Pope Benedict XVI will not change a Latin prayer which calls for the conversion of Jews because it is theologically proper, a top German cardinal told the AFP today.
The Pope “will leave the prayer as it is. From our point of view, it is entirely correct from a theological point of view,” Cardinal Walter Kasper told the news agency.
A delegation of top rabbis is expected to visit the Vatican this week for talks on the prayer which they want changed. After the Vatican meeting, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, is scheduled to make a statement. Vatican officials said the statement would hopefully “make things clearer, not resolve but clarify, and hopefully we can overcome this irritation for the Jewish world”.
Jewish groups have expressed opposition to the prayer.
(Source: Brisbane Times / AFP)
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13 Responses
So what.
These so-called Rabbis should stop making a chilul hashem trying to change Catholic prayers.
What do we care if the people of :”a god that doesn’t help”prays to a deity that cannot do anything and does not exist? Let them pray for whatever. Hashem promised Avrohom Ovinu that “those that bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed”. Let them be cused.
Who cares?
We daven that they should stop doing avoda zara
Did Joseph and Torahis1 just agree about something? WOW!
I wonder what would happen if we concentrated on our own prayers a little better
She’lo Asani Goy (spelling???) – hmmm would we change that at the popes request — not a chance.
Baki,
Read between the lines ,lol!
It seems that Torahis1’s intent is to defend the honour of another religion, whereas JOSPEH seems to be taking this oppertunity to MOCK those liberal minded Jews who demean OUR religion…..
The Archbishop of Canterbury proclaimed that in accordance with their theology Jews should be excluded from prayers asking for the conversion to Christianity of individuals or groups of individuals because “Jews have a special covenant with G-d”. This acknowledgment was a huge step forward in Christianity’s recognition of the specialness of Jews.
Catholicism, on the other hand, has been responsible for some of the worst crimes against Jews. Even though Vatican II went a long way towards resolving some of their own conflicts regarding Jews, there is still a long way for them to go in the development of a positive relationship with the Jewish people.
Whether we want to admit it or not, Christianity and Islam are today the two most influential religions in the world. We see today how Islam has incorporated classic Christian anti-Semitism into their religious creed which, to them, justifies all manner of evil towards Jews. Unless Christianity moves further towards recognition of this same special covenant that Jews have with G-d, Jews may, again, be at risk (as we are when we are forced to confront today the vicious anti-Semitism in the guise of anti-Zionism of the Anglican church).
As well, even the Rambam wrote that the purpose for the emergence of Christianity and Islam will be understood in the time of the Moshiach. Although he was extremely negative in regards to the characters of the founders of both religions, he himself admits that these religions are responsible for bringing in a universal consciousness of the existence of one G-d.
Christianity, like Islam, is triumphalist. Both believe that only their way is THE way to G-d. Judaism does not hold that view at all. We believe that others will find their own way to G-d. As a result, we do not believe in converting others to Judaism.
As long as both Christianity and Islam maintain on a fundamental level that Jews are fair game for conversion, we, as a people, remain extremely vulnerable. Remember, there are thousands of Jews today who are seeking spiritual connection and have not found it within Judaism — either because they have never been exposed to it, or because the way it is today interpreted doesn’t appeal to them. These are the people who are most vulnerable to Christian influence.
I credit those Rabbis who are pushing this matter with the Vatican. An acknowledgment on their ends that Jews are special in this regard, will go along way towards remedying the evil that the Church imposed upon Jews since Christianity’s very inception and will, perhaps, work towards altering Christianity’s own relationship with G-d for the positive.
What does it matter how idol worshipper’s pray. They obviosuly believe that the way of Torah is wrong, or else they’d be noahides, and they believe in bringing us to the “truth.” let the goyim with their avoda zara alone, hashem will explain to them everything after they die.
“Both believe that only their way is THE way to G-d. Judaism does not hold that view at all. ”
You are way off, Judaism IS the way to Hashem, everything else is Avoda Zara.
umm… should we stop saying vlamalshinim?
It is time that we stop caring what they say we will never convince them of anything we must concentrate on ourselves as Jews, the din is Eisav soneh es Yaakov and that is always going to be the case.AS long as we don’t convert and as long as we are in charge of their holy sites in Eretz Yisroel they hate us.
MAB, Quote:
“As long as both Christianity and Islam maintain on a fundamental level that Jews are fair game for conversion, we, as a people, remain extremely vulnerable. Remember, there are thousands of Jews today who are seeking spiritual connection and have not found it within Judaism — either because they have never been exposed to it, or because the way it is today interpreted doesn’t appeal to them. These are the people who are most vulnerable to Christian influence.
I credit those Rabbis who are pushing this matter with the Vatican”
I think you a right on target with your thoughtful concern about the threat of christian missionizing poses to our alienated members. However, I take an opposite position on the impact of this agenda on it. Keeping this catholic prayer as is will ensure that the fact that catholicism’s goal is the conversion of jews is never far from the surface. The missionary threat is greater and more insidious when it is cloaked in the pretense of reconciling the differences between judaism and christianty.
And frankly, what they print in their “siddur” is not going to change what they think or seek any more than the deletion of “shehem mishtachavim….” from Aleinnu changed our thinking.