Goodbye to a Good Pope
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Photo Credit: Yori Yanover
The big news yesterday was that due to issues with his health Pope Benedict is resigning as Pope effective February 28th… in just a couple of weeks.
Why should an Orthodox Jew care what goes on in the Catholic Church? Well… when a religion boasts membership in the billions, what happens there definitely affects us. Not in any theological way. But most certainly in a sociological one.
The fact that The Catholic Church is the direct and unbroken chain of Christianity going back to the 2nd Temple era… and that their religion stems from Jewish roots add to that importance. So too does the fact that the Jewish people and the Church have been intimately intertwined over the two millennia since Christianity’s founding – mostly not for the better. I need not go into all the pogroms and other anti Semitic acts perpetrated against the Jewish people in the name of their religion. Suffice it to say that it was responsible for much carnage toward our people.
That of course all changed with Vatican II. Although many Jews are still suspect about the motives of the Church and believe it to be just a new ploy in trying to convert us, I believe that the change in their attitude was sincere. They no longer consider us ‘Christ killers.’ They no longer say that Judaism has lost its legitimacy and has been replaced by Christianity. They now consider us their ‘older brother’ religion and quite legitimate.
Since Vatican II there has been great progress between the Catholic church and the Jewish people. Our relationship has never been better. And the current Pope deserves credit for that. No one said it better than this:
“During his period (as pope) there were the best relations ever between the church and the chief rabbinate and we hope that this trend will continue,” “I think he deserves a lot of credit for advancing inter-religious links the world over between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.” “(I wish the Pope) good health and long days.
These are the words of Rabbi Yona Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel. I could not have said better myself. I hope that the next Pope will be no worse… and that relations continue to improve.
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tell a friendAbout the Author: Harry Maryles runs the blog "Emes Ve-Emunah" which focuses on current events and issues that effect the Jewish world in general and Orthodoxy in particular. It discuses Hashkafa and news events of the day - from a Centrist perspctive and a philosphy of Torah U'Mada. He can be reached at hmaryles@yahoo.com.
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3 Responses to “Goodbye to a Good Pope”
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A big fat untrue, factually flawed and incorrect bull—t.
but, but we don't consider the Roman catholic church christian, they persecuted the true christians during the spanish inquisition, the roman catholic church is stil the Ceasars of Rome now under the guise of Christianity.they have statues, worship dead saints, which has nothing whatever to do with our faith in Christ Jesus, whom would not even recognize this palace in Rome seeing He was born in a stable in Bethlehem. who was with G-d at the beginning of Creation, He is the Word made flesh, who brought salvation to us, by His death upon the cross, so that we no longer fear death, as He overcame death for us, and is now our High priest on High, interceding for us for the forgiveness of our sins, so that G-d sent His Holy spirit into our hearts, through Christ, who is our mediator, as shown when He cried out "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." for everyone who is truly repentant and comes to Him, with a contrite spirit and humble in heart. He is the Holy One of Israel, sent by G-d for redemption to all who believe. shalom
this pope was creepy, he covered up for the priests who molested those boys, they had no love of Christ in their heart, as He said "Woe to anyone who harms any of these little ones who believe in Me, it would be better if a millstone was hung around his neck and cast into the sea." See so they don't even know Christ our Lord and saviour, otherwise they would not have covered up, they were only concerned that their money supply would dwindle, if it came out about those priests. Beside Christ abolished the priesthood, when He cried out on the cross "It is finished and the veil in the temple tore in half. As He is now our High Priest who conquered death for us, and intercede for us for the forgiveness of our sins.