WASHINGTON (JTA) — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says it will remove language from a document that caused "serious concern" among Jewish leaders.
A coalition of five Jewish organizations had written the bishops in August taking issue with a recent conference statement that described interfaith dialogue as an implicit invitation to baptism and appeared to say that the Mosaic covenant with God was obsolete.
In a letter to the Jewish groups, the bishops said it would change the document to eliminate the disputed passage and affirmed that Catholic-Jewish dialogue "has never been and will never be used by the Catholic Church as a means of proselytism … nor is it a disguised invitation to baptism." They also said the Mosaic covenant — a conditional covenant made between God and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24) — "endures till the present day."
"We welcome the fact that the bishops not only heard our concerns, but are making efforts to be responsive to them," the coalition said in a statement. "We were deeply troubled by the original wording of this document and hope this will now put our dialogue back on a positive track."
The coalition consists of the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the National Council of Synagogues, the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
