Seelisberg Conference
Encyclopedia
The Seelisberg Conference (International Conference of Christians and Jews) was an international conference that took place in the small town of Seelisberg
in Switzerland from 30 July to 5 August 1947 in order to study the causes of Christian antisemitism.
Among the 70 participants from 17 countries were:
At the time of this conference, the Christians undertook a re-examination of Christian teaching with regards to the Jews and Judaism. They measured the extent of Christian responsibility in the Nazi genocide and understood that Christian teaching had to be urgently corrected. They prepared ten points, largely inspired by the eighteen proposals of the historian Jules Isaac to eradicate prejudices against the Jews.
published the document "An Address to the Churches".
International Council of Christians and Jews
The 10 Points of Seelisburg, 1947
"The following statement, produced by the Christian participants at the Second conference of the newly formed International Council of Christians and Jews
, was one of the first statements following World War II
in which Christians, with the advice and counsel of Jews, began to come to terms with the implications of the Shoa
." The Christian Churches have indeed always affirmed the un-Christian character of antisemitism, as of all forms of racial hatred, but this has not sufficed to prevent the manifestation among Christians, in various forms, of an undiscriminating racial hatred of the Jews as a people.
This would have been impossible if all Christians had been true to the teaching of Jesus Christ on the mercy of God and love of one"s neighbour. But this faithfulness should also involve clear-sighted willingness to avoid any presentation and conception of the Christian message which would support antisemitism under whatever form. We must recognise, unfortunately, that this vigilant willingness has often been lacking.
We therefore address ourselves to the Churches to draw their attention to this alarming situation. We have the firm hope that they will be concerned to show their members how to prevent any animosity towards the Jews which might arise from false, inadequate or mistaken presentations or conceptions of the teaching and preaching of the Christian doctrine, and how on the other hand to promote brotherly love towards the sorely-tried people of the old covenant.
Nothing would seem more calculated to contribute to this happy result than the following[10 Points of Seelisburg, 1947]"
Seelisberg
Seelisberg is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.-History:The Rütli meadow, according to legend the site of the original oath foundational to the Old Swiss Confederacy, is situated in the territory of the municipality....
in Switzerland from 30 July to 5 August 1947 in order to study the causes of Christian antisemitism.
Among the 70 participants from 17 countries were:
- 28 Jews, including Jules IsaacJules IsaacJules Isaac was a Jewish French historian.-Life:His father was a Jewish career soldier from the Alsace, stationed in Rennes at the time of Jules' birth, who had opted for France rather than Prussia on the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870...
, Jacob Kaplan, acting chief rabbi of France, Alexandre Safran, chief rabbi of Romania, the writer Josué JéhoudaJosué JéhoudaJosué Jéhouda was a Russian Jew and Swiss Zionist militant, French language writer and journalist....
, of Geneva; Professor Selig BrodetskySelig BrodetskySelig Brodetsky was a British Professor of Mathematics, a member of the World Zionist Executive, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the second president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-Background:Brodetsky was born in Olviopol , Ukraine, the second of 13 children...
, president of the Representative Council of the Jews of England. - 23 Protestants,
- 9 Catholics, including Père Marie-BenoîtPère Marie-BenoîtPère Marie-Benoît , born Pierre Péteul, was a Capuchin Franciscan friar who helped smuggle approximately 4,000 Jews into safety from Nazi-occupied Southern France...
, Father Calliste Lopinot, Abbot Charles JournetCharles JournetCharles Journet was a Swiss Catholic theologian and cardinal.Born in Geneva, Charles Journet studied at the seminary in Fribourg before being ordained to the priesthood on July 15, 1917. He then did pastoral work in the Diocese of Fribourg until 1924, and there taught at the seminary from 1924 to...
, Father Jean de Menasce, Father Paul Démann.
At the time of this conference, the Christians undertook a re-examination of Christian teaching with regards to the Jews and Judaism. They measured the extent of Christian responsibility in the Nazi genocide and understood that Christian teaching had to be urgently corrected. They prepared ten points, largely inspired by the eighteen proposals of the historian Jules Isaac to eradicate prejudices against the Jews.
The 10 Points of Seelisberg
In 1947 the ICCJInternational Council of Christians and Jews
The International Council of Christians and Jews is an umbrella organization of 38 national groups in 32 countries world-wide engaged in the Christian-Jewish dialogue...
published the document "An Address to the Churches".
International Council of Christians and Jews
The 10 Points of Seelisburg, 1947
"The following statement, produced by the Christian participants at the Second conference of the newly formed International Council of Christians and Jews
International Council of Christians and Jews
The International Council of Christians and Jews is an umbrella organization of 38 national groups in 32 countries world-wide engaged in the Christian-Jewish dialogue...
, was one of the first statements following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in which Christians, with the advice and counsel of Jews, began to come to terms with the implications of the Shoa
Shoa
Shoa may refer to:* The Holocaust, named Ha-Shoah in Hebrew* Shoah .* Shoa, Ethiopia, the Shewa region, sometimes spelled Shoa* Shuwa Arabic or the Baggara Arabs* Shoa Magazine, a monthly magazine published from Pakistan...
