JOHANNES REUCHLIN: »We have a common saying: Listen to both sides of the story. It is a fundamental principle of law that one may not dismiss as guilty or condemn anyone without first conducting a thourough inquiry and an in-depth investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the case.«
JOHANNES REUCHLIN: »The Jews, on the other hand, in matters concerning their faith, must answer to none but their own judges. No Christian can or may pass judgment on their spiritual affairs, except in connection with a secular trial initiated by a proper accusation brought before an established court of law (I. judaei et ibi Bart. C. de judaeis). For they [the Jews] do not belong to the Christian Church and, consequently, their faith is of no concern to us (glo. paenul. in cle. 1. de usur.).«
JOHANNES REUCHLIN: »Now to the third argument: that the [Jewish] books are false. This charge I cannot rightly comprehend, since the term false has various meanings, depending on the context.«
JOHANNES REUCHLIN: »And if in this regard, the Jewish books may appear to be false, according to our way of thinking, they are, nevertheless, not false according to their [the Jews'] way of thinking, and according to their faith ...«
RECOMMENDATION WHETHER TO CONFISCATE, DESTROY AND BURN ALL JEWISH BOOKS (A classic treatise against anti-semitism), 1511.
Translated by Peter Wortsman
