Was Sts Ambrose and John Chrysostom anti-semitic ?

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Prince_Hal

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I greatly respect much of the teaching of the Jewish Sages regarding the Old Testament - it was written by their people afterall. However, I received an email from Aish.Com today that had an article entitled “Hitler’s Aides” that included the following two quotes:

"…St. Ambrose, known as the “Bishop with the Golden Tongue” said in 374 CE,

“The Jews are the most worthless of all men. They are lecherous, greedy, rapacious. They are perfidious murderers of Christ. They worship the Devil. Their religion is a sickness. The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon. Christians may never cease vengeance, and the Jew must live in servitude forever. God always hated the Jews. It is essential that all Christians hate them.”"

"Saint John Chrysostom, bishop of Antioch, was not that much better just a few years later:

“Where Christ-killers gather, the cross is ridiculed, God blasphemed, the father unacknowledged, the son insulted, the grace of the Spirit rejected. . . .If the Jewish rites are holy and venerable, our way of life must be false. But if our way is true, as indeed it is, theirs is fraudulent. I am not speaking of the Scriptures. Far from it!.. I am speaking of their present impiety and madness.”"

Refer to the following for the full article. aish.com/ho/i/90559064.html

There is also a link to a free ebook entitled “Six million cricifictions”. sixmillioncrucifixions.com/Home.html

Anyway, are these accurate quotes ? Are they taken out of context ? Are they genuine, but never represented the Church ? Obviously modern Catholic doctrine is very much the opposite, but I am wondering if any of you might be able to shed some light on it.

Many thanks for your help,

God Bless,

Hal.
 
The quotes from St. John Crysostom usually are taken out of context. It is very important that you remember that he was speaking out against the Jewish religion, and if you think he is anti-semetic for saying Jewish rites are meaningless, you’re calling a significant portion (by far the majority) of the worlds population anti-semetic.
 
Prince_Hal said:
I
Anyway, are these accurate quotes ? Are they taken out of context ? Are they genuine, but never represented the Church ? Obviously modern Catholic doctrine is very much the opposite, but I am wondering if any of you might be able to shed some light on it.

Many thanks for your help,

God Bless,

Hal.
Click to expand...
Hal,
This issue comes up regarding Luther, as well. It seems to me there is a difference in anti-jewish, and anti-semitic. Being opposed to Judaism is not the same as the racism of anti-semitism. We also cannot judge the speech of these men by modern standards. They are, to a great extent, products of the times they lived in, and we have grown in our sensitivity regarding how we voice our disagreement with other religions.
I suspect that if one were able to place Sts. Ambrose and John Chrysostom, or Luther and Johan Eck in our time, they would use very different terms in which to express there disagreement with Judaism.

Jon
 
Prince Hal,

the article linked to is very biased and with poor scholarship.

When an author can not even get the title of one he is writing about correct, he or she has no credibility. ST John Chrysostom was called the Golden Tongue. If the author failed to understand or even know that, what other “facts” are over looked.

The quotes the article attritbutes to the Saints, what they reference is not the Saints written words but a pulled from another biased work. Leading to why did the author reference another author vice the actual works. Also the author fails to describe the cultural background of the 4th century and the past interaction of the Jews, Christians and Pagan up to that time. Just a fairly topical review of Jewish writings at that time will show many over the top comments about Christians, Jesus and the Blessed Mother.

Neither side is without sin in their interactions at this time. And at this time, just read the comments on the article linked. Shameful.

The author makes many charges, but fails to back up the accusations with something called evidence. Three quotes, one from Hitler, all drawn from decidedly anti-christian writings.

It seems even the Jews have their verison of Jack Chick.

Fr.Mark
 
" Just so the Jewish people were driven by their drunkenness and plumpness to the ultimate evil; they kicked about, they failed to accept the yoke of Christ, nor did they pull the plow of his teaching. Another prophet hinted at this when he said: “Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer”. And still another called the Jews “an untamed calf”.

(6) Although such beasts are unfit for work, they are fit for killing. And this is what happened to the Jews: while they were making themselves unfit for work, they grew fit for slaughter. This is why Christ said: “But as for these my enemies, who did not want me to be king over them, bring them here and slay them”.

In Homily I John Chrysostom in his Eight Homilies Against the Jews laid the groundwork for the Shoah - the Jews are like beasts fit only to be slaughtered.

Chrysostom is talking about “Jews” not Judaism and not “Judaizers”. There are no similar types of anti-Christian Jewish writings in the 4th Century c.e. except in the minds of those who believe in Chrysostom teachings.
 
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