(OSV News) — The head of the U.S. bishop’s committee on ecumenical and interreligious affairs has expressed his robust support for biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine, as she faces antisemitic backlash for her recent appointment as the first Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America.
The association also issued a statement of support for Levine, noting that “the vitriol of some of the comments only reinforces the need to address the problem” of antisemitism.
In an Aug. 28 letter, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, offered his “warmest congratulations” to Levine, who is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, and professor emerita of New Testament and Jewish studies at Vanderbilt University.
Levine is also co-editor with Marc Zvi Brettler of “The Bible With and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently”and “The Jewish Annotated New Testament.”
‘Historic moment’
An internationally recognized New Testament expert, Levine was named president of the CBA in July, with the association — of which she has been a longtime member — announcing the appointment in early August.
“This is a historic moment for the Association,” wrote Bishop Bambera in his letter to Levine.
Founded in 1936, the CBA works to further biblical scholarship and research in related disciplines, and to foster dialogue between Christian and Jewish biblical scholars.
Levine is the first Jewish person to lead the organization, which has previously been directed by various scholars of Roman Catholic and Protestant affiliations. Among the CBA’s past presidents were Paul J. Achtemeier and Charles H. Talbert, who were ministers, respectively, in the United Church of Christ and Baptist traditions.
Bishop Bambera highlighted Levine’s “many years of dedicated service to the CBA,” including her “important work as an editor of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly,” the association’s official, peer-reviewed journal.
Biblical scholarship’s ‘interfaith character’
News of Levine’s appointment sparked antisemitic backlash on a number of social media platforms, including X and Facebook. In an earlier interview with OSV News, Levine said she had “been denounced as a child of Satan, a baby-eater, out to destroy the Church, a supporter of Palestinian genocide, a hater of Jesus and the Church.”
She shared with OSV News one Facebook message that denounced her as a “satanic (expletive)” and called for her to be burned at the stake. Levine also said “some people have contacted the CBA office to insist that I be removed.”
Both Levine and the CBA reposted Bishop Bambera’s letter, which said that Levine’s appointment is a “fitting celebration of the genuinely interfaith character of biblical scholarship
and of the many years of faithful Jewish-Catholic collaboration in the study of Scripture.”
“This spirit of collaboration reflects the vision articulated in Nostra Aetate,” said Bishop Bambera, referencing the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Catholic Church’s relationship with Judaism and other non-Christian religions.
The document “called Catholics to deeper understanding and mutual respect with the Jewish people,” said Bishop Bambera. “I am confident that the Catholic Biblical Association will continue to be enriched by your leadership, scholarship, and longstanding commitment to Jewish-Catholic dialogue.”
Backlash reveals misunderstanding
In an Aug. 26 statement posted to its website, the association addressed the antisemitic backlash to Levine’s appointment.
CBA board chair Gregory E. Sterling and executive director Archie Wright said that “unfortunately, some neither understand the role of the president nor the nature of a professional society.
“She was not elected because she is Jewish, but because she is an exceptional scholar and has played a very important role in Catholic-Jewish dialogue,” said Sterling and Wright.
They noted that in 2019 Levine became “is the first Jewish scholar to teach New Testament at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.”
The two pointed out Levine “had three audiences with Pope Francis,” and as a featured speaker for the association, she spoke both in the U.S. and Australia to address antisemitism.
“We need to live and practice the values of our faith, values that are not evident in the criticisms,” they said. “At a time when polarization is problematic, we need to stand for open dialogue and support those willing to engage in the delicate and hard work it requires. We stand by President Levine.”
Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.
