Vatican to Stop Missionizing Jews

The Jerusalem Post ^ | May 12, 2009 | ABE SELIG AND JERUSALEM POST STAFF

[Kjirstje]

In his welcoming address Tuesday to Pope Benedict XVI at Jerusalem's Heichal Shlomo, adjacent to the capital's Great Synagogue, Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger said that the pontiff had agreed that the Catholic Church would cease all missionary activity among Jews, and thanked him for the gesture.

The chief Ashkenazi rabbi went on to thank the pope for his "historic agreement and the commitment given by the Vatican, that the Church will henceforth desist from all missionary and conversion activities amongst our people. This is for us an immensely important message."

[Kjirstje]

It's hard to believe the Pope would make such a promise, nor can I find any words to that effect in the Pope's speech, found here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090512_rabbini_en.html.

As a Catholic, I wonder what the Pope could possibly have SAID to warrant the Rabbi's thanks for this alleged promise "not to missionize Jews" any longer. Something along the lines of, "Rabbi, I speak for the Vatican and the entire Church when I say that we desire that you all go to hell."(?)

Does the learned Rabbi think there's any substantive difference between such a ludicrous hypothetical statement as that and a promise from any Christian to stop missionizing the Jews?

Any Christian who would stop seeking the salvation of the Jews would, in a sense, place themselves alongside Hitler in his own attempts to destroy the Jews. Whether someone acts towards a goal or does NOT act towards that same goal (in this case, NOT missionizing) he's guilty of the same general sin. (Degree of sin notwithstanding and ignorance possibly excluded.)

If the Pope did say anything about missionizing it must have been taken the wrong way. (Maybe something so simple as, "Okay, okay, Rabbi! So we won't leave any more scapulars, rosary beads or Divine Mercy tracts between the bricks at the Wailing Wall!"?)

It would be ignorant of a learned, highly religious Rabbi to seek such a promise from a Christian. For the Church NOT to perform good faith acts with the sole purpose of the Jews' eternal salvation is essentially the same sin some rabbis have decried the Pope for during this visit. That is apparently, the Pope not adequately apologizing for the Church not working harder in its official capacity to help assist the Jews during the war.

Given the numbers of Catholic priests and nuns who died in prison camps and the countless other sacrifices of Catholics then, that's debatable. However, after having found the Church guilty of grievous sin--by the standard of many of these rabbis--would they desire the Church now commit further sin by ITS own standard?

[LibLieSlayer]

Nothing surprises me any longer about this Pope... sad to say. I just do not know what to think.

LLS

[magisterium]

Hmmm. The article cites lengthy quotes on other matters discussed, but simply makes what appears to be an editorial assertion about the missioning issue. I wonder if it’s either a garbled understanding of the pope’s words, or wishul thinking on the JPost’s part. To cease “all missionary activity” among specified peoples as a matter of policy is a glaring disregard of the Great Commission of Matthew 28. I doubt that this pope is inclined to do such a thing. Something got botched in the JPost’s take on this story.

At least...I certainly hope so!

[bgill]

Wow, one side or the other or both have their panties in a wad.

On a side note, there's some Hitler/Nazi/White Supremacist show in the History Channel. I'd say Janet needs to look at these freaks instead of our veterans.

[mdmathis6]

“Unto Judea and Samarita and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth...” Part of the Great Comission given to the apostles and Christian churches everywhere. I can’t see that mission changing until Christ has set up his kingdom and his saints from all over the world have all been gathered in!

[Varda]

I don’t think it’s probable that he said this since it’s something that’s beyond his authority.

[MarkL]

It would be ignorant of a learned, highly religious Rabbi to seek such a promise from a Christian. For the Church NOT to perform good faith acts with the sole purpose of the Jews' eternal salvation is essentially the same sin some rabbis have decried the Pope for during this visit.

