Pope Emeritus Benedict: Dialogue with the Jews, Not Mission

Vatican News ^ | 11/27/18

[marshmallow]

The Pope emeritus “corrects” an article by theologian Michael Böhnke and rejects as “absolutely false” the insinuation that Benedict has called into question the foundations of Jewish-Christian dialogue.

In a “correction” sent to the German monthly Herder Korrespondenz, Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI affirmed that Christians are called to a “dialogue” with the Jews, rather than a “mission.” The Pope emeritus was responding to an article by theologian Michael Böhnke of Wuppertal. In the September issue of the journal, Böhnke had commented disapprovingly on statements made by Benedict concerning the relationship between Jews and Christians.

A completely false insinuation

Judaism and Christianity, said Benedict, are “two ways of interpreting the Scriptures.” For Christians, the promises made to Israel are the hope of the Church, and “those who abide by it are in no way questioning the foundations of the Jewish-Christian dialogue.” The accusation contained in the article, he continued, is “grotesque nonsense and has nothing to do with what I said about it. I therefore reject his article as a completely false insinuation.”

Böhnke had argued that Benedict XVI, in an article for the theological journal Communio, had demonstrated a problematic understanding of Judaism, and had ignored the suffering Christians had inflicted upon Jews.

Not "mission," but "dialogue"

In his “correction,” Benedict also addressed – among other theological issues – the delicate question of the “mission” to the Jews; that is, the question of whether the Church should proclaim the Good News of Christ to the Jews. Benedict wrote: “A mission to the Jews is not foreseen and not necessary.” At the same time, it is true that Christ gave His disciples a mission to all peoples and all cultures. For this reason, Benedict affirms, “the missionary mandate is universal – with one exception: a mission to the Jews was not foreseen and not........

[ebb tide]

Benedikt XVI: Evangelising the Jews Is "Not Necessary"

[fidelis]

"In his “correction,” Benedict also addressed – among other theological issues – the delicate question of the “mission” to the Jews; that is, the question of whether the Church should proclaim the Good News of Christ to the Jews."

That is the article writer's words, not Benedict's.

"Benedict wrote: “A mission to the Jews is not foreseen and not necessary.” At the same time, it is true that Christ gave His disciples a mission to all peoples and all cultures. For this reason, Benedict affirms, “the missionary mandate is universal – with one exception: a mission to the Jews was not foreseen and not........"

This has come up before. What Benedict means is that the Jews should not be specially targeted for evangelization anymore than any other group just because they are Jews. Instead, Christians have the obligation to share the Good News with everyone, Jews included.

[pepsi_junkie]

When Benedict stepped down I heard the whispers that he was forced out and I dismissed it. He's a good man, I said, and nothing they have on him could be so terrible. Further, would Cardinals engage is such a thing to a sitting Pope in the modern era? No, I thought, this cannot be. His heath must truly be failing. And yet, a doubt formed. Pope JP II was heavily afflicted for years, barely able to walk or even speak and yet he bravely soldiered on. How much worse could Benedict, who walked and spoke firmly, be?

Then I got the know Pope Francis. That despicable little gargoyle is just the sort to blackmail a Pope. And here we are, years later and Benedict is imprisoned in Castle Gandalfo but still healthy and alive. I no longer have a hard time believing it happened. I still can't imagine what information they had that would force Benedict to resign and leave the church in the hands of a monster but I hold him accountable for his part in letting this madness descent on the church.

[lepton]

My understanding was that Benedict’s health issues were akin to Alzheimer’s, not an affliction of his body.