History HomeWork

Historical Roots of the Holocaust & Continuing Anti-Semitism

Historical Roots of Religious, Ethnic, Racial & Cultural

Discrimination

RACE & HUMAN IDENTITY Religion

Ethnicity (Kinship) Nationality

Political Citizenship Language

Culture Civilization

BALANCING HUMAN IDENTITY

Individual

Religious-Ethnic-National- Cultural-Civilizational

International-Global

Origins of Racism?

Children Children of of God the Devil

Saved Elect, Chosen

Obedient Good

Righteous, Holy Knowledgeable of Truth

Holy, Blessed People/Nation Children/Kingdom of Light

God’s Kingdom Rule/Authority of God

Lost, Perishing, Damned Wandering, Aimless, Directionless

Disobedient Evil

Unrighteous, Unholy Deceived, Ignorant, In error

Unholy, cursed, under judgment Children/Kingdom of Darkness

Satan’s Kingdom Rule/Authority of Satan

“However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely

destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites— as the LORD your God has commanded you.

Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your

God.” Deuteronomy 20:16-18

Massacres of Jews in Nile

region of Egypt in 1st

century CE

Josephus, Philo & Eusebius

Historical Roots of Western Civilization

The Judeo-Christian & Greek-Roman

Traditions

Bartlett describes legislation in parts of Eastern Europe in the fourteenth century that ___________________.

A. made German descent a requirement for holding office or belonging to a guild.

B. banned intermarriage between Germans and Slavs.

Historical Roots of Religious, Ethnic, Racial & Cultural

Discrimination

‘New World’ Explorers &

Enlightenment Philosophers as

Racists?

Hindu Caste System as Racist? ------------------------------------------------

Influence on British?

Darwinian Scientific Racism

“such peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations” (LN Cov. 22, 1919)

“the Arabs inhabiting the Syrian area are not naturally less gifted than

other more advanced races and that they are by no means less developed”

(Syrian Congress, 1919)

Historical Roots of the Holocaust & Continuing Anti-Semitism

Anti-Jewish vs.

Anti-Semitic?

RACE & HUMAN IDENTITY Religion

Ethnicity (Kinship) Nationality

Political Citizenship Language

Culture Civilization

Anti-Jewish sentiment in…

European Christian History

& The Holocaust

“The overall achievement of the conference was to demonstrate how important rigorous and

objective historical research into violence between Christians and

Jews is for creating better understanding between present-

day Christianity Judaism.”

Jews had been discriminated against and subjected to mistreatment and violence throughout Christian Europe since ________________.

__ the time of the early church (30-300 CE). __ the establishment of Christianity as the state religion by Constantine in the early 4th century CE. __ the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century CE. __ the rise of Islam in the early 7th century CE. __ the time of the Crusades in the 11th

century CE.

The Christian New Testament?

“…Pilate…took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of

this man’s blood,” he said. “You shall bear the responsibility.” All the [Jewish] people answered, “His blood be on us and

on our children!” So Pilate…had Jesus flogged and handed Him over to be

crucified.…” (Matt 27:24-26)

Justin Martyr (100-165 CE)

John Chrysostom (347-407 CE), “Against the Jews”

Isadore of Seville (560-636), “On the Catholic Faith, Against the Jews”

Julian of Toledo (642-690)

Agobard, Bishop of Lyon (779-840) “The Insolence of the Jews” (+ 2 others)

Peter the Venerable (1092-1156)

John Chrysostom (347-407 CE), “Against the Jews”

(III.1) “Many, I know, respect the Jews and think that their present way of life is a

venerable one. This is why I hasten to uproot and tear out this deadly opinion. …But the

synagogue is not only a brothel and a theater; it also is a den of robbers and a lodging for wild

beasts. …But when God forsakes a people, what hope of salvation is left? When God forsakes a

place, that place becomes the dwelling of demons. ”

(3) If, then, the Jews fail to know the Father, if they crucified the Son,

if they thrust off the help of the Spirit, who should not make bold to declare plainly that the synagogue

is a dwelling of demons?”

