that while each of the panelists may fundamentally disagree, their coming together in dialogue showed that it is possible for people of vastly diverging viewpoints to work together and converse in love and respect for one another. However, he also noted that when fundamentalism blocks the acknowledgment of other viewpoints or fails to respect them, then it is particularly damaging.

The panelists also discussed the biblical relevance of the state of Israel. A number of questions were raised from this dialogue concerning the role of the Bible in shaping politics, both past and present, as well as the interaction of religion and society.

Finally, the participants discussed whether or not they felt Scripture to be a bridge or a barrier between Jews and Christians. All of the panelists cited the link that the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament is between faith traditions; however, what these Scriptures represent or are interpreted as on a basic level can be very different, and in some cases very destructive to the dialogue.

Jews and Christians in Anguish
October 17, 1989

Presenters:
Sister Mary Christine Athans, B.V.M, Ph.D.
Father Edward Flannery, D.H.L.
Albert Vorspan, D.H.L.
Clark M. Williamson, Ph.D.

The subject of this interfaith dialogue was anti-Judaism among Christians and the whole of society. This distinguished panel carefully shared the personal experiences in their lives, which brought them into the field of Jewish-Christian relations and to specialize and become experts in bridging the gap between these two faith traditions. The discussion then moved into a careful and thorough analysis of the causes of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism.

The panel discussed anti-Judaism in a Christian theological context and its development over the centuries. Dr. Williamson and Sister Athans provided important historical information regarding the rise of Christian anti-Judaism, by analyzing its sources in Scripture and some of the negative effects of the early church fathers such as St. John Chrysostom, the Lateran Councils and Martin Luther. Much of this anti-Judaism died during the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, which emancipated the Jews. However, the panelists described how anti-Judaism switched to anti-Semitism during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in light of new Darwinian theories of natural selection and racial purity. The culmination of religious anti-Judaism and racist anti-Semitism occurred during Nazi Germany. There was a history of anti-Judaism in the theology of Christian Germany, found primarily in the writings of Martin Luther, and in the new "science" that many intellectuals were enamored with to promote racial purity. These two strands of thought combined aided in the destruction of a people.

After discussing anti-Judaism as a phenomenon, the panelists moved the dialogue toward its possible solutions. Father Flannery suggested that continued education need be the answer, however, it is still a long tough road. A particularly interesting comment came from Mr. Vorspan who cited the fact that the Germans of the early twentieth century were probably the most educated people in history and yet the Holocaust took place. The panelists highlighted the need for each faith tradition to ask the other the "tough" questions, and furthermore, bring up points they do not understand, disagree with, or find troubling, in an environment that keeps the dialogue positive, productive, and respectful. "Anti-Judaism is sometimes passed on unknowingly, like osmosis," cited Sister Athans. She states, "We can only move beyond religious anti-Judaism by becoming aware of our (Christian) history, repenting of it, and then walking into the future."

Volume 6, 1991 Lecture Series (1990)

Political Issues Facing Jewish-Christian Dialogue
May 3, 1990

Presenters:
Rev. Robert F. Drinan, S.J.
Mrs. Geri Joseph
Rabbi David N. Saperstein

Three of the nation’s top public servants and intellectuals joined together on May 3, 1990 to discuss the political context of Jewish-Christian dialogue. The lecture was moderated by Humphrey Institute scholar and diplomat Geri Joseph, with words from Fr. Robert Drinan and Rabbi David Saperstein. The lecture focused primarily on the place of religion and religious opinion within the complicated political arena..

Father Drinan began the lecture by discussing the radical changes that have taken place in Jewish-Christian relations along with the prevailing "new world order" after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. He spoke of the plight of Russian Jews and the growing anti-Semitic forces they faced. However, the mark of Judaism on their ID cards which once was their doom, now is their freedom to leave the Soviet Union. Many of them are bound for the West or Israel. Even within the Soviet Union, Hebrew schools and other forms of Jewish expression are growing in what is the third largest Jewish community in the world. Fr. Drinan asks if anti-Semitism can ever be curbed and cites the United Nations resolution which condemned Zionism as racism. He declares that we should support Zionism as one of the greatest liberation movements in the modern world. On the repudiation of anti-Semitism, he says that Catholics should be highly involved because of their indirect responsibility and should donate their resources to advance the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Judaism, he declares is an essential part of Christianity, and anti-Semitism is a repudiation of that Christianity.

In the context of current political dilemmas, Fr. Drinan says that Americans, because of their Christian heritage have always protected Israel. He encourages this trend and responsibility to continue. He says that Christians and Jews should work together to advance the causes of civil rights, the abolition of the death penalty and fight malnutrition, with mutual respect for the dignity of the human person. In closure, Fr. Drinan declares that after Auschwitz, Christians need their own Midrash to reflect on their past and have an intimate soul search with their creator to avoid another Holocaust and the destruction of Israel.

Rabbi David Saperstein began his lecture by discussing the particularity of Jewish law. He states right away that it was never intended to provide a blueprint for a modern, democratic, and secular state. God does not favor one political or economic system over the other. Rather, what is applicable to all are the underlying values and norms of justice found in the Jewish legal system. Rabbi Saperstein outlines six distinct principles that Judaism passed on to Western civilization and legal theory, with the notion of the inherent dignity and equality of each human being in the eyes of God and under the law being the foundational principle.

Where does religion belong in public life? Rabbi Saperstein asks this tough question and begins with the vision of the Founding Fathers. The Founders, he says, firmly believed in a wall between Church and state as essential for protecting the religious freedom of all. Religion has no right to impose its values or authority on the populace. Only when they convince the majority of the public on the merits of their position can relgious groups influence the law in a democratic system. While some think that religion should have no voice in public policy decisions, Rabbi Saperstein thinks this is a misguided viewpoint. He says that any group has a right to make an argument in the public square, however, they cannot coerce anyone to make it law. Their position must win out in the marketplace of ideas just like anyone else’s. He closes by recognizing that Jews and Christians are mandated to be the conscience of America and should never abdicate this responsibility.

Crossing Over in Jewish and Christian Spiritualities
October 2, 1990

What Jews Can Learn from Christian Spirituality
Presenter: Dr. Carol Ochs

Dr. Carol Ochs begins by quoting from Pirke Avot which says, "Who is wise? One who learns from all people." In this lecture she suggests that Jews can learn much from Christians in regard to spirtuality, which can further enrich their tradition. She defines spirituality as "coming into relationship with reality." Among other things, spirituality helps us "realize our true identity; it sustains us as we let go of the dualisms that we allow to define us."

