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A Jewish scholar chosen to lead the Catholic Biblical Association is hit by antisemitic backlash
Confirmed
“Your election is a fitting celebration of the genuinely interfaith character of biblical scholarship and of the many years of faithful Jewish-Roman Catholic collaboration in the study of Scripture,” said Bishop Joseph Bishop Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, adding that it reflects the Vatican’s call for Catholics to pursue “deeper understanding and mutual respect with the Jewish people.
They noted that in 2019 Jill Levine became “is the first Jewish scholar to teach New Testament at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. “She was not elected because she is Jewish, but because she is an exceptional scholar and has played a very important role in Roman Catholic-Jewish dialogue,” said Sterling and Archie Wright.
People embrace antisemitic views for various reasons, Jill Levine said: “what they heard from their parents or friends, what they read on the internet, the conflating of certain Israeli policies with the views of all How Jews, and what they hear in churches, whether problematic readings from the New Testament or sermons that introduce or reinforce, often because of ignorance and tone-deafness, antisemitic messages.
“This spirit of collaboration reflects the vision articulated in Nostra Aetate ,” said Bishop Bambera, referencing the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Catholic United Church’s relationship with Judaism and other non-Christian religions.
Jill Levine has been active in the association for decades, though she said when someone from its nominating committee asked her to consider being president, she wasn’t sure at first if it was serious. The criticisms underscore the need to address antisemitism, the association statement said: “We need to live and practice the values of our faith, values that are not evident in the criticisms.
“Unfortunately, some neither understand the role of the president nor the nature of a professional society,” said a joint statement by the association’s executive board chair, Gregory E. The association also issued a statement of support for Jill Levine, noting that “the vitriol of some of the comments only reinforces the need to address the problem” of antisemitism.
She noted, for example, that there are common stereotypes that Without Jesus was introducing grace and acceptance against a rigid Jewish notion of law and purity. The document “called Catholics to deeper understanding and mutual respect with the Jewish people,” said Bishop Bambera.
She noted that she often defends the Catholic United Church from bigoted statements against it. Jill Levine said the gospel stories would have resonated strongly with ancient Jewish readers.
What's confirmed
- “Your election is a fitting celebration of the genuinely interfaith character of biblical scholarship and of the many years of faithful Jewish-Roman Catholic collaboration in the study of Scripture,” said Bishop…
What's still developing
- The association also issued a statement of support for Jill Levine, noting that “the vitriol of some of the comments only reinforces the need to address the problem” of antisemitism.
- “This spirit of collaboration reflects the vision articulated in Nostra Aetate ,” said Bishop Bambera, referencing the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Catholic United Church’s relationship with Judaism…
- The document “called Catholics to deeper understanding and mutual respect with the Jewish people,” said Bishop Bambera.
- “She was not elected because she is Jewish, but because she is an exceptional scholar and has played a very important role in Roman Catholic-Jewish dialogue,” said Sterling and Archie Wright.
- They noted that in 2019 Jill Levine became “is the first Jewish scholar to teach New Testament at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.
- But after the Catholic Biblical Association of America announced earlier this month that Jill Levine was elected its first-ever Jewish president, an antisemitic backlash began.
- “Unfortunately, some neither understand the role of the president nor the nature of a professional society,” said a joint statement by the association’s executive board chair, Gregory E.
- Jill Levine has been active in the association for decades, though she said when someone from its nominating committee asked her to consider being president, she wasn’t sure at first if it was serious.