Supersessionismus

On September 2, 2009, Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis published a document entitled "The Erroneous Teachings of Catholics for Israel” in which he directly attacks the legitimacy of our apostolate. This document states that on the Catholics for Israel website “various and sundry claims about the Jews and Israel are being disseminated as Catholic Teaching” but these, according to Sungenis, are “not Catholic teachings.” The following is our response to Sungenis' attacks.

Dr. André Villeneuve addresses the problem of Catholic anti-Zionism—including 15 fallacies upon which it is based—and its underlying cause: the enduring influence of Catholic supersessionism.

It is impossible to understand the Bible with its narrative about the plan that God has for mankind without understanding the role of Israel as a people and a Nation. The Jews have been at the center of all that God does, beginning with the call of Abraham up to the book of Malachi at the end of the Old Testament; and they remain the center throughout the period of the first Christian century recorded in the New Testament. However, it is not an exaggeration to say that the relationship between Jews and Gentiles within the Communion of Faith, since the coming of the Son of God, has been badly misunderstood.

Dr. André Villeneuve discusses the role of Israel in the age of the Church on Michael Lofton's "Reason and Theology" podcast. Topics include God's covenant with Israel, supersessionism, the idea of the Church as "new Israel", Israel's role in the age of the Church, the modern state of Israel, Zionism, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Israel's role in regard to Jesus' Second Coming.

This book is written as a simplified narrative of a complex historical and theological subject. It is written in prophetic language, providing a spiritual overview of the historical developments surrounding the rise and disappearance of Messianic Judaism in ancient times, as well as its rebirth in recent decades. This prophetic perspective explores the task before us and the fitting response to the resurrection of these "dry bones" by the power of the Holy Spirit, as prophesied by the Prophet Ezekiel.

Dr. André Villeneuve surveys the history of Jewish-Catholic relations, highlights the theological underpinnings of this relationship, and considers how it has undergone an extraordinary transformation in the past seventy years. 

While most Evangelical Protestants are generally friendly to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, there is a small band of Evangelical pastors and professors who want to line up all Evangelicals unilaterally on the Palestinian side. The most egregious example may be Anglican vicar Stephen Sizer, whose has chummed up with the likes of Naturei Karta and Iranian President Ahmadinejad. But Gary Burge probably wields the greater influence.

Part I: Israel and the Church from Abraham to Today - The origins of Israel: the Patriarchs; the Exodus and Mount Sinai; the kingdom of Israel; exile and return. Hebrews, Israelites and Jews.  The Messiah and his rejection by his own people.  The birth of the Church. Early Jewish-Christianity, the growth of Gentile Christianity, and the parting of ways.  Israel in the patristic writings: the rise of "replacement theology." Christian anti-Semitism in the Middle-Ages. Theological evaluation: Israel and the Church in the New Testament. 

Faced with the "already here" of the Church, Israel is the witness of the "not yet". The Jewish people and the Christian people are thus in a situation of mutual imitation. Christians rejoice in the "already here", while the Jews remember the "not yet".

Br. Tilbert Moser proposes a biblical alternative to the Two-State Solution and Vatican recognition of the Palestinian State. This article is currently available in German only.

The purpose of my speech is to point out what the change in the relationship between Jews and Christians is about, and especially to show that in this change and in some prophetic events taking place in the world today between Christians and Jews, the heavenly Father is carrying out His plan in history looking more and more towards the day when Christ will return in glory to fulfill the Father's plan upon the world.

Uniting Jews and Gentiles for Christ's Return

In Romans chapter 11, the apostle Paul introduces God's plan for Israel and the nations as "the mystery" and he portrays it with the image of an olive tree. He is so astonished by the wisdom of God that he cries out: "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" (Rom 11:33-34).

Johannes Fichtenbauer explores this mystery of Israel and the nations in The Mystery of the Olive Tree.

Dr. André Villeneuve and Dr. Matthew Tsakanikas debate the question of Catholic Zionism in light of Sacred Scripture, Catholic Tradition, and the teachings of the Magisterium.