Dr. Ochs concentrates on four areas where Christians can influence and enrich Jewish spirituality, which is, currently, a topic seldom discussed: spirituality itself, prayer, one’s relationship to God, and God’s nature. She says the image of the journey, so central to the Christian, is not found within Judaism. Instead, the covenant is central to Jewish self-understanding. Spirituality by nature focuses on inner states, solitary experiences, and personal journeys. Christian writings on spirituality emphasize "the individual’s experiences in coming into relationship with reality." This is in sharp contrast to Jewish prayer, which carries a collective consciousness, spoken in the language of WE. Says Ochs, "The language of prayer is not the language of the soul yearning for God, but of a people yearning for its creator." Little is discussed by Jews on the subject of prayer. While Jewish prayer life is significant, she says there is difficulty separating it from daily life. Ochs says this can be remedied by reading what Christian spiritual teachers have discovered in the common text, such as Psalms.

The third "great silence" Dr. Ochs declares is the Jewish relationhsip to God. She quotes Martin Buber’s famous "I and thou" analogy to establish the method by which the person interacts with God and neighbor. She says, "we don’t love God and our neighbor, we love God in and through our love for our neighbor." While Jews do not have a "communion of saints," they can look to the early Christians and Christian mystics for developing a healthy spirituality.

Talking about God in Judaism is often decried because of the theorizing that Buber saw or because people use it in partisan political rhetoric to claim authority, which is certainly blasphemous. Buber says we should not talk about God, we should talk to God. Dr. Ochs finds some important contributions on the nature of God from Christians. Certain Christian understandings of God can enrich one’s understanding of the world and can form a distinct consciousness. She cites Julian of Norwich who spoke of God as "mother" even before there was an established feminist consciousness. In addition, Hildegard of Bingen spoke of the interconnnectedness of being way before the evolution of an ecology movement. She says these linguistic and metaphoric traditions can renew Jewish tradition of talking of God. She closes by noting how Christian spirituality has made her aware of the silences within her own tradition and calls Jews to "be wise and learn from all people."

In this stirring lecture, Dr. John Merkle speaks of the importance of the Torah to the spritual and religious life for Jews and how re-focusing on it can enrich the Christian’s ethical and spiritual life. He begins by noting that there is a tendency within Christianity to "cross-over" into Judaism and appropriate everything it finds pertinent to the Christian experience, while at the same time forgetting its essential Jewishness. The significance of this crossing over was that certain elements of Judaism were of value in relation to the Christ they were anticipating. We are now discovering, he says, that the Hebrew Bible has "spiritual radiance," and that living by the Torah, we can re-examine our relationship with God and reshape Christian spirituality.

Dr. Merkle notes that it has been often said that Judaism teaches about a God of wrath while Christianity teaches about a God of love. As he points out, nothing could be further from the truth. In disputing this, he quotes Abraham Joshua Heschel, who reminds us that "the standards by which those passages are criticized are impressed upon us by the Bible, which is the main factor in ennobling our conscience and endowing us with the sensitivity that rebels against all cruelty." Dr. Merkle also says that because Christians believe Jesus’ relationship to God was intimate, does not imply that he stood apart from the Jewish faith, but rather, embodied it. The Christian tradition tends to ignore the wisdom of the Jewish sages, who developed the Torah to its fullest. The Torah, according to Jewish teaching, is the law of love, and love for God and God’s creatures. There is no basis for the claim for the antithesis that the Torah is legalism and the Gospel is love.

Drawing on Jewish notions of God’s nature, Dr. Merkle points out some key areas where he believes Christian spirituality can benefit from Judaism. Judaism, he says, has always emphasized God’s unity or oneness. When speaking of the Trinity, Christians have sometimes defined it in terms of the heresy of tritheism. This heresy is lessened when we rediscover the link with the Jewish people. This will have a profound effect on Christian spirituality because the person can refocus from what Dr. Merkle calls "Christ-centered devotion" to "God-centered prayer."

He cites other ways Christians might be enriched by "crossing-over" into Judaism. One important area is how Christians depict God. Rabbi Heschel believed that declaring God as omnipotent is certainly a non-Jewish belief. There is a unique tradition in Judaism to endow God with certain human characteristics and share common experience. This is true in the case of suffering. In Jewish tradition, it is believed God shares in suffering, not a human suffering, but a divine suffering. By understanding God as suffering with us, rather than focusing purely on God’s suffering, Christians can profoundly transform their experience and relation to God. Dr. Merkle says that what makes God worthy of our worship is God’s endless love and compassion, not God’s power and control. Another area he cited was the notion of the presence of the family in common worship experience. In the Jewish tradition, the Torah gives the family the status of an official religious community. This is not found in the Christian experience. In Christianity, home worship outside the Church is optional, and not officially given liturgical status. He says that Christians should celebrate the family and can learn from the Torah to enrich family and community life.

Who Needs God?
October 30, 1990

Presenter: Rabbi Harold S. Kushner

Author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Harold Kushner spoke at Temple Israel in Minneapolis. As a young rabbi, struggling with his sermons and frustrated at the lack of attendance at his services, which he believed measured his success, Rabbi Kushner confided in a loyal congregant. The congregant responded that he was either trying to sell them on something they didn’t need or he was not selling it effectively. This advice changed his career.

He begins by outlining his thesis. In contemporary society, he says, "people have become so sophisticated, so modern, so intellectual, that they don’t have room for a faith commitment and they don’t realize what they have given up when they begin to live this way." The people he wrote his book for are the morally committed individuals with a scorn against organized religion.

Rabbi Kushner makes a few key points as to why a life without God is wanting. First, we have lost our sense of reverence. We are so advanced technologically that nothing is above us. Humans and technology are ultimate. The problem is, technology doesn’t inspire. We have to escape the man-made world to find any sort of inspiration. Second, belief in God is the foundation for morality. Just as there are eternal laws of nature, there are eternal laws of morality. Rabbi Kushner asks why people should be moral if God does not exist. What would it matter? These laws are not restrictive as one may think, but liberating. He says we can now respond to situations in terms of right and wrong. "God cares about all the little moral decisions we make, day in and day out." Rabbi Kushner believes that faith as the cornerstone to one’s existence is the key to a good life. Faith provides for what he calls "spiritual replenishment," the gift of enduring love and strength when you think you cannot go on. Faith protects us from loneliness because we have a community we can turn to, a community where we are all equals, and the mess of everyday life is brushed aside momentarily and we share in common experience. Rabbi Kushner declares that we do need God, because the world is too cold, too lonely, too vast, and too unmanageable. He is a convincing salesman.

How Jews and Catholics Pray
November 13, 1990

How Jews Pray
Presenter:Rabbi Barry Cytron, Ph.D.

Rabbi Cytron began his lecture with an anecdotal story of the difficulty of attending worship service on the Jewish High Holy days. He says this is one possible reason for the lack of Jewish attendance at worship services the rest of the year. From the data, the answer to the question of how Jews pray is they don’t! However, he says, to make this assumption would be an injustice. Praying in synagogue is only one of a number of ways in which Jews pray.

Rabbi Cytron aims to address the question regarding the relationship between public worship and private prayer. Noting each tradition’s unique settings, he wonders about the connections between public expression and the intimacy of private prayer. Addressing this question from a Jewish perspective, Rabbi Cytron claims one must examine the method of prayer -- the "how" and the occasion and content of the prayer --the "what."

