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Catholicism Contradicting Itself - Treatment of the Jews

The Catholic Church's Historical Teaching

Historically, the Roman Catholic Church has actively commanded and worked towards the oppression of Jews, ensuring that they are relegated below Christians in societies - restricted in profession and rights, segregated, and on occasion, forbidden from practicing their religion, or reading their scriptures. This was especially prevalent during the Middle Ages.

One of the first official Catholic declarations to mention the Jews was the ecumenical Third Lateran Council, wherein they were forbidden to live with Christians, and otherwise placed firmly under Christians in society, in a variety of ways:

Third Lateran Council (1179 AD)

26 Jews and Saracens are not to be allowed to have christian servants in their houses, either under pretence of nourishing their children or for service or any other reason. Let those be excommunicated who presume to live with them. We declare that the evidence of Christians is to be accepted against Jews in every case, since Jews employ their own witnesses against Christians, and that those who prefer Jews to Christians in this matter are to lie under anathema, since Jews ought to be subject to Christians and to be supported by them on grounds of humanity alone.

Similarly, the Catholic Church repeatedly forbade the Jews from holding public office, along with various other professions:

Fourth Lateran Council (1215 AD)

Jews Not to Hold Public Offices
69 It would be too absurd for a blasphemer of Christ to exercise power over Christians. We therefore renew in this canon, on account of the boldness of the offenders, what the council of Toledo providently decreed in this matter: we forbid Jews to be appointed to public offices, since under cover of them they are very hostile to Christians.

Pope Benedict XIII - Alias Emanarunt (1729 AD)

Jews are to be limited to the trade of rag-picking, or 'cencinariae' (as it is said in the vernacular), and they cannot trade in grain, barley or any other commodity essential to human welfare. And those among them who are physicians, even if summoned and inquired after, cannot attend or take part in the care of Christians, and they are not to be addressed as superiors [even] by poor Christians.

The Church also regularly commanded the Jews to be confined to ghettos, to not associate with Christians, and to wear distinctive clothing:

Council of Basel (1434 AD)

Furthermore, renewing the sacred canons, we command both diocesan bishops and secular powers to prohibit in every way Jews and other infidels from having Christians, male or female, in their households and service, or as nurses of their children; and Christians from joining with them in festivities, marriages, banquets or baths, or in much conversation, and from taking them as doctors or agents of marriages or officially appointed mediators of other contracts. They should not be given other public offices, or admitted to any academic degrees, or allowed to have on lease lands or other ecclesiastical rents.

They are to be forbidden to buy ecclesiastical books, chalices, crosses and other ornaments of churches under pain of the loss of the object, or to accept them in pledge under pain of the loss of the money that they lent. They are to be compelled, under severe penalties, to wear some garment whereby they can be clearly distinguished from Christians. In order to prevent too much intercourse, they should be made to dwell in areas, in the cities and towns, which are apart from the dwellings of Christians and as far distant as possible from churches. On Sundays and other solemn festivals they should not dare to have their shops open or to work in public.

They were also expelled from various regions, at various times, by order of the Catholic Church:

Pope Pius V - Hebraeorum Gens (1569 AD)

1 By the authority of the present, we command that all and every one of the Jews of both sexes in all our temporal domain, and of the States, Lands, and localities consisting under it, of the Lordships, Barons, and other temporal lords, also the mere and mixed dominion, and the magistrates, and any other jurisdiction of those who have an exemption, should be completely expelled within the space of three months after this declaration has been published here.

Perhaps the most overtly antisemitic Papal decree, Cum Nimis Absurdum, was issued by Pope Paul IV (1476-1559 AD). In it, the Pope demands that Jews be permanently relegated to ghettos, and once again, places them firmly under Christians in a wide range of societal functions:

Pope Paul IV - Cum Nimis Absurdum (1555 AD)

Since it is completely senseless and inappropriate to be in a situation where Christian piety allows the Jews (whose guilt - all of their own doing - has condemned them to eternal slavery) access to our society and even to live among us; indeed, they are without gratitude to Christians, as, instead of thanks for gracious treatment, they return invective, and among themselves, instead of the slavery, which they deserve, they manage to claim superiority: we, who recently learned that these very Jews have insolently invaded Rome from a number of the Papal States, territories and domains, to the extent that not only have they mingled with Christians (even when close to their churches) and wearing no identifying garments, but to dwell in homes, indeed, even in the more noble [dwellings] of the states, territories and domains in which they lingered, conducting business from their houses and in the streets and dealing in real estate; they even have nurses and housemaids and other Christians as hired servants.

The entire text of the Papal Bull could be reprinted above, because the entire theme of the Bull is oppression of the Jews. For the full text, see Appendix I.

Besides what has been covered thus far, many other Papal Bulls have implemented restrictions on Jews, or otherwise persecuted them, throughout the history of the Church.

