Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31337/oz.77.1.3
A Christian Cannot be an Anti–Semite: A Contribution to Christian–Jewish Dialogue by Catholic Journalist Smiljana Rendić
Silvana Burilović Crnov
orcid.org/0000-0002-1723-3404
; Information Department of the Split–Makarska Archdiocese Press Office, Split, Croatia
Abstract
The first female Croatian Catholic journalist, Smiljana Rendić, has made a substantial contribution to Christian–Jewish dialogue. Still relevant today are the topics she covered during the Second Vatican Council in an effort at clarification for the Church Press, while in the post–conciliar period she focused on the “Nostra aetate” Declaration and the dialogue between Christians and Jews. Today, modern Jews are complaining of a rise in anti–Semitism in Western Europe. The paper presents Rendić’s thoughts on the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, on the attitude of Jesus Christ towards the Law, on Judaism and the Jews whom she considered a unique people. It analyzes the causes of Christian anti–Semitism and the unsustainability of the thesis concerning their collective responsibility for deicide. It contextualizes her interpretation of Jewish culture, language, and customs, and questions the viability of the claim that the Church spoke belatedly on anti–Semitism. Rendić often entered into discussions by taking a stance founded in the Torah, which she knew well. She did not discuss the fact that a Christian cannot be anti–Semitic. The author of the article concludes that Rendić endeavoured in her writing to encourage Christians and Jews to live their faith authentically and to strive toward a peaceful coexistence. The author uses the hermeneutic method of reading texts in their context.
Keywords
Smiljana Rendić; Jews; Christian–Jewish dialogue; anti–Semitism; deicide; collective responsibility; Nostra aetate; Judaization of Christianity
Hrčak ID:
271691
URI
Publication date:
9.2.2022.
Visits: 813 *