Citing the Bible, Rabbi Cytron outlines two prevalent themes in prayer. First, the "thankfulness prayer," which was developed to capture the mood of gratitude for life and praise to God for having created a world for which we are grateful. The most familiar form of this is the blessing. The completed blessing, he says, "acknowledges the gift we have received." The most common blessings give thanks for everyday objects that nourish us. The second common theme in prayer is prayers of petition. Usually these are requests for health and healing. Rabbi Cytron notes that this form is difficult to our modern sensibilities because we are "asking" for something. He says that rabbis, priests, and theologians work hard to help congregants understand what it means for their petitions to be "heard" or "answered."

Another important aspect of Jewish prayer is prayer as a community. Many Jewish prayers are offered in the person of "We." Rabbi Cytron says Judaism is a "…faith that almost always speaks communally whenever we pray." One difficulty of prayer is the notion of sincerity while saying prayers that were written centuries ago. He cites this as a major tension within religious communities and quotes a passage from the Talmud, which explores the psychological nature of prayer. He notes the importance of prayer when it "works" and says the approach to prayer found within this tension makes all the difference.

To close, Rabbi Cytron cites Abraham Joshua Heschel, who said prayer was like a flashlight, a beacon of light in the darkness. Indeed, says Rabbi Cytron, "prayer can illuminate – pointing us to our best values and our greatest dreams. Prayer in community is one of the tools that brings us out of the darkness and into the light."

Fr. Robert Schwartz sets out to examine Catholic prayer in light of its Jewish heritage and origin and discusss the direction it has taken since Christianity has spread to the Gentile world. He notes that Catholic prayer has its origins in Jesus of Nazareth, a Jew, who lived and prayed as a Jew. "Even though Catholic prayer was deeply influenced by the Gentile world into which it passed, its roots lie firmly within the Hebrew Scriptures," says Schwartz.

Examining the Jewish roots of Catholic prayer, Fr. Schwartz begins by discussing what he calls the "backbone" of Catholic prayer, the book of Psalms. The Psalms are important because they place the person of Jesus within the historical consciousness of Judaism. On the night before Easter, there is a prayer vigil that includes 12 readings, including the stories of Passover, the Exodus from Egypt, and the rescuing of Israel from the Babylonian exile. The Catholic Church meditates on these passages says Schwartz, because "without a foundation in these pivotal events in Jewish religious consciousness, it is impossible to understand who Jesus is, what the Catholic Church is about, and the way in which Catholics pray.

According to Schwartz, the Mass is the most important Catholic prayer. It is sometimes called the Eucharist, a Greek word for thanksgiving. Prayers of thanksgiving are central to Jewish prayer as well. During the Eucharist, Catholics follow the insight of the ancient Passover ritual. However, Catholics believe they are receiving in that Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ. Another important aspect of Catholic prayer is the cross. The cross of Jesus carries different meaning and different emotions in the Catholic and Jewish communities. Fr. Schwartz states that to talk about the meaning of the cross in Catholic prayer means that the sentiments on both sides will have to be bridged. He places the cross in the context of the Hebrew sacrifice in the Temple. Just as Jesus died for our sins and offered himself to God, the blood of the lamb was offered up on the Temple mount. In his words, "Catholics see the death of Jesus as the sacrifice of Abraham’s son and David’s son." He says the sense of being the "people of God" is one of the strongest ways that Jewish identity has shaped Catholic understanding.

Fr. Schwartz also discussed some of the differences in Catholic prayer from Judaism. First, he noted that Catholics are just beginning to develop rituals for family worship but these were still not recognized as official liturgy by Church law. He believes the Church can learn much from Judaism on this point. Jews, and even Christians, find it strange that Catholics seemingly pray to three Gods. But the mystery of the Trinity, he says, is central to the way in which Catholics pray. Likewise, because they believe God was incarnate in the person of Jesus, symbols and icons can be prayed to as a path to the Father. In a typically insightful passage, Fr. Schwartz states, "Because Catholics pray to a God who is both transcendent and immanent, our prayer can be mystical and other worldly one moment, and earthly and enmeshed in humanity in the next." Catholics also find inspiration and spiritual friendship in the person of Mary and the Communion of Saints. While Catholic prayer, grew out Jewish roots, it grew a distinctive flower in a Gentile world.

Volume 7, 1992 Lecture Series (1991)

Lest We Forget: The Holocaust and the 21st Century...Reflections of a Jew, a Catholic, and a Protestant
May 9, 1991

Presenters:
Dr. Harry James Cargas
Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt
Dr. John K. Roth
Rabbi Herman E. Schaalman

In this important dialogue about what the Holocaust means to Jewish-Christian relations, Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt began the dialogue by citing a quote by Elie Wiesel that says that the victims of the Holocaust died once. To forget them would be to allow them to die a second time.

Each of the panelists shared their personal stories of how they became involved in Jewish-Christian dialogue. Dr. Cargas shared the story of a conversation he once had with Elie Wiesel, who remarked that the camps marked the end of Christianity, not of Judaism. Cargas then became interested in the question of whether or not there could be a "resurrection in Christianity" after the Holocaust. The panelists addressed the issue of the universal versus the particular implications of the Holocaust. Was it the worst of many human atrocities, which highlights man’s evil, or was it special in the way it singled out Jews? There was a sense of disagreement on this topic among the panelists, however, all agreed on the importance of highlighting the Shoah through both perspectives.

Another topic of note, put forth by Dr. Roth, was the idea of human responsibility in the Holocaust. Too often, God gets the weight of the responsibility for the Holocaust. However, humanity also failed and broke their part of the covenant. This topic was debated among the panelists and led to a discussion of each one’s conception of God. Of particular interest was Rabbi Schaalman’s conception of a God who gains strength from and is dependent on human beings. This God had to compromise Creation, and therefore reduced the idea of divine Shalom.

Deborah Lipstadt concluded the discussion by reminding us that whatever faith tradition we aspire to, when we hear the words "save us," out response must be that of Abraham, "Here I am."

In Our Times: What Has Changed Between Jews and Christians?
October 17, 1991

Presenters:
Dr. Eugene Fisher
Rabbi A. James Rudin
The Rev. Dr. Marilyn Salmon

This important dialogue took place on October 17, 1991 and surrounded the progress that has been made between Jews and Christians in our generation. The panelists addressed the progress and sentiments that have been shared by Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant communities. Dr. Salmon began the dialogue on a strong note by pointing out that "...concerns for and about Jews and Judaism have moved from marginal to institutional." This seems to be the current trend in all Christian denominations, particularly Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Episcopal.

