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This Insights eNewsletter was sent to subscribers on December 15, 2015.

eNewsletter Subject: Understanding Witness to Jews

I mentioned on Friday that the Vatican had issued a new theological exploration of the relationship between Catholics and Jews. I also noted that headlines about this document, including our own, needed to be understood in the right way. Finally, I promised to write more fully about the subject.

Today I am delivering on that promise. The document from the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews is now in our library: The Gifts and the Calling of God Are Irrevocable (Rom 11:29).

This is a non-magisterial document, but be assured that it is still perfectly fine. It does not even remotely hint that Jews have their own separate way to salvation—quite the opposite! I summarize and explain here: On the "Conversion" of Jews: The New Vatican Statement.

Speaking of salvation, did you know that Christian doctrine about salvation developed quite a bit in the early centuries? As the Church grew, a preoccupation with martyrs gave way to concerns about those who were good but not all good, or bad but not all bad. See Thomas Van's excellent review: A case study in the development of doctrine....

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