http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1109145.html
Last update - 04:44 21/08/2009
U.S. Jews tell Catholics: We won't accept Christ as our savior
By The Associated Press Tags: Catholics, Israel News
Major Jewish groups and rabbis from the three largest branches of American
Judaism said Thursday that their relationship with Roman Catholic leaders is at
risk because of a recent U.S. bishops' statement on salvation.
Jewish groups said they interpret the new document to mean that the bishops
view interfaith dialogue as a chance to invite Jews to become Catholic. The
Jewish leaders said they "pose no objection" to Christians sharing their faith,
but said dialogue with Jews becomes "untenable" if the goal is to persuade Jews
to accept Christ as their savior.
"A declaration of this sort is antithetical to the very essence of
Jewish-Christian dialogue as we have understood it," Jewish leaders said in a
letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The signers were the
Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and rabbis representing
the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform movements.
The statement fueling the tension was issued by the bishops in June to clarify
a 2002 document called "Covenant and Mission." The bishops said the earlier
document mistakenly played down the importance of sharing the Gospel and was
therefore misleading.
"While the Catholic Church does not proselytize the Jewish people, neither does
she fail to witness to them her faith in Christ, nor to welcome them to share
in that same faith whenever appropriate," said Bishop William Lori of
Bridgeport, Conn., chairman of a bishops' committee on doctrine. He had said
the revisions affirmed statements from the Holy See.
The tensions are rooted in a complex theological debate about salvation for
those outside the Catholic Church. Discussion of the issue between Jews and
Catholics focuses on the significance of the ancient covenant between God and
the Jews.
Pope John Paul II had spoken repeatedly of a covenant "never revoked." Many
Jewish groups view the bishops' statement as stepping back from the pope's
position.
Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. bishops, said Thursday:
"Catholic-Jewish dialogue has been important to the U.S. bishops for almost 50
years. The bishops have just received the letter and currently are studying it.
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