Joseph L. Lichten
Encyclopedia
Joseph L. Lichten was a Polish-American lawyer and diplomat known for his contributions in interfaith relations between Catholics and Jews.
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. He organized hundreds of such conferences over the years with prominent figures in the Catholic clergy and laity.
In 1963, shortly after the initial production of Rolf Hochhuth
's play, The Deputy
, and while serving as director of the International Affairs Department for the ADL, he wrote a monograph defending the actions of Pope Pius XII during the Second World War.
In 1986 Pope John Paul II named him a knight commander of the pontifical equestrian order of St. Gregory the Great for improving relations between the Church and society, the first American Jew to be so honored.
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Early life and studies
Born into a Jewish family in Poland, he received his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Warsaw, and engaged in international diplomacy with the Polish government. He also obtained a PhD in Catholic canon lawCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
Diplomatic career
From 1941-1945 he served as a consultant and advisor on eastern European affairs to the embassy of the Polish government in exile. When the Communists took control of his native country, he left its diplomatic service and became an American citizen.Interfaith work
In 1953, he participated in the very first interfaith conference sponsored by the anti-Defamation LeagueAnti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
. He organized hundreds of such conferences over the years with prominent figures in the Catholic clergy and laity.
In 1963, shortly after the initial production of Rolf Hochhuth
Rolf Hochhuth
Rolf Hochhuth is a German author and playwright. He is best known for his 1963 drama The Deputy and remains a controversial figure for his plays and other public comments, such as his insinuation of Pope Pius XII's sympathies for Hitler's extermination of the Jews in the 1963 play The Deputy and...
's play, The Deputy
The Deputy
The Deputy, a Christian tragedy , also known as The Representative, is a controversial 1963 play by Rolf Hochhuth which indicts Pope Pius XII for his failure to take action or speak out against The Holocaust. It has been translated into more than twenty languages...
, and while serving as director of the International Affairs Department for the ADL, he wrote a monograph defending the actions of Pope Pius XII during the Second World War.
In 1986 Pope John Paul II named him a knight commander of the pontifical equestrian order of St. Gregory the Great for improving relations between the Church and society, the first American Jew to be so honored.
Legacy
The Anti-Defamation League's Dr. Joseph L. Lichten Award in Catholic-Jewish Relations was established in 2005 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Nostra AetateNostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. Passed by a vote of 2,221 to 88 of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI.The first draft, entitled "Decretum de...
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