An upcoming program in Tacoma focuses on the relationship between Judaism and Catholicism half a century after the Second Vatican Council.
“Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate and Vatican II” is timed with the upcoming 2015 anniversary of “Nostra Aetate” (“In Our Time”), Vatican II’s statement on interreligious dialogue.
The program takes place at 7 p.m. March 20 at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7112 S. 12th St. Featured speakers are John Connelly, Sister Joyce Cox and Rabbi Anson Laytner.
Connelly is a UC Berkeley associate professor and author of “From Enemy to Brother: The Revolution in Catholic Teaching on the Jews, 1933-1965.” Sister Joyce is the Archdiocese of Seattle’s ecumenical and interreligious dialogue director. Rabbi Laytner is Seattle University’s interreligious program manager.
Connelly’s talk will focus on the impact of “Nostra Aetate” on the relationship between Jews, Christians and Catholics. Sister Joyce will speak from the Catholic perspective and Rabbi Laytner from the Jewish perspective.
In 'Nostra Aetate' the council repudiated the deicide [killing of a God] charge against the Jews, rejected anti-Semitism and affirmed the ongoing covenant of God with the Jews, his chosen people, according to a 2006 Catholic News Service article.
Pope Francis told the American Jewish Committee in a Feb. 13 meeting that “Nostra Aetate” is “the sure point of reference for relations with our ‘elder brothers,’” said a CNS story on the meeting.
In Nostra Aetate, the council also stated that the church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in other religions.
The March 20 event is co-sponsored by Temple Beth El in Tacoma and St. Charles Borromeo. Another joint celebration between the two congregations took place Feb. 20 at Temple Beth El.
March 18, 2014