400s Ambrose opposes Theodosius re: civil rights for Jews in Christian Roman Empire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

400s Jewish synagogue burned down in Mesopotamia (Iraq) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

600s “Jews lived untroubled lives among Christians in certain regions and were dealt with cruelly in others.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

600s Jews forced to choose baptism, slavery or exile in Byzantium, France & Spain

“In the late ancient and medieval history of Christian-Jewish

relations, … in numerous instances of harshly anti-Jewish preaching…

little concrete evidence attests to increased physical attacks on Jews

or an overall decline of Jewish well-being.”

Cohen, “Anti-Jewish Violence,” p. 44

“…notwithstanding the vociferous protestations of popes

and emperors, late medieval Jewish communities frequently

suffered serious losses of life and property…”

--Cohen, “Anti-Jewish Violence,” p. 44

The 1st & 2nd Crusades (1095-96 & 1145-46)

“Our intention is to attack the enemies of God in the East, but without having to cross vast

territories, since we have, right here under our noses, the Jews. Whereas there exists no race

more hostile to God.” -------------------------------------------------------------

The Inquisitions (12th-16th cc.)

1179 - The 3rd Lateran Council

“If any by the inspiration of God [Jews] are converted to the Christian faith, they are in no way to be deprived of

their possessions... …[It is our] duty to restore fully to these converts the share

of their inheritance and goods.”

1215 The 4th Lateran Council “…it happens at times that through error

Christians have relations with the women of Jews or Muslims, and Jews and Muslims with

Christian women. Therefore, that they may not, under pretext of error of this sort, excuse

themselves in the future for the excesses of such prohibited intercourse, we decree that such Jews

and Muslims of both sexes in every Christian province and at all times shall be marked off in

the eyes of the public from other peoples through the character of their dress. …

Moreover, during the last three days before Easter…, they shall not go forth in public at all,

for the reason that some of them on these very days, as we hear, …are not afraid to mock the Christians… And since we ought not to ignore

any insult to Him who blotted out our disgraceful deeds, we command that such

impudent fellows be checked by the secular princes by imposing on them proper punishment

so that they shall not at all presume to blaspheme Him who was crucified for us.”

(Canon 68)

“Since it is absurd that a blasphemer of Christ exercise authority over Christians, we on account

of the boldness of transgressors renew in this general council what the Synod of Toledo (589) wisely enacted in this matter, prohibiting Jews

from being given preference in the matter of public offices, since in such capacity they are

most troublesome to the Christians.”

(Canon 69)

1227 Synod of Narbonne

“That Jews may be distinguished from others, we decree and emphatically command that in the center of the breast [of their garments] they

shall wear an oval badge... And lest they scandalize Christians or be scandalized by

Christians, we wish and ordain that during Holy Week they shall not leave their houses at all

except in case of urgent necessity, and the prelates shall during that week especially have them guarded from vexation by the Christians.”

(Canon 3)

1290 Jews driven from England

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1340s Blame for the Black Death – ca. 20,000 Jews put to death.

1348 – Pope Clement issues “Mandate to Protect the Jews”:

“We … are mindful of our duty to shelter the Jews, by reason of the fact that our savior, when he assumed mortal flesh for the salvation of the human race, deemed it worthy to be born of Jewish stock.…

Recently, however, it has come to our attention … that some Christians out of rashness have impiously slain several Jews … after falsely blaming the pestilence on poisonings by Jews, said to be in league with the devil,…

We order all of you [bishops] by apostolic writing … to warn your subjects, both the clergy and the people, during the service of mass in your churches, and to expressly enjoin them on pain of excommunication, which you may then inflict in those who transgress, that they not presume to seize, strike, wound, or kill Jews.”

