9. Jewish - Christian Relations: A Conciliar Discovery and Its Methodological Consequences for Dogmatic Theology

Abstract

The struggle of the Secretariat for Christian Unity under Cardinal Augustin Bea to promulgate the declaration De Judaeis, the successful climax of which was the publication of the conciliar document Nostra Aetate, has produced extremely rich fruits. The brief and yet balanced pronouncements of the Second Vatican Council not only had a vast positive resonance and have often been referenced by a variety of exegetical and theological publications, but they also have opened the way to a lively dialogue between the Catholic Church and Judaism. This chapter illustrates the change that has taken place in the wake of the Council by reflecting first of all on the first locus theologicus, which is defined by Melchior Cano as “the authority of Sacred Scripture”. It also examines another locus theologicus, which Cano calls “the authority of the Catholic Church”. In addition, it considers a few problems that concern the dogmatic treatment of God. These illustrative reflections demonstrate how the discovery of the relationship between Jews and Christians stimulates new methodological reflections in Christian theology, especially in dogmatic theology.