Topic 5: Religion: Jews vs. Christians
What was the dominant religion in England and Venice in the 15th and 16th century?
The dominant religion in England and Venice during the 15th and 16th century is Roman Catholicism.
Why was there such animosity between Jews and Christians?
Some of the early Gentiles, people who are non-Jewish, converted to Christianity. They were not very well-acquainted with the Jewish community during the lifetime of Jesus. When they read the New Testaments text in the Bible, they perceived it as a condemnation of the Jewish religion, as opposed to internal quarrels and quibbles which were rather common during that time.
Many factors also worsened Jewish and Christianity relations, with one simply being the competition for converts. These affected the writers of the New Testament, who portrayed the Jews in a bad light. A good example would be the writer of John, who associated the Jewish religion with darkness and the devil. As time went past and more Christians read the book of John, more and more despised the Jews.
Starting from the second century, many Fathers of churches wrote of Jews as “rejected people” doomed to live miserable lives and as “despised people”. This was evident in the preaching, art and teachings of Christianity, which resulted in attacks on the Jews, both physically by attacking and killing them and emotionally by prejudicing and discriminating against them.
Therefore, it can be summed up by saying that the human influence through the New Testament caused many Christians to prejudice against the Jews. It is not recorded, however, that the Jews discriminated against the Christians.
In what ways did Christians discriminate against Jews in 15th and 16th century Europe?
In European regions like Rome, the Jews were restricted to live in particular regions, and unable to reside in other places. They were forced to sell their houses at an extremely low price and were not permitted to engage in businesses. The Jews were also forced to wear badges of infamy as they walked along the streets. The only business or commercial activity which they are allowed to carry out was the buying and selling of the second-hand goods as well as old iron. They were denied medical attention from the Christians, and synagogues were also destroyed.
One of the more cruel “punishments” carried out on the Jews would be the one carried out on the elderly, during the Roman Carnival. They were kidnapped, forced at sword-point to overeat and then forced to race each other. This was an extremely vicious act on the end of the Christians.
Another form of discrimination would be something like the case of Tom Robinson depicted in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Should two Christians testify against a Jew that he/she disrespected the faith of Roman Catholicism or a priest, he could be executed.
In Venice, the Jews were also discriminated and faced prejudice by the Christians, who formed the majority of the Venetians. They were often spat on and shouted at, even kicked, by the Christians. They were treated so, because the Jews were often the moneylenders who collect interest for the money lent to the Christians. They were not discriminated secretly, but instead were discriminated openly under broad daylight, because it was something done by all, so there was nothing to be ashamed about discriminating a Jew.
Their miseries would only end if they converted to the Christian faith, when they enter the church to attend Sunday sermons.
Resources:
Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Christianity and its Persecutions of Jews” http://www.heretication.info/_jews.html (Accessed 10 June 2011)
Author Unknown. (Date Unknown). Wikipedia: “Venice” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice (Accessed 10 June 2011)
Best Regards,
Nathan :)
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