The first steppingstone to dialogue was undoubtedly the Vatican’s document of Nostra Aetate. This changed the Church’s fundamental position toward Judaism by recognizing the existence of Judaism on its own terms, rather than viewing it as the precursor to Christianity. Another statement, presented by the Episcopal Church, states "that God’s activity is not confined to the Church and we affirm our willingness to listen carefully and to learn humbly from those whose perception of God’s mystery differs from our own." Statements such as these have greatly bridged the gap between Judaism and Christianity. Another steppingstone is the Catholic Church’s mandate to change the prayers in the Good Friday Liturgy that focused on the conversion of Jews, to a prayer for the Jewish people that they remain faithful to the Covenant. In addition, numerous changes have been made in religious educational texts to portray the Jews in a correct historical context. Rabbi Rudin goes as far as to say that "Jewish-Christian relations have been one of the success stories of the twentieth century."

Despite the successes, there are still numerous stumbling blocks to Jewish-Christian dialogue that were addressed by the panelists. Dr. Salmon highlighted the Episcopal Bishops Conference that produced some scathing anti-Israeli messages in light of the Middle-East peace process. Other issues such as the Carmelite convent controversy at Auschwitz, as well as Cardinal Glemp’s visit to the United States, are reminders of the tension that still exists between the faith traditions.

Rabbi Rudin touched upon what he calls Christian "witnessing," which is seemingly synonymous with mission, conversion, and proselytizing. He says, "Christians are much more ‘mellow’ towards all other religions except Judaism." Even though many positive strides have been realized the last 25 years, there is still an unfortunate lack of trust between Christians and Jews.

Volume 8, 1993 Lecture Series (1992)

Religious Symbols: Stumbling Blocks or Steppingstones to the Dialogue?
April 19, 1992

Presenters:
Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman
Father Jan Michael Joncas
Reverend M. Susan Peterson

In an enlightening evening of discussion, a distinguished panel of theologians discussed the meaning of symbols in religious life. Rabbi Hoffman first distinguished a symbol from a sign. The difference between them being what Rabbi Hoffman defines as an object for which there is a deep emotional or psychological attachment. That is a symbol, everything else is just a sign.

The panelists remarked on the importance, though sometimes irrational, of symbols in religious life. Each cited stories where believers had no idea of the significance of what they were doing or worshipping, however, were greatly disturbed at the object or ritual’s absence. When an element of religious life is this emotionally charged, it can be a great stumbling block to interreligious dialogue, e.g. the Carmelite cross at Auschwitz.

One topic that became a focus of the discussion was the difficulty of juxtaposing symbols in interfaith worship services. Father Joncas cited an example of the difficulty of picking out a hymn that would not offend Catholics, Protestants, or Jews. It is obvious that anything that quotes Scripture from the New Testament is out of the question. Then trying to appease both Catholics and Protestants while leaving out additions to the Psalms that Christianize them, so not to offend Jews poses a significant problem. In addition, some symbols such as the symbol for the Center for Jewish-Christian Learning promote interfaith dialogue and understanding, while others such as a cross over a Star of David can be offensive and divisive.

While much of the discussion surrounded the potential divisiveness of religious symbols, the panel concluded by providing reasons for their use as interreligious tools. In a world where symbols are becoming increasingly secular, religious symbols can and must be used to strengthen congregations as well as interfaith dialogue. People must find their symbols in life where it has had the most profound meaning for them and their families, and hopefully one day that will once again be a place of worship.

The Middle East: The Peace Process and Religion
October 21, 1992

Presenter: Thomas L. Friedman

Thomas Friedman, a native Minnesotan and foreign affairs correspondent for the New York Times, gave a lecture to a packed audience at Temple Israel in Minneapolis on issues regarding the Middle East peace process and the events that were unfolding as a result of the summit in Madrid. The lecture took place in 1992, following the end of the Cold War. Mr. Friedman elaborated on the geopolitical realities of post-Cold War politics as they affected the Middle East peace process. Of particular note was the transition between the Shamir and Rabin governments in Israel and the apparent election of Bill Clinton in the United States.

Friedman took the opportunity to discuss Israel’s relationship with Syrian dictator Hafez al-Assad and the controversy over Lebanon. In this discussion, Friedman cited his popular book From Beirut to Jerusalem, which won international acclaim. At this time, the PLO was still a peripheral organization, so the primary attention was given to the Israeli-Syrian conflict, which had larger implications during the Cold War.

Particularly interesting were Mr. Friedman’s remarks about Islamic fundamentalism, which he believes is not a real threat. He cited the existence of secular dictators of terror in the Middle East; Khaddafi, Hussein, etc., and believes at its core, Islamic fundamentalism is a secular movement in response to a failure of governments to provide for their people. He also believes there is no monolithic Islamic community that is a coalition with a common purpose. Of particular interest was his example of the Lexus and the olive tree and the analogy between the two. This idea, which became the title of his enormously popular book, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, some six years later, describes the world as a place where when Japan is technologically and economically advanced enough to use 381 robots to build a Lexus, nations such as Israel and Syria cannot waste time and resources fighting over olive trees or they will fall far behind in the new global economy.

Volume 9 Lecture Series (1993)

Jews and Christians Speak of Jesus (Programs I-IV),
Fortress Press, Minneapolis

   Judaisms at the Time of Jesus
     April 19, 1993
        Presenters:
        Dr. Shaye J.D. Cohen
        Dr. Anthony J. Saldarini
   The Jewishness of Jesus
     May 3, 1993
        Presenters:
        Dr. Lawrence H. Schiffman
        Dr. E.P. Sanders
   From Jesus to Christ
    October 11, 1992
        Presenters:
        Fr. John R. Donahue, S.J.
        Dr. Paula Fredrickson
    From Christ to God
    October 25, 1993
        Presenters:
        Dr. Monika K. Hellwig
        Dr. Allan F. Segal

Volume 10, 1995 Lecture Series (1994)

Jews and Christians Speak of Jesus (Programs V - VII)

Jesus Through the Ages
April 25, 1994

Presenters:
Dr. Mary C. Boys, S.N.J.M
Rabbi Marc E. Saperstein

Addressing the topic of portrayals of Jesus from the fourth to the twentieth century, Dr. Mary Boys and Rabbi Marc Saperstein discussed the person and representation of Jesus in the Christian and Jewish traditions.

Dr. Boys’ lecture entitled "Perspectives from the Cross" focused on Christian identification with the Cross of Jesus as a galvanizing force for the faithful, which has produced mixed consequences. The cross is a powerful image and symbol to which Christians sometimes irrationally attach them. She notes of the dual consequences of this attachment; looking at the cross as "salvific" and viewing it as "sword." In perceiving the cross as salvific, Christians find meaning through glorification of the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus and the hope and resistance it inspires. It is a symbol of God’s fidelity. However, she says, "we need to ask what it justifies, what it inspires, what it hinders." The cross has also been viewed as a sword by which the "enemies" of God are wiped out. "It assigned blame to the Jews for the crucifixion, and thus became the basis for condemnation and persecution against them." Dr. Boys discusses the history of this oppression, focused mainly on Jews. She notes how much of the rhetoric used to justify this came from the early Church fathers such as John Chrysostom. This rhetoric fueled contempt for the "impurity" of those who rejected Jesus. Furthermore, Melito of Sardis introduced the charge of deicide against the Jews early in Church history. This had catastrophic consequences such as the Crusades, and the charges of ritual murder and blood libel. She concludes by calling Christians to repent for the damage the symbol of the cross has done, to re-appropriate the cross recognizing their betrayal of the message of Jesus, and "embody the power of reconciliation for which Jesus lived and died. Only then will we walk in the way of Christ."

