LESSON 13: JEWS ON TRIAL: THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH AND THE JEWS
Aim: To examine the Image of the Jew in the Medieval Christian world, and some of its ramifications
BACKGROUND
· Medieval period- Age of Faith. No room for dissenters-
a Christian world.
· Jews not killed by church, because of
Augustinian doctrine accepted by Pope Gregory
based on Psalms 59:12;” Slay them not lest my
people forget: scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield”. Jews to survive as
witnesses to the veracity of the NT but to
be degraded.
· Early church fathers wrote vitriolic descriptions of
Jews. Aquinas referred to them as criminals;
Augustine called Jews wicked, evil, perverse and
damned forever.
· Sicut Judeis bulls issued until fourteenth century.
Pope Innocent III, in 1199 condemns “Jewish
perfidy,” but notes that nevertheless Jews are not to
be killed, because they preserve the “truth” of
Christianity (Constituo pro Judeis). Jews considered to be stubborn and blind, refusing to acknowledge Christian truth.
Blood libels, desecration of host accusations; Passion Plays, Especially before Easter.
The texts
Show the attitude of the church in terms of doctrine and imagery. The final text shows the physical consequences of such teaching, notwithstanding attempts by the church to protect Jews.
Text 1, The Benediktbeuern Christmas Play (12th Century),
The Jew as a comic and ridiculous foil and witness to the truth of church teachings, which can be “proven” through the Old Testament, which in church doctrine, predicts the virgin birth. Jews refuse to see the truth which is before their very eyes.
Text 2, The Two Sisters Eclessia and Synagoga
Statues of Ecclessia and Synagoga, eyes down, broken staffed, crown fallen down, on 98 cathedrals.
Texts 3 and 4, Disputation of Barcelona, Account by Ramban, and account in the Latin sources.
Ramban: Commanded to hold a disputation, insists on freedom of speech, which is granted, as long as he does not speak disrespectully of Christianity. Sets out 3 points:
i. Whether the messiah has come
ii. Whether the messiah is divine
iii. Whether Jews still possess the true law, or whether this has been superseded by the Christians.
Continues by attacking the notion of the Trinity.
No resolution.
Latin sources agree that the King had summoned Ramban. Presents aim is "to destroy the error of the Jews and remove the confident faith..." and to do so through their own writings. Claims Christian victory!
Texts 5 : Jesus before Caiphas in 1275 prayer book
Jews now presented as grotesque caricatures.
Texts 6 : Examination of the Jews captured in Savoy 1349
The Black Plague: Jews "confess" to poisoning the wells, in a great Jewish conspiracy. Leads to widespread pogroms.
BACKGROUND
· Medieval period- Age of Faith. No room for dissenters-
a Christian world.
· Jews not killed by church, because of
Augustinian doctrine accepted by Pope Gregory
based on Psalms 59:12;” Slay them not lest my
people forget: scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield”. Jews to survive as
witnesses to the veracity of the NT but to
be degraded.
· Early church fathers wrote vitriolic descriptions of
Jews. Aquinas referred to them as criminals;
Augustine called Jews wicked, evil, perverse and
damned forever.
· Sicut Judeis bulls issued until fourteenth century.
Pope Innocent III, in 1199 condemns “Jewish
perfidy,” but notes that nevertheless Jews are not to
be killed, because they preserve the “truth” of
Christianity (Constituo pro Judeis). Jews considered to be stubborn and blind, refusing to acknowledge Christian truth.
Blood libels, desecration of host accusations; Passion Plays, Especially before Easter.
- 1215: 4th Lateran Council : Discriminatory laws
- 1240- Trial and Burning of the Talmud in Paris
- 1263- Barcelona Dispute
- 1349- Black Death
The texts
Show the attitude of the church in terms of doctrine and imagery. The final text shows the physical consequences of such teaching, notwithstanding attempts by the church to protect Jews.
Text 1, The Benediktbeuern Christmas Play (12th Century),
The Jew as a comic and ridiculous foil and witness to the truth of church teachings, which can be “proven” through the Old Testament, which in church doctrine, predicts the virgin birth. Jews refuse to see the truth which is before their very eyes.
Text 2, The Two Sisters Eclessia and Synagoga
Statues of Ecclessia and Synagoga, eyes down, broken staffed, crown fallen down, on 98 cathedrals.
Texts 3 and 4, Disputation of Barcelona, Account by Ramban, and account in the Latin sources.
Ramban: Commanded to hold a disputation, insists on freedom of speech, which is granted, as long as he does not speak disrespectully of Christianity. Sets out 3 points:
i. Whether the messiah has come
ii. Whether the messiah is divine
iii. Whether Jews still possess the true law, or whether this has been superseded by the Christians.
Continues by attacking the notion of the Trinity.
No resolution.
Latin sources agree that the King had summoned Ramban. Presents aim is "to destroy the error of the Jews and remove the confident faith..." and to do so through their own writings. Claims Christian victory!
Texts 5 : Jesus before Caiphas in 1275 prayer book
Jews now presented as grotesque caricatures.
Texts 6 : Examination of the Jews captured in Savoy 1349
The Black Plague: Jews "confess" to poisoning the wells, in a great Jewish conspiracy. Leads to widespread pogroms.