Sorry, but while I am sure that you have the best intentions for this, those that are the target of conversion often find it at least distasteful, and others find it offensive. A good example is something that I experienced when I was little. A neighbor was a lay-minister, and they expanded their home to include a small indoor basketball court and game rooms for the neighborhood kids. The only restriction to using their facilities was that you had to come in and read some of their comic books for a while before playing. Lots of biblical allegories, and talk of finding salvation through Jesus. At the time, I was going to a Jewish day school, and so I read the stories, but they really didn't effect me much: At the time I had a very strong religious conviction as a Jew, even as a child of 7 or 8. But my mother went ballistic when she found out that I was being prosthelitised (sp?) by the neighbor, and said that the only way I could continue to go there to play with the rest of the neighborhood kids was if I didn't have to read the material. The neighbor refused, so I sort of became an outsider in my neighborhood, not being able to play with the rest of the kids when they went over there. It didn't really matter all that much, but for someone without the religious education that I was getting at the time, it certainly could have put me at odds with my family.

And I would like to ask one other thing of you. How many muslims of "good faith" do you think there are that say and believe the EXACT same thing about Christians: That they only have their best interests at heart.

Mark

[livius]

This is bizarre and I doubt that it’s what the Pope said at all. For one thing, something this major would not be told to one lone rabbi in the course of a visit. Also, it’s not really something the Pope could even say, since preaching the Gospel to all men - including Jews, obviously - is not something he has the authority to halt, even if he wanted to (which I doubt he does).

[SumProVita]

I HIGHLY doubt that this is being reported accurately.

[trisham]

As a Catholic, I wonder what the Pope could possibly have SAID to warrant the Rabbi's thanks for this alleged promise "not to missionize Jews" any longer. Something along the lines of, "Rabbi, I speak for the Vatican and the entire Church when I say that we desire that you all go to hell."(?)

***********************

Good grief.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Pope Benedict is a life-long scholar of Christian thought. I don't think he's dropped The Great Commission that Jesus gave to his disciples.

I agree with Dennis Prager, that Jews ought to be out their proselytizing for their faith, rather than try to get other to stop proselytizing their own faith. The competition will make both faiths stronger.

Just as a question for information, how much proselytizing has the Catholic Church been doing among Jews?

[livius]

There’s preaching and there’s preaching. People do have to be given a chance to find out about the truth; certainly, that doesn’t mean that “missionaries” should be buttonholing people on the streets, which probably gets few converts anyway. But I don’t see anything wrong with practicing one’s faith in a visible way (Muslims and Jews object to Christian symbols, which they claim are attempts at proseletysing) or even making literature and prayers available if anybody is interested.

Jews are born into their religion because it is ethnically linked, although long ago, Jews also proseletysed and in fact there were numerous converts during the time of Roman occupation.

[thefrankbaum]

Sorry, but while I am sure that you have the best intentions for this, those that are the target of conversion often find it at least distasteful, and others find it offensive.

But if the result of NOT seeking conversions is a loss of the soul to Satan for both people - one for not accepting Christ, one for failing to heed his words in the Great Commission - should we really cease? Muslims find it offensive when they are stopped going through airport security, yet we continue to do it. It is a balancing act between acting and offending the person and failing to act and the resultant repercussions.

How many muslims of "good faith" do you think there are that say and believe the EXACT same thing about Christians: That they only have their best interests at heart.

Quite a few. Along with Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons, and Catholics, and Krishnas... As long as their attempts are via words, and not bombs and fear, then I have no problem with it.

[chesley]

It might be offensive, but for a Christian it has to be done.

At least among Christians today there is the understanding that a forced conversion is no conversion at all. You CANNOT say that about the Muslims.

As for them saying the exact same thing about Christians, so what? Do we get offended? No. They are entitled to their beliefs. Same as Jews or Christians.

[RJR_fan]

But my mother went ballistic when she found out that I was being prosthelitised (sp?) by the neighbor

Please accept my apology for the abusive tactics of my co-religionist. The sanctity of your family was raped when this guy went behind the backs of your parents to target you for conversion. As a fundamentalist Christian home-schooling parent, I take umbrage at "child evangelism" projects that target children, since kids are easier marks than grownups. This generates numbers -- of "conversions" reported, of funds raised -- but ignores a central reality of Biblical faith -- the family.