Rabbi Saperstein acts as a true historian in his lecture and portrays the sometimes-unpleasant characteristics of Jewish images of Jesus through the ages. He begins by noting that there is no "official" Jewish view or teaching on Jesus. There are two reasons for this. One is that there was no Jewish institutional structure during the middle ages that spoke on matters of orthodoxy. Second, Jesus was never significant enough in the Jewish community for them to work out a consensus on the meaning of his life. Because of this fact, there have existed many different perspectives on the meaning of Jesus, some positive, some negative.

In his lecture, Rabbi Saperstein outlines a few of the major Jewish notions of Jesus through the ages. "Some during the middle ages portrayed him as essentially a loyal Jew who kept the teachings of the Torah and taught a worthy religious message to his disciples." The Italian Jew Abraham Farissol wrote that Jesus could legitimately be considered the Messiah of the Gentiles (although not of the Jews). The Jews believed there were serious problems with the circumstances of Jesus’ birth because Scripture makes clear that Joseph was not the father of Jesus. Under Jewish law this would make him illegitimate. Interestingly enough, in early Jewish thought there was no denial of responsibility for the crucifixion. Instead, they tried to find its justification in Jewish law, accusing him of being a false prophet, an offense punishable by death.

One view of Jesus which Rabbi Saperstein devotes much of his attention is his the portrayal by the Kabbalists, the Jewish mystics. In one portion of their view, Jesus is portrayed as a magician who, according to Saperstein, "was able to work magic not because of his skill in an ancient art, but because of his willful, illicit misappropriation of divine power." There is a "counter-Gospel" which recreates the whole New Testament in this context. The Kabbalists accepted Jesus’ supernatural birth, but believed instead that his father was Samael, the demonic embodiment of evil. Here we see a trend in Judaism common to Christianity: demonization. Whether this is in response to Christian demonization of Jews or is its own internal dynamic does not make this any less disturbing, says Rabbi Saperstein.

During the modern period, there have been efforts in Judaism to reclaim Jesus into the Jewish heritage of great moral teachers and one of their own. Moses Mendelssohn left open the possibility that Jesus was a prophet and messenger of God. Of late, there have been liberal rabbis who have claimed Jesus as a Jew and depicted him as a great moral teacher. This trend has spawned much controversy within Judaism, especially with groups such as "Jews for Jesus." Rabbi Saperstein concludes by claiming that if there were no Christianity, Jesus may have taken his place among the greats in Judaism such as Rabbi Akiba and the Baal Shem Tov, citing the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, as well as the Book of Revelation as masterpieces of Jewish literature. Someday, he says, "we can move sufficiently beyond the legacies of apotheosis and demonization, and allow Jesus the Jew to assume his proper place in the Jewish tradition."

Portrayals of Jesus in Contemporary Religious Thought
October 13, 1994

Presenters:
Dr. Ellis Rivkin
Dr. Leonard Swidler

Approaching this broad topic from both separate religious backgrounds as well as differing subjects of their lecture, Dr. Rivkin and Dr. Swidler discuss some of the leading currents in modern theology concerning the person of Jesus and revelation, especially in the context of history.

Dr. Ellis Rivkin began his talk by briefly discussing his personal history. He grew up in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish home and studied Scripture and Talmud relentlessly. At a young age, his skills were renowned and he was consumed with what he called "faith invincible." That’s when it hit him. What if Paul, one of the Pharisees he was currently studying, was right? He was momentarily shaken. While his faith was still with him, his encounter with the "risen Paul" spurred him on to seek out what he calls "the revealing God of history." While his experience did not compel him to leave Judaism like Paul, what this experience did was shift his faith from a fully revealed God, to a revealing God whose revelation may stretch beyond history. His studies at Johns Hopkins opened him up to the historical-critical method of examining religion, which led him to a faith in the God of history.

This preoccupation of history led Dr. Rivkin to study Hebrew Scripture as the product of a dynamic revelation. In doing this, he discovered that Paul was one of a series of divinely inspired mutations within revelation. He calls the process of mutation the most potent of the three-fold dynamic of revelation. By this he means, God reveals God’s self in three forms. The first is replication, represented by Moses and Elijah who lead their people out of the wilderness and to the Promised Land through their use of the omnipotence of God. This failed when Assyria destroyed the Kingdom of Israel. The second form of revelation appeared, which Dr. Rivkin calls variation, and is represented by the prophets Amos, Hosea, and Jeremiah. They were not reciting the prophets of old, but rather a presented a variation from the tried and true. This variation, he says, allows for change and adaptation whenever needed to solve a crisis replication cannot solve. The third and most dynamic form of revelation is mutation, which is represented first by the Aaronides, who created the priestly class and Temple cult. This was intended to eliminate the need for prophets, and to give religion immutable laws and institutions, which they inserted into the Pentateuch.

Dr. Rivkin declares that this dynamic did not end with the Bible’s closure. A new group, the Scribes and Pharisees who were wisdom seekers, emerged. Because they believed in the immutability of the law, as well as the Temple cult, and defied no authority, they were allowed to co-exist with the Aaronides, known more commonly as the Sadducees. While they had no justification for existence in the Pentateuch, they did not violate any laws by proclaiming that ultimate wisdom was found in fear of the Lord, and that wisdom’s teaching was a revelation from God. The Pharisees created a mutation of their own by proclaiming that they were the custodians of the oral tradition, part of the two-fold law, and that adherence to the law would lead to eternal life for the soul. It was from this mutation that Paul emerged.

In putting Jesus in Paul into this revelatory context, Dr. Rivkin notes it is clear that Jesus and the Pharisees were alike in proclaiming the possibility of eternal life. Thus he says, Paul and Jesus were staking their claims on a non-biblical mutation put forth by the Pharisees. In this context, Jesus’ teachings can be seen only as a variation on mutated Judaism. For Paul, Christianity began at the Resurrection, which he believes is the foundational revelation from God that leads to eternal life. This is the new mutation/variation espoused by Christianity that spreads to the Gentile world. In this context, Paul follows the tradition of Amos in his rejection of Israel, while preserving the three essential categories of God, Torah, and Israel. Dr. Rivkin comes to the conclusion that Paul’s Christianity is a mutation variant of two-fold Judaism, itself a mutation of divine revelation. This mutation expresses the dynamic revelatory character of God who continues to reveal God’s self through history.