1374 An ecstatic movement of 'demonically possessed dancers' arose in Germany, Holland and surrounding areas, with 1000s of Jews eventually blamed and killed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1391 A wave of pogroms swept through the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon: 50,000 Jews killed; 20,000 Jews forcibly baptized ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1394 Jews driven out of France

1434 “Across Europe Jews were forced to wear...a yellow patch, bells & tall, pointed yellow hats...” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1453 Franciscan monk, Capistrano, persuaded the king of Poland to terminate all Jewish civil rights. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1509 Persecution of Jews in Germany, with the converted Jew, Johann Pfefferkorn, receiving authority from Emperor Maximilian I to confiscate & destroy all Jewish books.

1500s As the opposite of ‘anti-Semitism’, ‘Philo-Semitism’ began to emerge in Western Europe through ___________.

__ humanist influence in the Renaissance.

__ sympathy from persecuted religious minorities in the Reformation. (cf. beginnings of Christian Zionism)

1509: The humanist Johann Reuchlin opposes persecution of Jews in Germany.

1509: The humanist Johann Reuchlin opposes persecution of Jews in Germany. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1589-1671: Rise of early (proto-) Christian Zionist beliefs in England (cf. publications of Kett (1589), Brightman (1615), Finch (1621), Cartwright (1649) & Milton (1671)). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1656: Jews welcomed back to England under Cromwell and newly established gov’t led by formerly persecuted Puritans.

1516 Jews assigned to Ghetto Island in Venice (1st Jewish ‘ghetto') --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1526 Persecution of Jews in Hungary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1550 Jews exiled from Genoa and Venice. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1555 (July 12) Papal Decree requires Jews to wear badges and yellow veils or cloth markers as well as live in specially designated 'ghettos’ (cf. ‘segregation’). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1582 Jews expelled from Holland.

1648 Some 200,000 Jews slaughtered in Poland by invading Ukrainian Cossacks amid war between Poland and Russian-Swedish alliance.

The fostering of a deeply entrenched anti-Jewish attitude

throughout Christian Europe from as early as 100 CE

…led to…

Repeated outbreaks of discrimination, persecution and

violence against Jews

“However, it all coincides with the judgment of Christ which declares that they are venomous,

bitter, vindictive, tricky serpents, assassins, and children of the devil who sting and work harm

stealthily wherever they cannot do it openly. ...these venomous serpents and young devils. ...next to the

devil, a Christian has no more bitter and galling foe than a Jew. There is no other to whom we accord as

many benefactions and from whom we suffer as much as we do from these base children of the devil, this brood of vipers... these venomous serpents and

devil's children, who are the most vehement enemies of Christ our Lord and of us all.”

“What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we

are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. If we do, we become sharers in their lies, cursing and blasphemy. ...I shall give you my

sincere advice: First, to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor

of our Lord and of Christendom,...”

“Moses writes that any city that is given to idolatry shall be totally destroyed by fire, and

nothing of it shall be preserved. If he were alive today, he would be the first to set fire to the

synagogues and houses of the Jews. ...I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed. ...I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing,

and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them. ...I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach

henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb. ....

“...I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. ...

My essay, I hope, will furnish a Christian...with enough material not only to defend himself

against the blind, venomous Jews, but also to become the foe of the Jews' malice, lying, and cursing, and to understand not only that their belief is false but that they are surely possessed by all devils. May Christ, our dear Lord, convert

them mercifully...”

“He did not call them Abraham's children, but a "brood of vipers" [Matt. 3:7]. …Our Lord also calls

them a "brood of vipers"; furthermore in John 8 [39,44] he states: "If you

were Abraham's children ye would do what Abraham did.... You are of your

father the devil.”

“Christopher J. Probst demonstrates that a significant number of German theologians and clergy made use of

the 16th-century writings by Martin Luther on Jews and Judaism to

reinforce the racial antisemitism and religious anti-Judaism already present among Protestants.”