the Vatican and Holocaust

The issue of long history of Christian anti-Judaism and its possible link to Nazi anti-Semitism constitutes one of the most controversial chapters in the history of the Holocaust. After issuing its landmark Nostra Aetate declaration in 1965, the Vatican released its long awaited statement on the Holocaust in March 1998. Titled We Remember: Reflections on the Shoah, the document, reflects the Vatican's version of the long and turbulent history of Christians and Jews. This version is counterbalanced by the first study in this volume, by Professor Hyam Maccoby, a historical-theological overview of Christian anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism. The second study, by the editor, provides a critical historical-political overview of the We Remember document, focusing on the Church's perceived attempt to absolve itself of responsibility, the distinction it makes between Christian anti-Judaism and Nazi anti-Semitism, and its positive interpretation of the role of Pope Pius XII and the German Catholic hierarchy during the Nazi era. Three theologians also respond to the Vatican document: Reverend John F. Morley, a Catholic; Professor Franklin H. Littell, a Protestant minister; and Rabbi A. James Rudin.