Also approaching the contemporary view of Jesus from an historical context, Dr. Leonard Swidler gives some insight into how Jesus should be portrayed in light of our current historical consciousness. From a historical-critical method, Dr. Swidler breaks down much of what is referred to as orthodoxy about the nature of Jesus. This is because it was formed not from a Jewish mode of thought, but rather from Greek philosophy, which is not formulated from the Jewish context that Jesus and his disciples operated within. In addition, doctrine is formed out of someone’s experience with events. He claims that it is outdated and impractical to refer to doctrine formulated by another’s experience of centuries ago. From his perspective, there is a certain truth claim that knowledge is relative to the person.

Dr. Swidler began his lecture by citing the radical "Copernican" effect that Vatican II had on the Catholic Church. He claims that the Church "threw open its windows" and welcomed what could be gained from the modern world. The effects of this, he says, precipitated a turn toward the historical dynamics of the world and reality; a turn toward inner reform; a turn toward this world, meaning salvation can be redefined in the context of liberation and other worldly terminology; and a turn toward dialogue, not only with other Christians, but other religions such as Judaism and Islam. Dr. Swidler declares the next step is to proclaim the historical Jesus (Yeshua) as the measure of what it means to be Christian. This entails removing Jesus from the Greek ontological Christos to the ha Notzri, meaning the Nazarene. Jesus was a Jew and it is from this context that all of his teachings must be understood. He and his disciples thought Jewishly, and terms such as Son of God and Messiah had different meaning from their Greek differentiations. He says that the disciples never thought of him as divine in an ontological sense and this is a "swallowing up" of Jewish thinking by Hellenists who did not understand the non-ontological and metaphorical characteristics of Jewish thought. According to Swidler, Yeshua was not the Messiah of the Jews, but he became the Christos of the Gentiles. To close, Dr. Swidler says to understand the Gospel is to understand it from a Jewish perspective and not ontologically. Therefore, doctrines of Christ should be understood in light of the Yeshua of history, not the other way around. Dr. Swidler believes the foundation of Christianity is the historical Yeshua.

Images of Jesus in the Arts: Stumbling Blocks or Steppingstones?
October 27, 1994

Presenters:
Dr. Michael J. Cook
Dr. Terrence E. Dempsey, S.J.

Concentrating on medieval Christian art and its influence on Passion plays, Dr. Michael Cook examines some of the effects that Christian art has had on the Jewish role in the death of Jesus. The second half of the dialogue includes a talk by Dr. Terrence Dempsey on contemporary portrayals of the crucified Jesus and the surprising lack of anti-Semitism within them.

Dr. Cook began his lecture by discussing medieval-Christian art, specifically painting. The Church had almost complete control over art in the middle ages and used it as an educational tool for the illiterate masses. Its imagery was very powerful in provoking emotions from its viewers, and these pieces typically hung in churches. One element of early Christian art that Dr. Cook cites is the presence of a woman called Synagoga (Synagogue) who represented the Jews. This woman would always be standing beside the cross to the left of Jesus. Opposite her would be Ecclesia who represented the Church and all of its supposed majesty. Usually, Jesus would be looking down at her and away from Synagoga. The most striking characteristic of Synagoga was the blindfold she would be wearing, representing Paul’s analogy of the blindness and hard-heartedness of the Jews to the truths of Christianity. It was believed that the Jews would eventually convert, so the blindfold was only a temporary blindness. As time passed, the figures of Synagoga and Ecclesia changed to the persons of Mary and St. John standing at the feet of the crucified Jesus, with Mary being to his right. The burial of Ecclesia and her replacement under the cross signaled the beginning of the movement to wipe the Jews from history and the charge of deicide against them grew more prevalent. This symbol of blindness continues to this day as Christians cannot comprehend the rejection of the Jews of what they believe are such obvious truths. These symbols are indeed powerful and in this case a stumbling block to dialogue.

Moving to the topic of medieval influences on Passion plays, Dr. Cook discusses the great power they have in spreading negative feelings towards Jews, especially in amateur performances where the data of history can be left out. This is especially destructive when children are introduced to the story, and whose parents already possess negative opinions of the Jewish role in the death of Jesus. Over the centuries, it has been prevalent in Passion plays to portray the Jews as a raving mob with mean-spirited and corrupt religious leaders. Included in this image have been portrayals of Jewish leaders as devils and demons having costumes with horns. In Europe, Jewish quarters used to be sealed off following Passion plays so that this hatred of the Jews was not put into action. Dr. Cook outlines six factors by which a Passion play may be judged for portraying Jews in an honest and positive light. These stereotypes have great power, and Hitler himself used the passion play as propaganda for his soldiers, which helped quell opposition to his "Final Solution." The great challenge for Christians, he says, is to fashion these symbols in a matter compatible with the essential religious spirit of Christian theology.

Changing the focus of the lecture, Dr. Terrence Dempsey focuses on contemporary portrayals of the crucifixion in the arts. He begins by asking some important questions including: "How does an image that visualizes a particular religious tradition apply to those people from other traditions or from no tradition at all?" From this question, Dr. Dempsey discusses some new trends in Christian art, especially its surprising lack of anti-Semitism. He also notes that "…the most powerful representations of the passion of Jesus have been rendered by Jewish artists for whom Jesus is not only not an expression of anti-Semitism but indeed represents one of the strongest symbols against anti-Semitism." His lecture can best be understood by his closing statement:

In the twentieth century, the depiction of the crucified Jesus by artists has been noticeably free of any taint of anti-Semitism. For Marc Chagall, the crucified Jesus offered him an historical figure that could identify with the suffering of the Jewish people. For others, the suffering of Jesus was identified with oppression of all types including the terror of war. The disfigured body of Jesus recently has served as a source of camaraderie for those who have experienced life-threatening illnesses like cancer or AIDS, and finally, the sufferings of Jesus have been used by artists like Michael Tracy in a manner sensitive to liberation theology. The use of the Jesus image by many of the artists of our century is a steppingstone toward understanding, compassion, and a conversion of the heart. In a century filled with unspeakable brutality that can arguably rival any previous time period, perhaps the suffering servant on the cross is an image that can touch the soul of our time.

 

What the Churches are saying about Jews and Judaism
April 11, 1994

Presenters:
David Blewett
Arthur E. Zannoni

Arthur Zannoni and David Blewett discussed the progress that has been made in Jewish-Christian dialogue from Catholic and Protestant perspectives. They highlight the leading events and people that have shaped the dialogue and presented their implications for future progress.

Zannoni began his lecture with a story about Pope John XXIII, who retracted the term "perfidious Jews from Roman Catholic liturgy. This helped launch the reversal of centuries of Catholic mistreatment of Jews and Judaism. The Catholic Church admitted that it had erred on the subject of the Jews. From this statement, the document Nostra Aetate was born. This was the first in a series of documents that worked to bridge the historic barrier and heal the wounds between Jews and Christians. These documents addressed many themes including: the validity of the Old Testament; Jesus and his relationship to Judaism and the law; Roman responsibility for the death of Jesus; and the inherent faithfulness of the Jews.

