Relations between the Vatican and Israel—and the state of Jewish-Catholic dialogue in general—are at a historical low point. The Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and Israel’s response have repercussions beyond the geopolitical realm, given the respective religious character (in different ways) of the Holy See and the Jewish state. We appear to have arrived at a defining moment in the relationship, and the situation becomes more pressing with everything we learn about Israel’s actions against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and the impact on Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran.
The article by my friend and Villanova colleague Ethan Schwartz posted by Commonweal on December 29, 2024, helps us understand what’s at stake. His piece also reveals profound differences in our views about the significance of this moment, about what is expected of the speaking partner in the Jewish-Catholic relationship (which is unique, but not exclusive of other relationships between the Church and non-Christian traditions), and about what we mean by “liberal Catholicism” today. It’s even more important to ponder these questions given increasingly polemical critiques of Pope Francis from some Jewish voices.
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