Augustin Bea

Augustin Bea (28 May 1881 – 16 November 1968) was a Jesuit priest who was born in Germany. He was made a cardinal by Pope John XXIII.

Bea was influential at the controversial Vatican II Councilm such as regarding the Nostra aetate or the "Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions", a declaration that also included various very pro-Jewish statements, apparently to the extent of prohibiting any kind of criticisms of Jews by the Catholic Church.

He was also influential regarding the earlier Divino Afflante Spiritu, which inaugurated the modern period of Catholic Bible studies and which has been seen as encouraging the use of controversial "higher criticism".

More generally regarding the role of Jewish converts and others during the Second Vatican Council and associated changes, see the article on the Second Vatican Council and the external links there.