By Luke Kennedy
Corpus Christi College had the great privilege of hosting Rev. Dr William Goldin for the annual Barry Nunn Memorial Oration, which celebrates and encourages the work of ecumenism, and honours the memory of Rev. Dr Peter Cross. Fr William Goldin, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the American Diocese of Orange, shared his background and personal ties to the ecumenical movement. The son of an Episcopalian mother and a Jewish father, Fr Goldin was uninterested in the questions of religion until his conversion and reception into the Catholic Church at age fifteen.
Fr Goldin’s lecture, titled ‘The Pilgrimage Continues: Surprising Dimensions of Christian Unity’, focused on the relationship between the Catholic Church and Judaism. In particular, the talk was split into three parts beginning with the general principles of Catholic ecumenism, followed by the surprising theological dynamic between the two religions, and ending with the historical and contemporary state between them.
Beginning by defining terms, Fr Goldin explained the difference between ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, namely that ecumenism is the positive effort of reconciliation between Christian communities, compared to the effort given to non-Christian communities which is called interfaith dialogue. Surprisingly, the interaction between the Church and Judaism is considered ecumenical work and is pursued by the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.
Drawing on Scriptural and traditional sources, Fr Goldin explained the theological elements that inform the context of the dialogue between the Church and Judaism. One focus was understanding the proper relationship between the Old and New Covenants. Using the medieval image of ‘Ecclesia et Synagoga,’ which sometimes depicts the New Covenant as being triumphant over the Old Covenant, or in a modern version, depicts the covenants as existing side by side, Fr Goldin instead explained the two are neither in competition nor independent but rather deeply related to each other. In God’s work of salvation through history ‘Judaism is God’s promise, and Catholicism is it’s fulfilment.’ The two covenants are therefore inseparable and make no sense apart from each other.
Towards the end of his lecture, Fr Goldin detailed some of the unfortunate history between the Church and Judaism. Speaking personally, he shared the difficulty in coming to terms with his conversion to the Catholic faith and the Jewish heritage he inherited as a child. The reality of antisemitism and the Holocaust had a profound influence on Catholic thinking and encouraged a rediscovery of the call for unity. As a result, the relationship has become more positive because of the work of ecumenism and the efforts of popes such as Saint John Paul II who said to a Jewish audience in 1986: ‘You are our dearly beloved brothers and, in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers.’
It was such a delight to have hosted Fr William Goldin to deliver the Barry Nunn Memorial Oration. We are very thankful for his clarity and openness in addressing the ongoing work of ecumenism. Nobody left without having learnt something or being encouraged to pursue the common call for unity.