Now that you are an adult, however, I'd like to inform you that there is a party in progress, the Host is incredibly fascinating, and your name might be on one of the place settings.

(Parenthetically, the founding pastor of our church started life Jewish.)

[RJR_fan]

updated tagline ...

[markomalley]

I didn't see any of that in the Holy Father's address:

COURTESY VISIT
TO THE TWO CHIEF RABBIS OF JERUSALEM

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI

Hechal Shlomo Centre - Jerusalem
Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Distinguished Rabbis,
Dear Friends,

I am grateful for the invitation to visit Heichal Shlomo and to meet with you during this trip of mine to the Holy Land as Bishop of Rome. I thank Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger for their warm words of welcome and the desire they have expressed to continue strengthening the bonds of friendship which the Catholic Church and the Chief Rabbinate have labored so diligently to forge over the past decades. Your visits to the Vatican in 2003 and 2005 are a sign of the good will which characterizes our developing relations.

Distinguished Rabbis, I reciprocate by expressing my own respect and esteem for you and your communities. I assure you of my desire to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between the Holy See, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Jewish people throughout the world.

A great source of satisfaction for me since the beginning of my pontificate has been the fruit yielded by the ongoing dialogue between the Delegation of the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s Delegation for Relations with the Catholic Church. I wish to thank the members of both delegations for their dedication and hard work in implementing this initiative, so earnestly desired by my esteemed predecessor Pope John Paul II, as he said during the Great Jubilee Year of 2000.

Our encounter today is a most fitting occasion to give thanks to the Almighty for the many blessings which have accompanied the dialogue conducted by the Bilateral Commission, and to look forward with expectation to its future sessions. The willingness of the delegates to discuss openly and patiently not only points of agreement, but also points of difference, has already paved the way to more effective collaboration in public life. Jews and Christians alike are concerned to ensure respect for the sacredness of human life, the centrality of the family, a sound education for the young, and the freedom of religion and conscience for a healthy society. These themes of dialogue represent only the initial phases of what we trust will be a steady, progressive journey towards an enhanced mutual understanding.

An indication of the potential of this series of meetings is readily seen in our shared concern in the face of moral relativism and the offences it spawns against the dignity of the human person. In approaching the most urgent ethical questions of our day, our two communities are challenged to engage people of good will at the level of reason, while simultaneously pointing to the religious foundations which best sustain lasting moral values. May the dialogue that has begun continue to generate ideas on how Christians and Jews can work together to heighten society’s appreciation of the distinctive contribution of our religious and ethical traditions. Here in Israel, given that Christians constitute only a small portion of the total population, they particularly value opportunities for dialogue with their Jewish neighbors.

Trust is undeniably an essential element of effective dialogue. Today I have the opportunity to repeat that the Catholic Church is irrevocably committed to the path chosen at the Second Vatican Council for a genuine and lasting reconciliation between Christians and Jews. As the Declaration Nostra Aetate makes clear, the Church continues to value the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews and desires an ever deeper mutual understanding and respect through biblical and theological studies as well as fraternal dialogues. May the seven Bilateral Commission meetings which have already taken place between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate stand as evidence! I am thus grateful for your reciprocal assurance that the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Chief Rabbinate will continue to grow in respect and understanding in the future.

My friends, I express again my deep appreciation for the welcome you have extended to me today. I am confident that our friendship will continue to set an example of trust in dialogue for Jews and Christians throughout the world. Looking at the accomplishments achieved thus far, and drawing our inspiration from the Holy Scriptures, we can confidently look forward to even stronger cooperation between our communities – together with all people of good will – in decrying hatred and oppression throughout the world. I pray that God, who searches our hearts and knows our thoughts (Ps 139:23), will continue to enlighten us with his wisdom, so that we may follow his commandments to love him with all our heart, soul and strength (cf. Dt 6:5), and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev 19:18). Thank you.

