Thursday, September 22, 2011

Benedict XVI: “Dialogue with Jews must go on for the good of everyone”



“Jews and Christians have a common responsibility in the development of society, which always has a religious dimension to it.”

This is even more important in a society which is becoming increasingly secularised, a society in which dialogue between the two religions should reinforce a common hope in God. Without such a hope, society loses its humanity.”

Benedict XVI emphasised this during his speech before representatives of Berlin’s Jewish community (the oldest in Germany and North-Central Europe) who gathered in the Reichstag.
 
“The Church, he explained, feels very close to the Jewish People. The Second Vatican Council’s “Nostra aetate” Declaration, marked the beginning of “a definitive path towards dialogue, fraternity and friendship.” 

The Pope said this “is valid for the entire Catholic Church, in which Pope John Paul made a special effort to promote this new path.”  But this is obviously also true “for the Catholic Church in Germany, which is well aware of its responsibilities, particularly in relation to this subject.”

According to the Pope, “as Christians, we must become increasingly aware of our inner affinity with Judaism: as far as Christians are concerned, there can be no split in terms of the act of salvation. Salvation originates from the Jews.”
 
“In sum, he concluded, it is evident that the exchange between the Catholic Church and Judaism in Germany has already borne promising fruits. Lasting and trustful relations have grown between them.”