." The Christian Churches have indeed always affirmed the un-Christian character of antisemitism, as of all forms of racial hatred, but this has not sufficed to prevent the manifestation among Christians, in various forms, of an undiscriminating racial hatred of the Jews as a people.
This would have been impossible if all Christians had been true to the teaching of Jesus Christ on the mercy of God and love of one"s neighbour. But this faithfulness should also involve clear-sighted willingness to avoid any presentation and conception of the Christian message which would support antisemitism under whatever form. We must recognise, unfortunately, that this vigilant willingness has often been lacking.
We therefore address ourselves to the Churches to draw their attention to this alarming situation. We have the firm hope that they will be concerned to show their members how to prevent any animosity towards the Jews which might arise from false, inadequate or mistaken presentations or conceptions of the teaching and preaching of the Christian doctrine, and how on the other hand to promote brotherly love towards the sorely-tried people of the old covenant.
Nothing would seem more calculated to contribute to this happy result than the following[10 Points of Seelisburg, 1947]"
- Remember that One God speaks to us all through the Old and the New Testaments (see divine simplicityDivine simplicityIn theology, the doctrine of divine simplicity says that God is without parts. The general idea of divine simplicity can be stated in this way: the being of God is identical to the "attributes" of God. In other words, such characteristics as omnipresence, goodness, truth, eternity, etc...
and monotheismMonotheismMonotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
). - Remember that Jesus was born of a Jewish mother of the seed of David and the people of Israel, and that His everlasting love and forgiveness embraces His own people and the whole world. (see Dual-covenant theologyDual-covenant theologyDual-covenant theology is a Liberal Christian view that holds that Jews may simply keep the Law of Moses, because of the "everlasting covenant" between Abraham and God expressed in the Hebrew Bible, whereas Gentiles must convert to Christianity or alternatively accept the Seven Laws of Noah...
and Judaism's view of JesusJudaism's view of JesusJews have traditionally seen Jesus as one of a number of false messiahs who have appeared throughout history. Jesus is viewed as having been the most influential, and consequently the most damaging, of all false messiahs...
) - Remember that the first disciples, the apostles and the first martyrs were Jews. (see Apostle (Christian)Apostle (Christian)The term apostle is derived from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος , meaning one who is sent away, from στέλλω + από . The literal meaning in English is therefore an "emissary", from the Latin mitto + ex...
) - Remember that the fundamental commandment of Christianity, to love God and one's neighbour, proclaimed already in the Old Testament and confirmed by Jesus, is binding upon both Christians and Jews in all human relationship, without any exception (see Ethic of reciprocityEthic of reciprocityThe Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, ethical code, or moralitythat essentially states either of the following:* : One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself....
). - Avoid distorting or misrepresenting biblical or post-biblical Judaism with the object of extolling Christianity. (see legalismLegalismLegalism may refer to:In philosophy:* Legalism , Chinese political philosophy based on the idea that a highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social order....
and phariseesPhariseesThe Pharisees were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews during the Second Temple period beginning under the Hasmonean dynasty in the wake of...
) - Avoid using the words Jews in the exclusive sense of the enemies of Jesus, and the words The Enemies of Jesus to designate the whole Jewish people. (see Jew (disambiguation)Jew (disambiguation)A Jew is a member of the Jewish people, or one who practices Judaism.It may also refer to:* Jew * Ed Jew, politician from San Francisco, California, U.S....
) - Avoid presenting the Passion in such a way as to bring the odium of the killing of Jesus upon all Jews or upon Jews alone. It was only a section of the Jews in Jerusalem who demanded the death of Jesus, and the Christian message has always been that it was the sins of mankind which were exemplified by those Jews and the sins in which all men share that brought Christ to the Cross. (see Passion playPassion playA Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in Catholic tradition....
and deicideDeicideDeicide is the killing of a god. The term deicide was coined in the 17th century from medieval Latin *deicidium, from de-us "god" and -cidium "cutting, killing")...
) - Avoid referring to the scriptural curses, or the cry of a raging mob: His Blood be Upon Us and Our Children, without remembering that this cry should not count against the infinitely more weighty words of our Lord: Father Forgive Them, for They Know no What They Do. (see blood curseBlood curseThe blood curse is a New Testament passage from the verse .- Versions of the scriptural quotation :* Ιδων δε ο Πιλατος οτι ουδεν ωφελει αλλα μαλλον θορυβος γινεται, λαβων υδωρ απενιψατο τας χειρας απεναντι του οχλου, λεγων αθωος ειμι απο του αιματος του δικαιου τουτου; υμεις οψεσθε. Και αποκριθεις...
) - Avoid promoting the superstitious notion that the Jewish people are reprobate, accursed, reserved for a destiny of suffering. (see Wandering JewWandering JewThe Wandering Jew is a figure from medieval Christian folklore whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. The original legend concerns a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion and was then cursed to walk the earth until the Second Coming...
) - Avoid speaking of the Jews as if the first members of the Church had not been Jews. (see Council of JerusalemCouncil of JerusalemThe Council of Jerusalem is a name applied by historians and theologians to an Early Christian council that was held in Jerusalem and dated to around the year 50. It is considered by Catholics and Orthodox to be a prototype and forerunner of the later Ecumenical Councils...
)