Cardinal Koch says no one can be a disciple of Christ and an antisemite
Marking 60 years since the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra aetate, Cardinal Kurt Koch called Judaism the "mother soil" of Christianity and said rejecting antisemitism is a Gospel imperative
Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, has spoken about the central place of the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and about the condemnation of antisemitism, following the publication of the note "Un camino de esperanza" ("A Path of Hope"). The note marks 60 years since the Second Vatican Council's declaration Nostra aetate. The declaration sets out the spiritual bonds between the people of the New Testament and the descendants of Abraham, bonds Koch considers fundamental to how the Catholic Church understands itself.
Koch said the relationship with the people of Israel is essential to the Church's identity. "Nostra aetate recalls the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and speaks of a 'common spiritual heritage' of Jews and Christians," he said. That heritage, he added, must be preserved and promoted in catechesis and in the preaching of the Gospel, which requires a deeper grasp of the unity between the Old and New Testaments in Christian thought and liturgy.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East have strained Jewish-Christian dialogue and created tension between relations with the Jewish people and the ethical obligation toward the victims in Gaza. Koch said the dialogue must continue even in difficult times. He cited Pope Leo XIV, who has asked that this "most valuable dialogue" continue with "enthusiasm." The Church, Koch said, has a responsibility to work for peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and he defended a two-state solution as a workable way forward for the region.
Antisemitism: incompatible with Christian faith
Addressing the rise of antisemitism worldwide, Koch said that "you cannot be a good member of the family if you do not appreciate and love your own mother," describing Judaism as the "mother soil" of Christianity. He said the Second Vatican Council condemned antisemitism not only for political reasons but on the grounds of "evangelical religious charity."
It is impossible, Koch said, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and an antisemite at the same time. Every pope since the Council has restated that position, he said, including Leo XIV, who has placed particular emphasis on it.