For instance:

  • Pope Honorius III - Ad Nostram Noveritis Audientiam (1221 AD)
    • Jews are obliged to carry a distinctive badge and forbidden to hold public office
  • Pope Innocent IV - Impia Judoerum Perfidia ("The Unpious Treachery of the Jews") (1244 AD)
    • Pope Innocent IV orders King Louis IX to publicly burn the Talmud
  • Pope Eugene IV - Dudum Ad Nostram Audientiam (1442 AD)
    • Forbade Jews to live with Christians or hold public office
  • Pope Calixtus III - Si Ad Reprimendos (1456 AD)
    • Reaffirmed Dudum Ad Nostram Audientiam
  • Pope Sixtus IV - Numquam Dubitavimus (1482 AD)
    • To King Ferdinand of Aragon, to appoint inquisitors to extirpate heresy and investigate backsliding of Jewish converts to Christianity. The Spanish Inquisition and expulsion of the Jews from Spain followed
  • Pope Pius V - Cum Nos Nuper (1567 AD)
    • Jews forbidden to own real estate
  • Pope Innocent XIII - Ex Injuncto Nobis (1724 AD)
    • Prohibits Jews from selling new objects

In light of all the above, it's indisputable that the Roman Catholic Church, in infallible documents, actively taught that persecution of the Jews was permissible, and demanded that they be relegated to the dregs of society, living in ghettos, restricted in employment, and prevented from using the Talmud.

The Catholic Church's Revision of Their Prior Teaching

Vatican 2 (1962-65 AD) was the most significant council in the history of the Catholic Church. It revised such a large swath of historical Roman Catholic teaching, that it compelled some Catholics to declare it altogether heretical, and break from the Church entirely.

One of the many areas that it touched upon was the status of the Jews, and how they are to be treated. Of this, it says:

Vatican 2 (1965 AD) - Nostra Aetate

4 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 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.

Here, the Church has confessed that the "the Gospel's spiritual love decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone". That is, any act of persecution, "directed against Jews at any time and by anyone", is contrary to the very essence of the Gospel. In confessing this, they have infallibly declared many historical Roman Catholic Popes, and ecumenical councils, to have taught heresy. They have contradicted themselves, and their own history, and have therefore refuted Roman Catholicism.

When the Roman Catholic Church commanded Jews to be confined to ghettos, to be forbidden all contact with Christians, to be barred from many occupations, to be forbidden from owning land, to be expelled from the Papal States, to have their scripture publicly burned, and finally, when the Vicar of Christ designated them as "condemned to eternal slavery" on account of their Judaism, did that display any "discrimination"? Any person concerned with truth before God would confess that, yes, it did. Therefore, according to Vatican 2, that entire corpus of Catholic doctrine, spanning centuries, was "foreign to the mind of Christ".

Lastly, how we treat others, especially nonbelievers, is indisputably "a matter of faith and morals". We receive multiple express commandments in the Word of God on the subject (2 Timothy 2:24-26, Colossians 4:5-6: 1 Peter 3:15-16, Galatians 6:10, Matthew 5:44-45, Luke 6:27-28, 6:35-36). The Roman Catholic Church therefore, by discriminating against the Jews repeatedly and egregiously, has, according to itself, infallibly taught heresies, on matters of faith and morals, that were "foreign to the mind of Christ", and contrary to the "Gospel's spiritual love".

Conclusion

The Roman Catholic Church, contrary to the Word of God, taught that Jews should be oppressed, segregated, and persecuted, and enforced that teaching, over the course of multiple centuries, in many infallible documents.

Then, in Vatican 2, it aligned itself more closely to what the Word of God taught originally, and in doing so, they admitted that the Roman Catholic Church had taught heresy on the vital doctrine of how we are to treat unbelievers, especially the Jews.

Appendix I - Full Text of Cum Nimis Absurdum

Pope Paul IV - Cum Nimis Absurdum (1555 AD)

Since it is completely senseless and inappropriate to be in a situation where Christian piety allows the Jews (whose guilt - all of their own doing - has condemned them to eternal slavery) access to our society and even to live among us; indeed, they are without gratitude to Christians, as, instead of thanks for gracious treatment, they return invective, and among themselves, instead of the slavery, which they deserve, they manage to claim superiority: we, who recently learned that these very Jews have insolently invaded Rome from a number of the Papal States, territories and domains, to the extent that not only have they mingled with Christians (even when close to their churches) and wearing no identifying garments, but to dwell in homes, indeed, even in the more noble [dwellings] of the states, territories and domains in which they lingered, conducting business from their houses and in the streets and dealing in real estate; they even have nurses and housemaids and other Christians as hired servants. And they would dare to perpetrate a wide variety of other dishonorable things, contemptuous of the name Christian. Considering that the Church of Rome tolerates these very Jews (evidence of the true Christian faith) and to this end [we declare]: that they, won over by the piety and kindness of the See, should at long last recognize their erroneous ways, and should lose no time in seeing the true light of the catholic faith, and thus to agree that while they persist in their errors, realizing that they are slaves because of their deeds, whereas Christians have been freed through our Lord God Jesus Christ, and that it is unwarranted for it to appear that the sons of free women serve the sons of maids. [Therefore,]

