Roman Catholic leaders in the United States declared last week that they will no longer target Jews for conversion to Catholicism. According to a document released jointly by the Catholics and a major U.S. Jewish organization, the Old Testament covenant between God and the Jewish people is “eternally valid.” The Bishops conclude in their portion of the statement that there is no need for Jews to embrace Christianity in order to receive salvation.

While saying that they would not discourage individual Jews from joining the Catholic Church, the Bishops said that “proselytizing campaigns are not compatible with the respect with which we hold Judaism.” The document says that while the Catholic Church regards the “saving act of Christ as central to the process of human salvation for all, it also acknowledges that Jews already dwell in a saving covenant with God.”

The statement, entitled “Reflections on Mission and Covenant,” was released August 12 by the National Council of Synagogues—one of the largest Jewish groups in the United States—and the Inter-religious Affairs Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The two groups have met twice a year over the past 20 years to discuss issues of mutual interest.

According to a Catholic spokesperson, last week’s statement comes as a natural step in a progression of statements and actions of the church since the Second Vatican Council in 1965. With this statement, the U.S. Catholic Church becomes the first national Catholic administration to openly renounce evangelistic efforts to convert Jews to the Catholic faith.

Dr. Angel Rodriguez, director of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Biblical Research Institute, told ANN this week that it would be “difficult to deny that in Christian theology Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Jewish Messianic hope.

“That being the case it would be necessary to share the Christian gospel with Jews who show interest in gaining a better understanding of Jesus’ messianic claims,” he said. “We do believe that the gospel should be proclaimed to the whole world and that will certainly include our Jewish friends. Was not that what the apostles did?”

In an official Adventist Church statement released July 2000, Adventists affirmed their commitment to the “proclamation of the good news of salvation in Christ” to all people, calling this “central to Christian life and witness.”

But the Adventist statement also acknowledges that evangelism must “respect the dignity of all human beings.” It affirms the church’s commitment to outreach that is “truthful and transparent when dealing with other religious groups,” and which avoids offending other religious communities through false statements or ridicule. 

To see the joint Catholic, Jewish document, “Reflections on Mission and Covenant,” go to: www.nccbuscc.org/comm/archives/2002/02-154.htm#reflections.