Coming Together for the Sake of God : Contributions to Jewish-Christian Dialogue from Post-Holocaust Germany

by Heinz, Hanspeter

• ISBN13: 9780814651674
• ISBN10: 0814651674
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Liturgical Pr

Summary

For more than thirty years the discussion group "Jews and Christians," sponsored by the Central Committee (a federation of groups) of the German Catholic Church, has worked to overcome prejudices and encourage greater understanding between these two great religious faiths. Currently made up of ten Jewish and sixteen Catholic members, the group has since 1979 sponsored conferences and conventions; revised curricula for religious education; and conducted study tours to Israel, New York, Paris, Hungary, and Poland. Over the years, the dialogue has produced a number of important position papers and guides, the most significant of which are collected in this book: a 1979 summary of the issues that would be the subject of the dialogue, reflection on the fiftieth anniversary of the Kristallnacht massacre, on Auschwitz, and on the Shoa, a statement on Pius XII and the Jews, a guide to the Holy Land, and a set of reflections on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. American readers, too often burdened by their own stereotypes about Germans, can benefit by reading these papers and coming to a better understanding of how Jews and Germans are working together to overcome the tragic history that continues to affect the modern world in profound ways, in the Middle East and beyond.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Foreword	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Presentation of the Discussion Group "Jews and Christians"	p. 1
Documents
Important Theological Issues for Jewish-Christian Dialogue. A Working Paper-May 8, 1979	p. 17
After Fifty Years: How Can We Talk about Guilt, Suffering, and Reconciliation? A Declaration-February 19, 1988	p. 27
Convent and Cross in Auschwitz? A Declaration-April 26, 1990	p. 42
Jews and Judaism in the New Catechism of the Catholic Church-An Intervention. A Discussion Paper of January 29, 1996 with Responses by	p. 47
Eugene J. Fisher	p. 52
James L. Heft	p. 58
Alan Mittleman	p. 62
Michael A. Signer	p. 63
Reflections on the Shoah: The Catholic Church's Share of the Blame and Responsibility. A Statement-September 4, 1998	p. 69
A Journey to the Holy Land. Revised edition-1998	p. 78
Pope Pius IX and the Jews. A Statement-July 21, 2000	p. 108
Jews and Christians in Germany: Responsibility in Today's Pluralistic Society. A Declaration-April 13, 2005	p. 112
Responses to the Work of the Discussion Group
The Road Is Made by Walking	p. 135
Steps Toward a New Theological and Human Awareness	p. 138
Theological Issues Outside the Boundaries of the Dialogue?	p. 143
Dialogue out of the Ashes: Jewish-Catholic Dialogue in Germany	p. 148
From Contempt to Respect for Jews	p. 156
Appendices
Members of the Discussion Group "Jews and Christians" of the Central Committee of German Catholics	p. 165
Publications of the Discussion Group "Jews and Christians"	p. 168
Contributors to this Book	p. 172
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