Do Roman Catholics believe in 'Dual Covenant Theology'?

Question

I was researching some organizations such as Jews For Jesus, when I came across some information suggesting that Roman Catholics believe that Jews already have a covenant with God that they can follow, and do not require conversion to Christianity in order to be saved.

I realise that Jews For Jesus is a highly controversial organization with a mandate that is equally contentious. In looking them up, I found this entry at wikipedia that contains quotes from major Roman Catholic leaders. Here's the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_for_jesus#Christian_opposition_to_Jews_for_Jesus_and_to_efforts_to_evangelize_Jews

What do you think? Do Roman Catholics believe in Dual Covenant Theology? I think it’s a fascinating subject. I'm not saying that I do (or do not) believe it. But I think that if the people of one non-Christian faith can be saved through their own agreement with God, then so can others.

What do you think?

Here is a quote from wikipedia:
"Roman Catholic leaders have also spoken out against singling out Jews for conversion. In August 2002, the U. S. Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious affairs declared that the "evangelizing task no longer includes the wish to absorb the Jewish faith into Christianity and so end the distinctive witness of Jews to God in human history. Thus, while the Catholic Church regards the saving act of Christ as central to the process of human salvation for all, it also believes that Jews already dwell in a saving covenant with God. "... The distinctive Jewish witness must be sustained if Catholics and Jews are truly to be, as Pope John Paul II has envisioned, “a blessing to one another."

Here is another:
"Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with Jewry, stated in November 2002: "This does not mean that Jews in order to be saved have to become Christians; if they follow their own conscience and believe in God’s promises as they understand them in their religious tradition, they are in line with God’s plan, which for us came to its historical completion in Jesus Christ."

Answer 1

*Is Catholic*

Short answer is no. Read DOMINUS IESUS by then Ratzinger. Card. Kasper sometimes says things that are not quite true. The quote that you have from him is one of those instances. He had to backtrack at a later date.

The Mosaic Covenant is completed by the Covenant of Christ. So while they are different, they are joined. This also means that the salvific qualities of the Mosaic Covenant are dependent on the Covenant of Christ. The Mosaic Covenant does not by itself save. The Gospels go on at length about this.

In the present moment, we live, that is the entire world, under the Covenant of Christ. What the Mosaic Covenant waits for, has arrived. As such, the Mosaic Covenant is fulfilled and the activities of the Mosaic Covenant no longer occur.

However, today there are a group of people who hold to parts of the Mosaic Covenant and we call these people Jews. There are several variations of Judaism but they are primarily forms of Rabbinic Judaism.

The question is very simple, since these people have bound themselves to aspects of the Mosaic Covenant, how does it apply to them and their salvation? The answer is simple as well: Exactly as it applied to the Jews of old....it is in force only until the coming of Moses' successor (Deut 18:15). As such, the modern Jews who hold to parts of the old, remain under this, and other commands.

The Mosaic Covenant today still can save, IF it is followed, and to follow it means to come to the second Moses, who is Christ, whom alone saves.

This is exactly what is written in the Gospel of John, which was written after the destruction of the temple, and serves to underline for Greek Jews that it is Christ who the now temple-less Jews are to follow because he is the new Moses.

Answer 2

I'm not sure about 'Dual Covenant Theology' but the Catholic Church officially teaches:

When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God.

The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant.

To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ"; "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Pastor Billy says: very in simple terms No. Catholics do no longer have faith in a rapture as defined by utilising a minority of television evangelists and Plymouth Brethren. Catholics do no longer have faith interior the assumption of Christian Zionism because of the fact the Church is the prefigurement of the dominion to come again no longer a geographical usa or the 1st peoples of the e book. Catholicism would not coach a segregation of heaven between Jew and Christian. there is not any coaching of separate parallel heavens one for the Jews and one for the born back Christians. Does this answer your question i could desire to bypass on at how Christian antiquity seen the courting between peoples of the 1st and new covenants.

Answer 4

no according to the book of Daniel 9:24-27 the covenant with the jews will finish after Jesus´death.

Answer 5

This Dual Covenant contradicts itself.
God's covenant with the Jews was that he would send a Messiah to save them.

Answer 6

I have a website you might find interesting. It's called Salvation is From the Jews. It is a website all about Catholic Jews.

Answer 7

I wouldn't go to much by what the Catholic Bishops in America say. It is interesting though when you consider the story of Joseph in the Old Testament and how he welcomed his brothers that tried to kill him.

Answer 8

Hmmmm......sounds very politically correct to me.

So what about when Christ comes & EVERY knee shall bow, and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father?

Answer 9

Merlock!