Anti-Semitism’s long history is laid out in the book Constantine’s Sword by the ex-priest James Carroll. Studying this won’t be an easy journey, as the relationship between Judaism and the Catholic Church has been anything but tranquil from the times of the New Testament right up to the 20th century. But in discussing this legacy, including the church’s connection to the Holocaust, we will come to a better understanding of the roots of the hostility, which can be traced back to the Crusades and beyond. Embedded in this fascinating history is Carroll’s growing discomfort with Catholicism and the changes he wishes to make in its dogma. Please be forewarned, we will be discussing the inerrancy of the Bible. Will the author, despite his own conflicted attitudes toward the church, persuade you that the future promises repentance and rapprochement? This is a repeat of a popular Academy course.
REQUIRED READING:
Carroll, James. Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews–A History. Mariner Books, 2002