Christian Antisemitism and the Dawn of a New Age

Matthew 27:22-25 (NRSV translation)

(22) Pilate said to (the Jews), “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them said, “Let him be crucified!” (23) Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” (24) So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” (25) Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Sicut Judaeis (1199)

Although in many ways the disbelief of the Jews must be reproved, since nevertheless through them our own faith is truly proved, they must not be oppressed grievously by the faithful…

[The Jews] ought to suffer no prejudice. We…in keeping in the footprints of Our predecessors…admit their petition…

We make the law that no Christian compel them…by violence to come to baptism. But, if any one of them should spontaneously…fly to the Christians…let him be made a Christian without any calumny…

Too, no Christian ought to presume...to injure their persons, or with violence to take their property, or to change the good customs which they have had until now…Besides, in the celebration of their own festivities, no one ought disturb them in any way, with clubs or stones...

We decree...that no one ought to dare mutilate or diminish a Jewish cemetery, nor, in order to get money, to exhume bodies once they have been buried. If anyone…shall attempt, the tenor of this decree once known, to go against it...let him be punished by the vengeance of excommunication, unless he correct his presumption by making equivalent satisfaction.

Alahambra Decree (March 31, 1492)

We were informed that in our realms there were some bad Christians who Judaized...the chief cause was the communication between the Christians and the Jews...[therefore, in 1480] we ordained that said Jews should be set apart...[in] Jewish quarters…hoping that with this separation [the matter] would be corrected...[however,] many offenders have been revealed...by the Inquisitors...Thereby is established...the great damage to the Christians which has resulted...from the...communication which they have held...with the Jews...

This is proved by the many...confessions both of the Jews themselves and also of those who were corrupted and deceived by them...

It was our wish to be content with ordering them to leave...Andalusia...in the belief that this would be sufficient for those in other...places...[however,] every day it is discovered and made manifest that the said Jews continue ever more in their evil and harmful purpose in every place where they dwell...

Having considered the matter with much deliberation, [we] are agreed in ordering that all...Jews...of our realms shall leave and never return...by the end of...July...under the penalty that if they do not do so...they incur the punishment of death and the confiscation of all their property...with no trial nor sentence nor declaration...

Nuremberg Laws (September 15, 1935)

Moved by the understanding that purity of the German Blood is the essential condition for the continued existence of the German people, and inspired by the inflexible determination to ensure the existence of the German Nation for all time, the Reichstag has unanimously adopted the following Law...

I - 1) Marriage between Jews and subjects of the state of German or related blood are forbidden...

II - Extramarital intercourse between Jews and subjects of the state of German or related blood is forbidden.

III - Jews may not employ in their households female subjects of the state of German or related blood who are under 45 years old.

IV - 1) Jews are forbidden to fly the Reich or National flag or to display the Reich colors...

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10, 1948)

Article 1 - All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights...and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2 - Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status...

Article 18 - Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion...

Article 26 - Everyone has the right to education...Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and...shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups...

Nostra Aetate (October 28, 1965)

(1) In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship...

(4) As the sacred synod searches into the mystery of the Church, it remembers the bond that spiritually ties the people of the New Covenant to Abraham's stock.

Thus the Church of Christ acknowledges that, according to God's saving design, the beginnings of her faith and her election are found already among the Patriarchs, Moses and the prophets...The Church, therefore, cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Old Testament through the people with whom God in His inexpressible mercy concluded the Ancient Covenant...

As Holy Scripture testifies, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her visitation, nor did the Jews in large number, accept the Gospel...Nevertheless, God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues...

Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues.

True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ.

Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone...

(5) We cannot truly call on God, the Father of all, if we refuse to treat in a brotherly way any man, created as he is in the image of God...

No foundation therefore remains for any theory or practice that leads to discrimination between man and man or people and people, so far as their human dignity and the rights flowing from it are concerned.

The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion. On the contrary...this sacred synod ardently implores the Christian faithful to "maintain good fellowship among the nations" (1 Peter 2:12), and, if possible, to live for their part in peace with all men, so that they may truly be sons of the Father who is in heaven.