GUARDIAN: The pope has written a detailed and personal repudiation of the idea that the Jews were collectively responsible for the death of Jesus.
In a book to be published next week, he concludes that those responsible for the crucifixion were the “Temple aristocracy” and supporters of the rebel Barabbas.
Dismissing the centuries-old interpretation of St John’s assertion that it was “the Jews” who demanded Barabbas’s release and Jesus’s execution, the pontiff asks: “How could the whole people have been present at this moment to clamour for Jesus’s death?”
The notion of collective Jewish guilt, which bedevilled relations between the two faiths, was disowned by the Roman Catholic church at the second Vatican council in 1965. But this is thought to be the first time a pope has carried out such a detailed, theological demolition of the concept.
It is particularly significant coming from the pen of a German-born pontiff who has more than once been at the eye of a storm in Jewish-Catholic relations. Elan Steinberg, vice-president of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants, told Reuters: “This is a major step forward. This is a personal repudiation of the theological underpinning of centuries of antisemitism.”
Well shit the bed
From an organisation that was anti-semitism inc. until 1965. 1965 mind, that’s 20 AFTER the Holocaust. It only took them about 1700 years to admit their mistake…
It’s all very silly anyway.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t Christians supposed to be proud of the fact that Jesus died for our sins? It’s what they all shout about in churches. If the Jews had chosen to set Jesus free instead of Barabbas, he wouldn’t have died, wouldn’t have been resurrected, and Christianity would not exist today – or if it did, it would be very, very different.
Also, God would surely be a bit peeved that his plan to absolve mankind of its sins by having his son slaughtered had been foiled. He’d have to come up with a whole new plan to absolve mankind of its sins, by, oooh, let’s say, just forgiving them, rather than demanding some sort of sacrifice. Seriously – why does someone or something always have to be killed? Is God really that bloodthirsty?
Difficult to take him seriously. Next he is going to decree that gravity is not a myth.
Seye – I laughed tea down my nose at your comment. – It was an interesting experience.
Took your time Popey. Making the Jewish think they were all bit shit to that Jesus bloke. Its just not polite.
Now…about that whole God created man thing….when is that going to be the fault of some bloke down the pub.
Of course if those responsible for his crucifixion had changed their minds and let Jesus go – this particular branch of the messiah story would have disappeared like the many hundreds of others from that desperately backward time
@bujin
Exactly what I was about to say, it’s all ridiculous isn’t it.
Surprising coming from a Pope who’s derogatory nickname is ‘Benny the Nazi.’
Bujin – so we’re now off the hook for killing Jesus, but we’re still to blame for Christianity? Talk about a no-win…
Er, the romans killed him.
Shouldn’t they have been picking on the Italians all this time ?
@bujin
Also, I’ve never understood how Judas is supposed to have betrayed Jesus, because he only did what Jesus wanted him to do.
That’s not a betrayal, that’s obedience.
I AM FED UP OF PEOPLE SAYING NASTY THINGS ABOUT CATHOLICS AND THE POPE!
HE IS A GOOD MAN.
Yeah okay so the Jews didn’t kill Jesus, but there’s a more important question to be addressed…
Did they ever find out who shot Phil Mitchell?
I’m not sure what i believe, but not having anything to believe in kinda makes life depressing…
Not saying anyone is right or wrong but i hope for something more than this mundane life, things can only get better for a 15 year old right?
Also, Jews and Christians were the same at that time as the ‘new’ religion hadn’t really been formed, so how the hell are the jews to be blamed?
IS YOUR CAPSLOCK STUCK?
@:HARRYM A good man who has been a major hinderence in the fight against aids with his teachings on contraception, has covered up the paedophilia scandels, has condemned homosexuality, even though love and sex between people of the same sex is just as valid and acceptable as heterosexual sex, and has advocated the terror induced in people (adults and children alike) that unless they conform to their impossible-to-fulfil and questionable laws. And he tries to compensate for this by pointing to the charity work the catholic church is responsible for. How jolly decent of him.
Don’t be duped. Even if the catholic God exists, I don’t want anything to do with him.
P.S. CAPS LOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.
Georgina: im a 17 yo boy, and i know life can leave you feeling lost or down about not beileving in god and the whole idea of life having no purpose etc but in the words of hitchens (i cba to look up the quote so forgive the horrific corruption)….love will give you a moment which alone is worth living your entire life for.
also, watch the previously posted intellegence squared debate on “the catholic church being a force for good?” with hitchens, stephen fry, anne widicome and some african archbishop….fantastic debate, completely dominated by the polemic expertise (and superior evidence) of hitchens and fry….
http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/11/intelligence-squared-debate-stephen-fry-christopher-hitchens-catholics/
@Rory
Hear Hear
In other words…ignore the Church’s problems with gays and women, AIDS, condoms, pedophile priests, and anything else I forgot.
As someone who has often been on the receiving end of casual anti-semitism and been held PERSONALLY responsible for ‘killing God’ I feel the Pope’s statement can only help.
This makes me wonder…why should there be any blame in the first place? Wasn’t it part of god’s own plan? So, god is to be blamed.
1: NO MY CAPS LOCK IS NOT STUCK!
2: HE HAS DONE EVERYHING FOR SOME SORT OF GOOD REASON AND EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES!
3: WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS LIKE TO CRITICISE CHRISTIANS?! JUST BECAUSE I AM CHRISTIAN DOESN’T MEAN I AM A BAD PERSON!
@HARRYM. Not that it’s worth much but I think the popes a c*nt. Not all religious people are though. They are just brain washed into not using one. I am aware swearing is not big or clever but I find the word particularly useful for them.
“A God without dominion, providence and final causes, is nothing else but fate and nature.” Alexander Pope.