Zannoni cites Pope John Paul II as a major contributor to Jewish-Christian dialogue. The Pope, he says, has made healing the rift between Jews and Catholics a top priority on his agenda. The Pope believes that Catholic-Jewish reconciliation can proceed only by being fullest honest about the darker aspects of the past. He has outlined seven areas in which he believes are important in healing this rift, including the permanent validity of the Jewish covenant; the condemnation of anti-Semitism and remembrance of the Shoah; and recognition of the state of Israel and its importance to the Jewish community. Zannoni also elaborates on the many efforts the National Council of Catholic Bishops has made to the dialogue, including some of their pastoral letters.

David Blewett addressed the topic from a Protestant perspective. He began by noting that it took the Holocaust to eradicate anti-Semitism within the Christian churches. He concentrated on two sociological studies that discussed efforts made by Christian institutions to remove anti-Judaic bias from pedagogical materials, and what effect, if any, this reform has had on attitudes towards Jews. While he cites a number of statements from various Protestant denominations condemning anti-Semitism and recognizing the validity of Judaism, he claims that attitudes in the churches have changed rather slowly. Various editions of the Bible that paraphrase Scripture include many forms of incendiary language that is both false and unnecessary. Of particular concern is the portrayal of the Pharisees in religious education materials. Many churches have included statements in their materials that emphasize the importance of understanding the historical context, as well as the different religious sects of the early church, which is essential in order to understand the Gospel narratives. This is a big advance for Jewish-Christian relations and can drastically reduce some of the biases against Judaism.

The second half of Blewett’s lecture includes a challenge to Christians to overcome some of their current obstacles, which means not only changing words, but actions as well. He cites the language of some Evangelicals and the negative attitudes among some mainline Protestants regarding the state of Israel, as major challenges to the dialogue. The challenge, he says, is to overcome Christian supersessionist and triumphalist beliefs and ideas and recognize the eternal validity of the Jewish tradition. He cites Soviet dissidents who improved human rights in that country and declares we must all be dissidents against the remaining prejudices in our churches.

Volume 11, 1996 Lecture Series (1995)

Jews and Christians Speak of the Ten Commandments

God in a World of Gods
April 11, 1995

Presenters:
Rabbi B. Elka Abrahamson
Dr. John C. Merkle

In a world where many different gods dwell within diverse cultures, Rabbi B. Elka Abrahamson and Dr. John C. Merkle discussed what Jewish and Christian notions of God mean among a diverse world of gods. Both speakers addressed a variety of issues about what it means to be a monotheistic Christian or Jew.

Rabbi Abrahamson began the evening by discussing the notion of obedience. In generations past, society and parents expected children to obey. Rabbi Abrahamson now declared that obedience is sometimes looked upon as a source of weakness. We want today’s children to take responsibility for their own actions and learn to think for themselves, as well as respond to sound advice from authorities they feel comfortable with. "Obedience does not reflect today’s notion of enabling, or power sharing," she said. Rabbi Abrahamson noted that the history of the people Israel began in obedience with the law of Sinai revealed in the Ten Commandments. While the people of Israel obeyed, they also questioned this God, "Who is this God? What are this God’s credentials? What do you want from us? Talk to us. We will listen and determine only then if we will do as you ask." This dialogue exhibits the Jewish people’s relationship with God. Their obedience is linked to their understanding and faith. Rabbi Abrahamson noted that there sometimes exists a tension between a God who saved a people from drowning in the Red Sea, but, for example, did not stop the Oklahoma City bombing. This tension is found throughout Jewish literature: the tension between a God who is merciful and compassionate, and a God who makes demands and who expects obedience.

"In the First Commandment, which is really not a commandment but rather a statement, the Israelites acknowledged the one God," Rabbi Abrahamson stated. "They agreed to be guided by God’s covenant, and acknowledged their need for a divine leader to show them how to create a good society, not just community." At Sinai God entered into a covenant with the Israelites and joined with them as partners in Creation. As followers of the law they became the chosen people. "Will you take me? I am Adonai, your God. "Na’aseh (we will)," spoke the children of Israel… "Vnishmah, (and we will listen)." And then the law unfolded."

In his lecture, Dr. John C. Merkle, associate director of The Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning, began by describing the different forms gods take on in the world.

He first described polytheism, traditionally associated with ancient Greek and Roman mythology. These gods took on the form of natural phenomena and were viewed as having the power to control the forces of nature. In this environment also arose the ethical monotheism of Judaism and Christianity at Mount Sinai. Merkle also describes a subtle form of functional polytheism that exists today, such as, the desire for money, prestige, and power, that inhibit devotion to the one true God. In his discussion of henotheism, the deification of a community, traditionally associated with nationalism or racism, Dr. Merkle defined secular humanism as a more sophisticated form of theism, in which humanity is deified and thus becomes the ultimate reality. He asks the question, "What is to become of those things that humans do not value?" He also says, "…to presume humanity is the source of all meaning is not only potentially hazardous to the non-human world, it also does a disservice to human existence, the dynamic of which depends on openness to what transcends it." He describes pantheism as nature worship and the deification of all realities. While everything can be recognized as sacred, to call it divine would be dangerous. If everything is divine, that would include evil, which would imply God is not entirely good, a dangerous assertion.

Dr. Merkle concludes his lecture with a discussion of monotheism and the link between the monotheisms of Judaism and Christianity,even though one can best be described as "trinitarian monotheism." While it sometimes erroneously appears that Christians worship three gods, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they are merely ways of describing the divine reality which is a characteristic Jews share as well. While they do not divide God into a three-in-one trinity, they do worship "God as Father, they speak of God’s Word (Son), and they also speak of God as Spirit." God has revealed God’s self to both Christians and Jews and it is living through God’s oneness that humans will reach his vision of history.

Families in a Fractured World
May 9, 1995

Presenters:
Reverend Dr. James R. Thomas
Dr. Carol L. Wirtschafter

Seeking to address the questions surrounding the survival of families and faith in this fractured world, Reverend James Thomas and Dr. Carol Wirtschafter offered their views on the importance of family and faith in light of their respective religions.

Reverend Thomas began the dialogue by sharing his experiences in a single-parent home growing up with three siblings who had different fathers. In addition, he grew up where people belonged to many different churches and denominations. However, his mother and his faith community taught him some important lessons and served as a support network for his family. It became the primary source for his ethical and faith formation. Her spoke of the faith community’s role in parenting, in preparing children to leave home, in developing a model of discipline (in his case it was his mother who had the responsibility of raising four children without fathers), and in living by the maxim "We are in the world, but not of it." This maxim was especially important because it reminded the children of the conflicts that sometimes existed between their home and their church, and further, with the values of popular culture. Reverend Thomas noted that it was important to be reminded of what is called "our better principles."