He referenced a declaration from the Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate, that I believe directly contradicts what these rabbis are saying:

4. As the sacred synod searches into the mystery of the Church, it remembers the bond that spiritually ties the people of the New Covenant to Abraham's stock.

Thus the Church of Christ acknowledges that, according to God's saving design, the beginnings of her faith and her election are found already among the Patriarchs, Moses and the prophets. She professes that all who believe in Christ-Abraham's sons according to faith (6)-are included in the same Patriarch's call, and likewise that the salvation of the Church is mysteriously foreshadowed by the chosen people's exodus from the land of bondage. The Church, therefore, cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Old Testament through the people with whom God in His inexpressible mercy concluded the Ancient Covenant. Nor can she forget that she draws sustenance from the root of that well-cultivated olive tree onto which have been grafted the wild shoots, the Gentiles.(7) Indeed, the Church believes that by His cross Christ, Our Peace, reconciled Jews and Gentiles. making both one in Himself.(8)

The Church keeps ever in mind the words of the Apostle about his kinsmen: "theirs is the sonship and the glory and the covenants and the law and the worship and the promises; theirs are the fathers and from them is the Christ according to the flesh" (Rom. 9:4-5), the Son of the Virgin Mary. She also recalls that the Apostles, the Church's main-stay and pillars, as well as most of the early disciples who proclaimed Christ's Gospel to the world, sprang from the Jewish people.

As Holy Scripture testifies, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her visitation,(9) nor did the Jews in large number, accept the Gospel; indeed not a few opposed its spreading.(10) Nevertheless, God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues-such is the witness of the Apostle.(11) In company with the Prophets and the same Apostle, the Church awaits that day, known to God alone, on which all peoples will address the Lord in a single voice and "serve him shoulder to shoulder" (Soph. 3:9).(12)

Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues.

True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ;(13) still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ.

Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.

Besides, as the Church has always held and holds now, Christ underwent His passion and death freely, because of the sins of men and out of infinite love, in order that all may reach salvation. It is, therefore, the burden of the Church's preaching to proclaim the cross of Christ as the sign of God's all-embracing love and as the fountain from which every grace flows.

---

NOTES

6. Cf. Gal. 3:7

7. Cf. Rom. 11:17-24

8. Cf. Eph. 2:14-16

9. Cf. Lk. 19:44

10. Cf. Rom. 11:28

11. Cf. Rom. 11:28-29; cf. dogmatic Constitution, Lumen Gentium (Light of nations) AAS, 57 (1965) pag. 20

12. Cf. Is. 66:23; Ps. 65:4; Rom. 11:11-32

13. Cf. John. 19:6

Please note the words there: He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues-such is the witness of the Apostle…and…It is, therefore, the burden of the Church's preaching to proclaim the cross of Christ as the sign of God's all-embracing love and as the fountain from which every grace flows (given in context of the Church's relationship with the Jews).

I don't even see how something said by the Holy Father could be twisted in that way.

[Armando Guerra]

Nothing surprises me any longer about this Pope... sad to say. I just do not know what to think.

You may be really surprised then by the truth. Every time I read here on Free Republic what the Pope has supposedly said (and then subsequently been berated for) I know to check the true quote. So far the main stream media has an abysmal record on quoting this Pope. What really surprises me is how often many here on Free Republic who distrust anything reported by the media are so willing to accept them blindly when it comes to the reporting on the Pope. I guess it just may come down to a bias for willingness to believe anything negative about the Catholic Church.

[LibLieSlayer]

No getting around it... he did tell Israel to give in to the palis and give them a state. Please do not put me into that group that believes everything bad about the Church. I clearly said that I do not know what to think.

LLS

[ArrogantBustard]

Are you trying to tell us that

THE PRESS LIED???

AGAIN???

That's downright shocking!!!

Even more shocking is that some folks on this forum just slurp it up without a moment's critical thought.