Reflections on the current state of Christian anti-Semitism and the Church’s response to the Jewish people

Abstract

The persecution of the Jews has ancient origins, however the whole of humanity became aware of the hatred felt towards this people with event of the Second World War when more that six million Jews lost their lives. Often it is erroneously thought that this persecution began with the Nazis lead by Hitler, however much less is known about the Christian origins of anti-Semitism and the prejudices spread by the various Christian denominations ( Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox). Following an initial survey of anti-Semitism we approach the important and necessary question of reconciliation between Jews and Christians from an inter-cultural perspective, after years of incomprehension and lack of pardon.