Reverend Thomas concluded his remarks by sharing the story of his conversion from the Baptist to the Lutheran tradition, gratefully recognizing the minister who gave him intellectual, spiritual, and financial support on this journey. He noted that this kind of support from families and faith communities allows both individuals and families to continue their faith journeys in strong and healthy environments.

In her remarks, Dr. Carol Wirtschafter discussed the importance of the Ten Commandments in Jewish life for strengthening the bonds of family and community. She began by citing the Fifth Commandment and the importance of honoring mother and father. She cited passages that indicate the pleasure that God has when parents are honored and obeyed.

Dr. Wirtschafter described three elements found in Jewish life and the Ten Commandments that serve as examples of bonds that strengthen families and the community; the mezuzah, the Sabbath, seder and Haggadah. The mezuzah emphasizes the importance of prayer and the element of Jewish life that exists in the household. It’s place on the door post is a reminder of the ties that bind family together and the call to remember the Commandments. The Sabbath or Shabbat is a time when families and persons can escape what Abraham Joshua Heschel calls the "external obligations of economic struggle with our fellow men and the forces of human nature." Dr. Wirtschafter describes her own Sabbath experiences of a weekly family meal and fellowship where prayer and rest play an important role. Seder and Haggadah provide a time and pedagogical tool for teaching Jewish history by celebrating God’s liberation of the children of Israel. This event strengthens the community by sharing in celebration of a common and unique history while commemorating the liberty God has granted to them. Dr. Wirtschafter noted that it is also a time, celebrated in the "Next Year in Jerusalem" prayer, when "Jews come together to pray that they will have a future together as they have had a past, and that the future will bring them together in the Zion of love and peace."

She concluded by noting that Jewish homes are "created by Jewish parents who themselves must be learners if they are to be good teachers." Here, the reference to education’s importance in Jewish life is noted. To continue the relationship of the Jewish community and person with God, parents must pass along the traditions and the law found in the Ten Commandments. Particularly the Fifth commandment which will enable children and families to grow and strengthen the Jewish community and its relationship with God.

Sexuality in a World of Sex and Violence
October 11, 1995

Presenters:
Rabbi Joseph A. Edelheit
Dr. Joan H. Timmerman

This lecture, which discussed the issues of sex and violence in our culture, brought together Rabbi Joseph Edelheit of Temple Israel and Dr. Joan Timmerman of the College of St. Catherine. Using the framework of the Ten Commandments, Rabbi Edelheit distinguished the difference between what he calls the "prophetic ideals" found in Scripture, and the "human realities" found in everyday life. Dr. Timmerman uses the Christian Beatitudes and the Christian faith community as starting points for her lecture, which specifically focused around sexual violence.

Rabbi Edelheit began by noting that the Jewish tradition has "clear and definitive legal statements regarding sexual behavior." However, he also stated that looking solely at the tradition is of little assistance when looking at contemporary problems of sex and violence. Hebrew Scripture does describe some of the problems of sexuality and violence persons would be experiencing in our times, such as adultery, incest, and murder. The tension between the prophetic ideals and the human realities has been shown early on in Hebrew Scripture. Rabbi Edelheit cites the prohibition against incest in Leviticus 18. He then shares the story of Lot in Genesis, whose daughters had sexual relations with him because they feared they were to be the last of the human race. In the first book of the Bible there is already tension between the ideals and the realities. Rabbi Edelheit cites Dr. Timmerman when she says "the unresolved tension between the real and the prophetic is the key role religion plays in matters of sex and violence."

Rabbi Edelheit concludes his lecture by noting that there has been a blur in the distinction between fact and fiction in our culture as well as good and evil. In matters such as the O.J. Simpson trial and in movies such as "Pulp Fiction," which portray situations where "ethics" play a role in a surreal and distorted world, notions of the prophetic ideals and of reality have been lost. He concludes by suggesting that the tradition of the Ten Commandments be placed at the heart of the debate and should be kept as "an essential background for dealing with issues of sex and violence."

Dr. Timmerman focused on the different sources of standards for behavior found within the Christian tradition. She began by citing the Beatitudes as a central theme in Christian teaching, finding them crucial for bringing to light one’s "inner intention, one’s heart, and one’s spiritual integrity." Secondly, she cites the community as a source of insight into a proper sexual life. She presents the challenging problem of standards, guidelines and needs regarding sexual behavior that may be different for different persons; male and female, different sexual orientations, persons with normal sexual patterns and those who have a history of rape, abuse, or sexual addiction. She also notes that "practical and theological pluralism in these matters is not just inevitable, but desirable."

Concentrating on how the Christian community has been unable to transform the sexual life, Dr. Timmerman discussed some events and current debates that have stifled progress in this area. She notes that some of the stumbling blocks have been differing visions of Christian life within the community, problems of human sexuality cut across all denominations, and that Christian community has addressed only a narrow spectrum of concerns, specifically, social stability, married life, and heterosexual values. She ends her lecture by discussing sources of violence within the community and concentrates on the issue of men accepting the fact that sexual violence is their problem. In addition, Dr. Timmerman cited studies discussing how a particular fear or deprivation in one’s sexuality can lead to brain damage, which causes violence and aggression.

Social Justice in a World of Injustices
October 25, 1995

Presenters:
Rabbi Barry Cytron
Father Michael O’Connell

Putting the amount of social problems and injustices that take place every day into the perspective of religious faith can be perplexing, and often very hard to reconcile. In this lecture, Rabbi Barry Cytron and Reverend Michael O’Connell take on the issues of social injustice from a Jewish and Catholic perspective.

Rabbi Cytron focused his discussion of social problems in the context of the Ten Commandments. He begins with an anecdotal midrashic teaching about the Ten Commandments, and illustrates that every teaching of the Torah begins, "I am the Lord, your God," and ends "you shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s." All life falls between God and neighbor. Rabbi Cytron describes the Ten Commandments as the "instructions for life in the community, not just any community either—but one covenanted to God and one’s fellow human travelers."

Discussing the Commandments in light of their implications for the community, Rabbi Cytron elaborated on the implications of the sixth commandment, which is a prohibition against murder. He discusses the problems in the language of the commandment for establishing a clear ethical principle. Can one defend one’s self? What about capital punishment? These are the sorts of questions Rabbi Cytron raises as he discusses the Ten Commandments and their implications for the community. He noted that violation of the Commandments eats away at the very substance of the community: stealing, murder, covetousness. Concluding his lecture, Rabbi Cytron cites the Kotzker rebbe who taught that the "giving of the Commandments took place only once, but the receiving of them takes place at any and every moment, by any and everyone, in the fullness of the lives they lead and the choices they make."

Father O’Connel discussed social injustice from a Catholic-Christian perspective. He begins by citing the story of creation in Genesis and its implications for the God-given dignity of each and every human person made in God’s image. He, like Rabbi Cytron notes that God’s expectations for us are highlighted in the Ten Commandments. From a Christian perspective, there is also additional reinforcement for good behavior found in the Gospels and the Epistles. O’Connell says Christian