48 – Messianic Judaism In The Vatican | Rabbi Dr. Mark Kinzer Messiah Podcast

Rabbi Dr. Mark Kinzer discusses the Catholic Church's embrace of distinction theology and its impact on Jewish-Christian dialogue and the Messianic Jewish movement. He highlights the significance of the Second Vatican Council and the documents Lumen Gentium and Nostra Aetate in redefining the church's understanding of itself and its relationship with the Jewish people. The Catholic Church's rejection of deicide and recognition of the ongoing special relationship with the Jewish people have had a profound impact on Christian theology and paved the way for further dialogue and understanding. This conversation explores the theological developments and dialogue between Messianic Judaism and the Roman Catholic Church. It delves into the concept of Jesus as the Living Torah and the connection between Yeshua and the Jewish people. The role of Cardinal Lustiger in emphasizing Jewish identity within the Catholic Church is highlighted. The conversation also touches on the progress being made in the Catholic Church regarding the recognition of the enduring significance of the land of Israel. Overall, this dialogue is seen to be of historic significance and a promising trajectory for Catholic theology.


– Episode Takeaways –

The Second Vatican Council, prompted by the Holocaust, marked a significant reassessment of the Catholic Church's understanding of itself and its relationship with the Jewish people.
The documents Lumen Gentium and Nostra Aetate work together to lay out how the church understands and identifies itself and how it understands and identifies itself in relationship to other religions of the world.
The Catholic document The Gifts and Calling of God Are Irrevocable went even further to express the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people.
As a Jewish Cardinal, Jean-Marie Lustiger made significant contributions to the dialogue between Judaism and Christianity. Acting as a counselor to Pope John Paul II on the Jewish people, he emphasized Jesus' solidarity with his people and the continued Jewish identity of Jews within the church. He saw the suffering of the Jewish people as a part of the Messiah's suffering, highlighting the deep identification of the Messiah with His people.
The Catholic Church is moving toward visible changes to reflect the realization of the enduring significance of Jewish identity within the church and the Jewish people in the land of Israel.

– Episode Resources –

Searching Her Own Mysteries by Rabbi, Dr. Mark Kinzer
https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Her-Own-Mystery-Identity/dp/1498203310

Nostra Aetate
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

Lumen Gentium
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

The Gifts and Calling of God Are Irrevocable
http://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/commissione-per-i-rapporti-religiosi-con-l-ebraismo/commissione-per-i-rapporti-religiosi-con-l-ebraismo-crre/documenti-della-commissione/en.html

Film: The Jewish Catholic
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2806908

Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (https://ffoz.org) in conjunction with Messiah Magazine. This publication is designed to provide rich substance, meaningful Jewish contexts, cultural understanding of the teaching of Jesus, and the background of modern faith from a Messianic Jewish perspective.

Messiah Podcast theme music provided with permission by Joshua Aaron Music (http://JoshuaAaron.tv). “Cover the Sea” Copyright WorshipinIsrael.com songs 2020. All rights reserved.