Religion 209b - Antisemitism and the Christian Tradition

Prof. Anne McGuire, Spring 1998

Course Description

This course offers an examination of the phenomenon of antisemitism in the history of Christianity, with a special focus on its ancient origins and contemporary manifestations in the United States. Topics include: Christian anti-Judaism and antisemitism in the history of Jewish-Christian relations; the theological, social, and cultural sources and contexts of negative representations of Judaism, the Jewish people, and the Jewish scriptures in Christian tradition; the role of the Christian tradition in shaping attitudes, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination toward Jews and Judaism; contemporary efforts among Jews and Christians to resist and overcome anti-Judaism and antisemitism. This course fulfils the Social Justice requirement.

WWWeb Resources

• Antisemitism Links. A selection of Web Resources for the Study of Antisemitism.
• Vatican Statement, March 1998. The most recent statement of the Roman Catholic Church on the Shoah.
• "The Church and the Legacy of Anti-Judaism. A Talk by Prof. Anne McGuire, Villanova University, Center for Peace and Justice Education, April 16, 1998.
• Posse Comitatus. The home page of Posse Comitatus, an antisemitic Christian group, with additional links.
  • Posse Comitatus:Who We Are
  • "Was Jesus Christ a Jew?", a lecture by Dr. Wesley A. Swift denying the Jewish identity of Jesus
  • "Racial Covenant Identity"
• Links for the Study of Religion. Magill Library Reference Department's Links for the Study of Religion.

Selected Course Readings

For March 4: An Infamous Forgery: The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion on "A Jewish World Conspiracy" against the Goyim

• The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. A Critical Introduction and Overview of the Protocols with additional links.
• A Brief Critical Introduction to the Protocols by Daniel Keren, the Nizkor Project.

Excerpts from The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Marsden translation.

• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion. Introduction presented at Antisemitic Site: Be Wise as Serpents.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number One: "Our system from the two point of view: that of ourselves and that of the goyim."
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Two, on Economic Wars.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Three, on the Symbolic Snake.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Five, on the creation of a Centralized Government.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Eleven, Programmed of the New Constitution.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Fourteen, on the Religion of the Future.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Fifteen, on a worldwide Revolution.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Number Twenty, on the Financial Program.
• Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, Epilogue.

For March 2: Church Documents on Jewish-Christian Relations

• Index of Church Statements on Jewish-Christian Relations.
• Index of Protestant Statements on Jewish-Christian Relations.
• Documents of the Roman Catholic Church, 1965-1997.

  • 1965, Nostra Aetate, In Our Time, This document of the Second Vatican Council, 1965, on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, laid the groundwork for many Churches' statements on Jewish-Christian relations. See esp. section 4.
  • 1974, Vatican Guidelines for Religious Relations with the Jews,, On Implementing Nostra Aetate, Cardinal J. Willebrands.
  • 1982, Commission For Religious Relations with the Jews, "Notes on the Correct Way to Present the Jews and Judaism in Preaching and Catechesis in the Roman Catholic Church."
  • 1997, Declaration of Repentance,Roman Catholic Bishops of France.
  • Vatican Statement, March 1998. The most recent statement of the Roman Catholic Church on the Shoah.
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• Documents of the World Council of Churches

  • Index, World Council of Churches Documents.
  • 1967, The Bristol Document, World Council of Churches, Report on the Committee on the Church and the Jewish People.
  • 1988, The Churches and the Jewish People: Toward A New Understanding, Consultation on the Church and the Jewish People, World Council of Churches.
  • 1992, Beyond Canberra, World Council of Churches.

For February 25: Selections from Martin Luther

• Martin Luther, "On the Jews and Their Lies", Excerpts.
• Recent Lutheran Statements , From the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (1994) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada (1995).

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For February 16: Selections from John Chrysostom

• John Chrysostom, Homily on Paul's Letter to the Galatians, Commentary on Galatians 4:21-31.
• John Chyrsostom, Homily 53 on the Gospel of John, Commentary on John 8:20-30.
• John Chrysostom, Homily 54 on the Gospel of John, Commentary on John 8:31-47.
• John Chrysostom, Homily 55 on the Gospel of John, Commentary on John 8:48-59.

For February 16: Selections from Augustine

• Augustine, City of God XX.27-30, on the Last Judgment. Please note: this link takes you to the beginning of Book XX; scroll down to read chapters 27-30.
• Augustine, Tractate 42 on the Gospel of John 8:37-47.
• Augustine, Tractate 43 on the Gospel of John 8:48-59. 

Course Outline

• I. Introduction to the Course: Anti-Judaism and Antisemitism in the History of Christianity (1/20-29)

  II. The Contexts of Christian Anti-Judaism and Antisemitism: The History of Jewish-Christian Relations from the New Testament through the Twentieth Century (2/2-3/6)

  III. The Holocaust and Post-Holocaust Contexts: Antisemitism and Resistance in the Twentieth Century (3/16-4/30)

  Course Requirements

• participation in class discussion;
• weekly one-page paper on reading assigned for class;
• participation in a group project on a topic in the study of Antisemitism + in-class presentation;
• a final research paper of 18-20 pages.

  Reading list

  The books listed below are available for purchase at the Haverford College Bookstore. Some additional readings will be placed on reserve in Magill Library.

• Edward Flannery, The Anguish of the Jews
• Malcolm Hay, The Roots of Christian Anti-Semitism
• Elie Wiesel, Night
• John RousmaniereA Bridge to Dialogue: The Story of Jewish Christian-Relations.
• James Ridgeway.Blood in the Face: The Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, Nazi Skinheads, and the Rise of a New White Culture.
• Michael Lerner and Cornel West, Jews and Blacks: A Dialogue on Race, Religion, and Culture in America
• Howard Clark Kee, ed. Removing Anti-Judaism from the Pulpit.
• Additional readings on Reserve in Magill Library

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This page maintained by amcguire@haverford.edu, Last updated 1/11/99