The Catholic Church as the historic protector of Jews

[Jayne]

This is an excerpt from a review of Rodney Stark's book Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History

Stark, a professor of history at Baptist-affiliated Baylor University, first takes up the topic of Jews and the Catholic Church. Stark notes that while Christians sometimes attacked or killed Jews between 500 and 1400, the Church hierarchy consistently defended the Jews. For instance, during the First Crusade, some crusaders decided that, before they went all the way to the Middle East to fight "God's enemies," they should "take care" of those enemies who were living next door in Europe (i.e. Jews). And so a certain Emich of Leiningen set out to kill Jews in the Rhineland. Their first stop was Speyer, but:

The bishop of Speyer took the local Jews under his protection, and Emich's forces could only lay their hands on a dozen Jews who had somehow failed to heed the bishop's alarm. All twelve were killed. Then Emich led his forces to Worms. Here, too, the bishop took the local Jews into his palace for protection. But this time Emich would have none of that, and his forces broke down the bishop's gate and killed about five hundred Jews. The same pattern was repeated the following week Mainz. Just as before, the bishop attempted to shield the Jews, but he was attacked and forced to flee for his life.

In the Second Crusade, St. Bernard of Clairvaux rode to the Rhine Valley—apparently the worst place in Medieval Europe to be a Jew—and, as told by a Jewish chronicler Ephraim, said, "Anyone who attacks a Jew and tries to kill him is as though he attacks Jesus himself."

During the Black Death, rumors arose that Jews were poisoning wells and causing the plague deaths. But, "Pope Clement VI, who directed the clergy to protect the Jews, denounced all claims about poisoned wells, and ordered that those who spread the rumor, as well as anyone who harmed Jews, be excommunicated." In short, attacks on Jews in the Middle Ages almost always arose from "the mob," and were resisted by the Church hierarchy.

https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/nobody-expects-the-spanish-inquisition-to-be-explained-fairly/


While the Church has always taught that modern (Talmudic) Judaism is a false, non-salvific religion, she has not promoted racial hatred of Jews.  She has been the greatest protector of Jews ever since she was in a position to do so.

(The term "anti-semitism" at one point was used to refer to racial hatred of Jews and was rightfully condemned.  The term is currently applied so broadly as to be meaningless and merely a tool of political and social manipulation. I find it better to avoid the term.)

[dellery]

Seems like this is more than just a historical topic since so many contemporary Trads claim to be "traditional" while at the same time rejecting the Church's tradition of being the protector of the Jews. Neo-Nazis, or whatever they are, often cite Church teaching and tradition in regard to the Jew's protection in their argument that the Church is a Jewish-proxy. Moreover, protecting the Jews is a pretty general concept and does not imply being soft on the Rabbis for if one is really preserving the Jews for conversion they must also preserve the Jews from their own Rabbis.

Seems like a pretty backwards situation when the Church's enemies are more familiar with one of Her characteristics than self-professed Trad Catholics --something I have been guilty of myself.

[Jayne]

In general, I would say that history is never "just history".  Typically there is some connection with the present.

I probably should have mentioned that this thread is a spin-off from another:  https://www.suscipedomine.com/forum/index.php?topic=28242.0
In that thread, the claim was made that, when Pius XII saved countless Jews during WW2, he was making up for the actions of past popes.  On the contrary, he was acting in continuity with a long tradition.

Along side her teaching on the evils of Talmudic Judaism and her efforts to preserve Catholics from the bad influences of association with Jews, the Church has a long history of protecting Jews from physical harm.  Let me make clear, this is protection of life and limb, not of the Jewish religion.  That religion has no inherent right to exist, but may be tolerated when it is prudent to do so.

It is difficult to discuss subjects pertaining to Jews and Judaism because the same words often refer to very different things.  Hatred and violence against Jews, in the sense of those who have "Jewish blood", needs to be distinguished from hatred of Talmudism or of the Leftist ideologies so often associated with them.

[dellery]

Absolutely, and this

Along side her teaching on the evils of Talmudic Judaism and her efforts to preserve Catholics from the bad influences of association with Jews, the Church has a long history of protecting Jews from physical harm.  Let me make clear, this is protection of life and limb, not of the Jewish religion.  That religion has no inherent right to exist, but may be tolerated when it is prudent to do so.

is probably the best summary explanation of the true Catholic position on the Jews and Talmudism I've seen.

[Julio]

The oppression against the Jews is just part of the human rights protection by the Catholic Church. The Western Civilization was able to attain humane laws because of Catholicism. Now, that many are turning against God, even the meaning of love towards God and the fellow being has been given with an entirely different meaning with all the propagandist agenda coming from different sides.