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The Roman Catholic examination of anti-Judaism has produced a wealth of commentary. The following details from official Vatican statements are significant with respect to some scholars' reevaluation of their view of Christ and the law.

From Within Context: Guidelines for the Catechetical Presentation of Jew and Judaism in the New Testament (1986): "The dynamic reality that is Jewish Law should never be depicted as 'fossilized' or reduced to 'legalism' (p. 66)" (Removing Anti-Judaism From the Pulpit, p. 88, footnote).

The same footnote, cited immediately above, quotes another source, Guidelines and Suggestions for Implementing the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate (4), December 1, 1974: "The Old Testament and the Jewish tradition founded upon it must not be set against the New Testament in such a way that the former seems to constitute a religion of only justice, fear and legalism, with no appeal to the love of God and neighbor (cf. Dt 6:5; Lv 19:18; Mt 22:34-40)."

In another stunning statement, the Jesuit scholar Robert Daly writes: "The doctrine that God's covenant with Israel has been abrogated and rendered worthless by the new covenant in Jesus Christ is no longer, at least not in the Roman Catholic and similar traditions, an acceptable Christian position" (Removing Anti-Judaism, p. 52).

As some scholars come to such conclusions, what is the implication for other scholars and members of their churches? Will they now realize that some of the bedrock teachings of most churches are in jeopardy if they take their newfound views of God's law to their logical conclusion? GN

-- David Hulme