1 Desiring firstly, as much as we can with [the help of] God, to beneficially provide, by this [our decree] that will forever be in force, we ordain that for the rest of time, in the City as well as in other states, territories and domains of the Church of Rome itself, all Jews are to live in only one [quarter] to which there is only one entrance and from which there is but one exit, and if there is not that capacity [in one such quarter, then], in two or three or however many may be enough; [in any case] they should reside entirely side by side in designated streets and be thoroughly separate from the residences of Christians, [This is to be enforced] by our authority in the City and by that of our representatives in other states, lands and domains noted above.

2 Furthermore, in each and every state, territory and domain in which they are living, they will have only one synagogue, in its customary location, and they will construct no other new ones, nor can they own buildings. Furthermore, all of their synagogues, besides the one allowed, are to be destroyed and demolished. And the properties, which they currently own, they must sell to Christians within a period of time to be determined by the magistrates themselves.

3 Moreover, concerning the matter that Jews should be recognizable everywhere: [to this end] men must wear a hat, women, indeed, some other evident sign, yellow in color, that must not be concealed or covered by any means, and must be tightly affixed [sewn]; and furthermore, they can not be absolved or excused from the obligation to wear the hat or other emblem of this type to any extent whatever and under any pretext whatsoever of their rank or prominence or of their ability to tolerate [this] adversity, either by a chamberlain of the Church, clerics of an Apostolic court, or their superiors, or by legates of the Holy See or their immediate subordinates.

4 Also, they may not have nurses or maids or any other Christian domestic or service by Christian women in wet-nursing or feeding their children.

5 They may not work or have work done on Sundays or on other public feast days declared by the Church.

6 Nor may they incriminate Christians in any way, or promulgate false or forged agreements.

7 And they may not presume in any way to play, eat or fraternize with Christians.

8 And they cannot use other than Latin or Italian words in short-term account books that they hold with Christians, and, if they should use them, such records would not be binding on Christians [in legal proceedings].

9 Moreover, these Jews are to be limited to the trade of rag-picking, or "cencinariae" (as it is said in the vernacular), and they cannot trade in grain, barley or any other commodity essential to human welfare.

10 And those among them who are physicians, even if summoned and inquired after, cannot attend or take part in the care of Christians.

11 And they are not to be addressed as superiors [even] by poor Christians.

12 And they are to close their [loan] accounts entirely every thirty days; should fewer than thirty days elapse, they shall not be counted as an entire month, but only as the actual number of days, and furthermore, they will terminate the reckoning as of this number of days and not for the term of an entire month. In addition, they are prohibited from selling [goods put up as] collateral, put up as temporary security for their money, unless [such goods were] put up a full eighteen months prior to the day on which such [collateral] would be forfeit; at the expiration of the aforementioned number of months, if Jews have sold a security deposit of this sort, they must sign over all money in excess of the principal of the loan to the owner of the collateral.

13 And the statutes of states, territories and domains (in which they have lived for a period of time) concerning primacy of Christians, are to be adhered to and followed without exception.

14 And, should they, in any manner whatsoever, be deficient in the foregoing, it would be treated as a crime: in Rome, by us or by our clergy, or by others authorized by us, and in the aforementioned states, territories and domains by their respective magistrates, just as if they were rebels and criminals by the jurisdiction in which the offense takes place, they would be accused by all Christian people, by us and by our clergy, and could be punished at the discretion of the proper authorities and judges.

15 [This will be in effect] notwithstanding opposing decrees and apostolic rules, and regardless of any tolerance whatever or special rights and dispensation for these Jews [granted] by any Roman Pontiff prior to us and the aforementioned See or of their legates, or by the courts of the Church of Rome and the clergy of the Apostolic courts, or by other of their officials, no matter their import and form, and with whatever (even with repeated derogations) and with other legally valid sub-clauses, and erasures and other decrees, even [those that are] "motu proprio" and from "certain knowledge" and have been repeatedly approved and renewed. By this document, even if, instead of their sufficient derogation, concerning them and their entire import, special, specific, expressed and individual, even word for word, moreover, not by means of general, even important passages, mention, or whatever other expression was favored, or whatever exquisite form had to be retained, matters of such import, and, if word for word, with nothing deleted, would be inserted into them in original form in the present document holding that rather than being sufficiently expressed, those things that would stay in effect in full force by this change alone, we specially and expressly derogate, as well as any others [that might be] contrary to them.

Declared at St. Mark's, Rome, in the one thousand five hundred fifty fifth year of the incarnation of Our Lord, one day prior to the Ides of July, in the first year of our Papacy.