CORE GROUP & HISTORY

Task Force: Addressing Representations of Jews and Judaism in Catholic Exegesis, Homiletics, and Catechesis

 TASK FORCE 

Core Group:

• Giovanna Czander, Dominican College
• Todd Hanneken, Saint Mary’s University
• Linda Harrington, Briar Cliff University
• Ron Herms, Fresno Pacific University
• Dorothy Irvin, St. Joan’s Community, MN
• Karl Kuhn, Lakeland University
• Amy-Jill Levine, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt Divinity School
• Richard Lux, Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology
• Anathea Portier-Young, Duke University
• Rafael Ramirez, University of Dallas
• Roberto Martinez, Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico
• Eileen Schuller, O.S.U., McMaster University
• Eric Sias, Graduate Theological Union
• Gregory Tatum, O.P., École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem
  

History

2024

This year we will be examining 2024 lectionary readings that are especially vulnerable to misrepresentations of Jews and Judaism. For each session, the convener will introduce the issues and invite input from participants as to guidance that can be offered to homilists preaching on these readings. The results will be published on the Task Force webpage and be made available to the public.

• Lectionary Readings for Sept 1 – 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23: purity laws, conflating ‘Pharisee’ with ‘Jew’, works vs faith
• Lectionary Readings for Oct 6 – 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Mark 10:2-16: marriage and divorce, treatment of women (i.e. Jesus as liberator of women)
• Lectionary Readings for Nov 3 – 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time – Hebrews 7:23-28: Christian priesthood vs Israelite priesthood
• Lectionary Readings for Nov 10, 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Mk 12:38-44: ‘beware the Scribes’ (which is left out of the shorter option)
• Lectionary Readings for Nov 10, 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Mk 12:38-44: ‘beware the Scribes’ (which is left out of the shorter option); Nov 24 – Solemnity of Christ the King – Jn 18:33b-37: the role of Jews in Jesus’ death is not in the foreground, but there none-the-less

2023

• Review of Fact Sheets
  • Jesus’ Temple Action
  • Messianic Expectation
  • Ritual Purity
  • Dietary Laws
  • Marginalized and Outcast
• Planning Session

2022

•  “Pharisees”
  • Chris Seeman, Walsh University
  • Giovanna Czander, Dominican College
•  “Sectarianism”
  • Malka Simkovich, Catholic Theological Union
  • Richard Lux, Sacred Heart Seminary
• “Leprosy”
  • Ricky Shinall, Vanderbilt University
• “Jewish Responsibility for the Death of Jesus”
  • Philip Cunningham, Saint Joseph’s University
• Planning Session
  • Chris Seeman, Walsh University
  • Ximena DeBroeck, Mount Saint Mary’s University

2021

• How to Talk About Pharisees (fact sheet development)
  • Amy-Jill Levine, Vanderbilt University
  • Philip Cunningham, Saint Joseph University
• How to Talk About Lepers, Purity, and Women (fact sheet development)
  • Ricky Shinall, Vanderbilt University
  • Chris Seeman, Walsh University
• Blaming the Jews in Luke-Acts (video script development)
  • Regina Boisclair, Alaska Pacific University

2020

• Discussion of Amy-Jill Levine, Sermon on the Mount:A Beginner’s Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven. Nashville, Abingdon, 2020.
• Review of video scripts for Lectionary Cycle B