But the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish stance of the church started long before the Crusades. Augustine, the most famous theologian of his time, taught that the Jews are merely left on Earth to see the church’s triumph over Israel:
“Jews deserved death but were destined to wander the earth to witness the victory of the church over the synagogue.”
Replacement theology became predominant in the church—the idea that the church does not merely become co-heirs with Israel, as Paul states in Eph. 2:19, but that the church eliminates the call of God on Israel. Paul said in Rom. 11:29 that the “gifts and callings of God (to Israel) are irrevocable,” but Eusebius (275-339 CE) taught that the promises of Scripture were meant for the Gentiles and the curses were meant for the Jews. He asserted that the church was the “true Israel.”
Other early church leaders were more blatant in their hatred of the Jew:
- “Jews are a perverse people, accursed by God forever.” — Hilary of Poitiers (CE 291-371)
- “The Jews are a brood of vipers, haters of goodness.” — Gregory of Nicia (died CE 394)
- “[Jews] are serpents, wearing the image of Judas, their psalms and prayers are the braying of Donkeys.” — St. Jerome (CE 347-407 Note: St. Jerome seems to have forgotten that the other 11 disciples were also Jews who spread the gospel to the nations so that he could partake in it.)
