Tuesday, February 26, 2008
JEWISH-CHRISTIAN RELATIONS
Zenit has posted an interview with the President of Valencia's Judeo-Christian Friendship which describes the present state of Jewish-Christian dialogue. Given the recent controversy over the Good Friday prayers, I expected to read that is was breaking down; but that isn't what the interview indicates.
I have to wonder, though, just how much the two faiths dialogue on theology given this response from the interview:
Q: What is the basis upon which the dialogue between Jews and Christians sits?
Fontana: We have a very similar concept on basic questions of morals and beliefs. There are many points in common: the importance of religion for personal and community life, the basic dignity of being human, created in the image and likeness of God, God as giver of the Ten Commandments, a salvation history which begins with Abraham, father of the believing.
We have the Bible in common. The Old Testament -- or Hebrew Talmud -- is contained in the Christian Bible. The Church has always been considered implanted into the ancient Israel. “If the root is holy, so are the branches. You […] were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree.” (Romans 11:16-17).
"The Old Testament -- or Hebrew Talmud"??? Shouldn't that be Torah? Perhaps it was the reporter who made the error; but if not, it doesn't lead me to believe that this is working out well at all. The difference between the Talmud and the Torah is basic to interreligious dialogue I would think.
I'm not so sure about the "very similar concepts" of morals and beliefs either given that in at least some Jewish circles reincarnation is a belief and in others abortion is considered to be moral.
