Pope's book offers approach to conversion of Jews

March 11, 2011

In his new book—the 2nd volume of his work Jesus of Nazareth—Pope Benedict XVI writes that Catholics should not seek the incorporation of the Jewish people into the Church.

“Israel is in the hands of God, who will save it ‘as a whole’ at the proper time, when the number of Gentiles is full,” the pope writes. He says that Christians should “wait for the time fixed for this by God” rather than attempting to convert the Jewish people.

While the Pope affirms that salvation only comes through Jesus Christ, he argues that the mission of the Church is primarily to the Gentiles, and cites the belief of St. Bernard that God will bring Jews into the fold at a time “that cannot be anticipated.”

The Pope acknowledges that efforts by Christians to convert Jews have caused severe problems over the centuries. Although he does not propose to place limits on evangelization, or discourage individual conversions, he does say that Christians should not target Jews specifically for conversion. The Pope’s thoughts—advanced in a book that he takes pains to identify as his personal opinion rather than a magisterial teaching document—will bring new attention to the debate on whether God’s covenant with the Jews endures, even after the establishment of the New Covenant. The Pope himself has rejected that view. Still Rabbi Eugene Korn, a specialist on interfaith dialogue, sees the Pope’s approach in his new book as an important development that “takes the practical threat out of Christian supersessionism for Jews today.”

 

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Further information:

• Benedict’s ‘Jesus’ and the Jews (Jewish Daily Forward)
• Church should not pursue conversion of Jews, pope says (National Catholic Reporter)