New pope seen continuing relationship with Israel, Jews

[IndianaGreen]

Time will tell if Ratzinger will continue with the policies of his predecessor, but I will admit that I am not as optimistic as the Haaretz article.

Last update - 02:45 20/04/2005

New pope seen continuing relationship with Israel, Jews

By Peter Hirschberg, Haaretz Correspondent

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the new pope to be known as Benedict XVI, will continue the positive, ground-breaking relations toward Israel and the Jews that characterized the papacy of Pope John Paul II, say senior Jewish figures who are integrally involved in relations with the Vatican, and know Ratzinger personally.

"He has a profound commitment to good relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, and an unquestionable commitment to Israel's well being," says Rabbi David Rosen, who was a key figure in the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Vatican in 1993. "From a narrow Jewish and Israeli perspective, it is good news for the Jews."

Israel Singer, chairman of the World Jewish Congress, says Ratzinger "was the man who provided the theological underpinnings for Pope John Paul II's decision to open relations with Israel. He solved the real problem that existed - the 2,000-year-old theological question. He was the one who had the keys to open that lock. In the last 20 years he has changed the 2,000-year history of relations between Jews and Christianity. I believe he will continue the policies of John Paul II with regard to relations with the Jews and Israel."

Shortly after the establishment of diplomatic ties, Ratzinger visited Israel to deliver the keynote address at a Jewish-Christian conference. "He wanted to express his personal support for Vatican-Israel relations, and for the advance of Jewish-Catholic relations," recalls Rosen, who chaired the event. Ratzinger, who made several quiet visits to Israel before the establishment of diplomatic ties, wrote the introduction to what Rosen calls the "most important" document on Christian-Jewish relations to come out of the Pontifical Biblical Studies Commission, the Vatican body that focuses on biblical studies. The document, which was issued under Ratzinger's authority, deals with the central place of the Jewish people and of religious Jewish texts in Christian teaching.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/567125.html

[Behind the Aegis]

1. I agree with you

I don't share the opinion of Ha'aretz nor the ADL on this situation. Some of the quotes I have seen from this man make me think Jews only mean one thing to him: salvation. I really fear this pope will make JP2 look like a liberal hippie! :scared: