The intervention by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Jewish- Christian dialogue is continuing to provoke anger two weeks after a controversial article written by him was published in Communio magazine. Headlined “Grace and Vocation Without Remorse” the article argued that the current rejection of the so-called substitution or replacement theory, which holds that the Church replaces Israel’s salvific role, needs more consideration.
Benedict also reflects on the “never revoked covenant”, saying “revoked” is not a biblical word and, as helpful as the term is in resolving conflict, the language of the Bible must be chosen. He also reflects on the “controversial question” about the differences between Jewish and Christian understandings of the Messiah.
Now the coordinating council of the 80-plus Societies for Christian-Jewish Cooperation in Germany has fiercely condemned these views. The umbrella organisation said it was “exceedingly irritated” in a statement issued on 17 July, and that “immediate clarifying talks are imperative”.
It accused the Pope Emeritus of having “relativised” two fundamental aspects of the theological foundations that have made it possible to have Christian-Jewish dialogue, namely the “rejection of the replacement theory” and the “never-revoked covenant”.
The council takes hostile aim at Cardinal Kurt Koch, asking why “the Curia cardinal responsible for religious relations with Judaism” had pressed for the publication of an article that raises more questions than it offers answers to be published.
Gregor Maria Hoff, who teaches dogmatic theology at Salzburg University and is a consultor for the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, said the Pope Emeritus appears to “relativise” the effects of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council document that transformed Jewish-Christian dialogue.
Writing in the German weekly Die Zeit he said: “The Pope Emeritus repeats the old ‘replacement theory’ which held that Christianity replaced Judaism. After the history of Christian persecution of the Jews such theology can never be innocent.“