I Am Joseph Your Brother
6 November 2002 A showing of the video “I am Joseph Your Brother” took place at Northwood Methodist Church. Inspired by the visit of Pope John Paul II to Israel in the year 2002, the video assesses and reflects on the changes which have occurred in the often turbulent relationship that has existed for centuries between Christians and Jews, Judaism and Catholicism, and more recently, between the State of Israel and the Vatican.
A New Theological Understanding
In the video many leading Jewish and Catholic spokespeople (Rabbis, Cardinals and lay people) were interviewed. The interviews were interspersed with a number of filmed sequences taken during the Pope’s visit to Israel. The speakers commented on various issues relating to the terrible events of the holocaust. A theme which emerged was the change in theological understanding which has taken place over the centuries; Jews no longer being demonised as “Christ-killers”, and as such regarded as virtually beyond redemption. Today Christians have a fresh understanding of God’s Covenant with the Jews i.e. the permanent election of the Jewish people and the total validity of Judaism. Great sadness and shame for past events was expressed, and the clips of the Pope visiting various sites commemorating the Shoah, talking with Jewish dignitaries and concentration camp survivors, and inserting a prayer in the Wailing Wall provided a powerful and moving plea for forgiveness and reconciliation between Judaism and Christianity.
Questions & Answers
After the showing of the video a short explanatory talk was given, and questions answered, by Ruth Weyl. Ruth was ideally qualified to undertake this task as she is involved at national and international levels in the reconciliatory work of the Council of Christians and Jews. As an active member of the CCJ International Committee she is well versed in Jewish, Vatican and various other Christian documents which are both relevant and important aids to understanding present relations between the faith traditions. Ruth explained that through her work at international level she knew every single person who spoke on the video (and there were many, both Jews and Catholics), and she could vouch for their integrity and absolute sincerity.
What About Protestants?
A questioner asked why the video covered dialogue between Judaism and Catholicism only; no input being included from Protestant sources. The reason is that the video is, by intention and title, a record of the Pope’s personal visit to Israel. Jews and Catholics have on-going contact with Protestants, but whereas, for example, the Vatican can issue an encyclical to be read out in every Catholic Church throughout the world, the position is more difficult for the Protestant Church because it isn’t monolithic. In consequence the “voice” of Protestantism tends to be expressed through the World Council of Churches, an umbrella organisation whose membership comprises most, but not all, the major Protestant denominations.
Groundbreaking Progress
A number of documents on Christian/Jewish relations have been produced by all parties over the last 50 years, and the positive progress that has been made can only be regarded as miraculous. One of the major documents produced by the Catholic Church following Vatican II is Nostra Aetate (1965), and this document has been regarded as truly “groundbreaking”. It has, in fact, been used throughout the world by many of the major denominations. On the Protestant side documents were published some 20 – 25 years later by the World Council of Churches, and on the Jewish side one of the most important documents is Dabru Emet.
Optimism for the future
So what of the future? Here Ruth was optimistic. In 2003 the Vatican will open secret archives on the activities of Eugenio Pacelli, who prior to World War II was Papal Nuncio to Germany, and later became Pope Pius XII; a man subject to much controversy.
The principal “groundbreaking” documents mentioned above, and the subsequent joint Catholic/Jewish document “Reflections on Covenant and Mission” have provided a “kick start” to joint Jewish and Christian studies. 10 major points have been documented as the basis for study:
- God’s Covenant with the Jewish people endures for ever.
- Jesus of Nazareth lived and died as a faithful Jew.
- Ancient rivalries must not define Christian – Jewish relations today.
- Judaism is a living faith, enriched by many centuries of development.
- The Bible both connects and separates Jews and Christians. (This is regarded as one of the main study points and confirms individual identities as Jews and Christians).
- The consequences that the affirmation of God’s Covenant with the Jewish people have for the Christian understanding of salvation.
- Christians should not target Jews for conversion.
- Christian worship that teaches contempt for Judaism dishonours God.
- The importance of the land of Israel for the life of the Jewish people.
- Christians should work with Jews for the healing of the world.
Ruth’s knowledge of people, events and documents is encyclopaedic, and her talk provided some necessary amplification and explanation of matters raised by the video. She ended her talk by looking to the future of Jewish/Christian relations and co-operation with confidence. Her upbeat anticipation of the kind of future we can look forward to helped the audience to cope with the poignant reminder of the terrible events discussed in the video. One comment from a member of the audience was that “the evening was healing”.
- Bernard Tiley
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