Where and when did you here this? How reliable was the source?I’ve heard it said that the Church won’t evangelize the Jews. Why? Didn’t Jesus do just that? He preached mostly to the Jews, it was Paul who turned to the heathens but he always preached in the synagogue first.
What’s the Church’s position?
Why it is wrong to be Jewish? Why it is wrong to be Muslim? Why it is wrong to be Buddhist?The issue, to my understanding, is that we will not target them because of their ethnic or religious status. We will still evangelize all of the world, but the Church will not produce a “Why it is wrong to be Jewish” project.
Ok, let me see if I can explain what I am thinking.Why it is wrong to be Jewish? Why it is wrong to be Muslim? Why it is wrong to be Buddhist?
When evangelizing it’s not going about telling people why they are wrong it’s about getting them to know the Lord Jesus.
I’m really suspicious of this kind of reasoning it does not seem to fit in with traditional Catholic teaching and certaintly not with Holy Scripture.Ok, let me see if I can explain what I am thinking.
It is wrong to be Muslim or Buddhist because they are not religions that were created by God to lead humanity to Himself.
I cannot say that about being Jewish.
It is wrong to be Muslim or Buddhist because these faiths do not contain a covenant with God and man.
I cannot say that about being Jewish.
We can say that the Jewish faith is missing the fulfillment of the law found in Jesus.
It is wrong, however, to take a position of superiority over the Jewish faith because we have Jesus and they reject him.
Well, we can start with Romans 11:16-34 where Paul says that we have been grafted onto the tree with the Jews and that they still have a role to play.I’m really suspicious of this kind of reasoning it does not seem to fit in with traditional Catholic teaching and certaintly not with Holy Scripture.
I’d be glad if you could show me some authoritative sources for your info.
The tree is Christ.Well, we can start with Romans 11:16-34 where Paul says that we have been grafted onto the tree with the Jews and that they still have a role to play.
What the statement from the Bishops said, and it was back in 2002, is that they should not be targeted because they were Jews. Systemic attempts to focus on one group is one thing, saying that we should target them because they are Jewish is another.
So all Jews who do not accept Christ are damned?The tree is Christ.
The US Bishops do not have universal jurisdiction and cannot make new teaching as they go.
Is there anything in the documents of Vatican II or in the universal cathechism that says the same or has the pope made any such statments?
Without Christ there is NO salvation.
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20060315_en.htmlWith their very own existence, the Twelve - called from different backgrounds - become an appeal for all of Israel to convert and allow herself to be gathered into the new covenant, complete and perfect fulfilment of the ancient one.
Generally, anyone who rejects our Savior is not saved. Of course, someone who desires to surrender themselves completely to God’s way, truth, and life but is innocently in error as to these things, implicitly accepts Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.So all Jews who do not accept Christ are damned?
How can the Jews reject Christ, when Christ was never accepted in the first place by them?? I do no believe the Jews are condemned to hell. It is more of a sin to accept Jesus first, then reject him.So all Jews who do not accept Christ are damned?
I agree with this - but would further add that I believe this also applies to those supernaturally blinded to faith in Christ as I believe the vast majority of Jews have been (God fortold they would have eyes but not see and ears but not hear) - for how long? Until the full allotment of gentiles comes in (Romans 11) and then “all Israel will be saved”. Similarly Zechariah talks about in the end times the Jewish people morning for the one whom they have pierced.Generally, anyone who rejects our Savior is not saved. Of course, someone who desires to surrender themselves completely to God’s way, truth, and life but is innocently in error as to these things, implicitly accepts Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Yes you might not have to explicitly confess Christ as Savior but all who are saved are saved through Him. Christ is the universal Savior, that’s dogma.I agree with this - but would further add that I believe this also applies to those supernaturally blinded to faith in Christ as I believe the vast majority of Jews have been (God fortold they would have eyes but not see and ears but not hear) - for how long? Until the full allotment of gentiles comes in (Romans 11) and then “all Israel will be saved”. Similarly Zechariah talks about in the end times the Jewish people morning for the one whom they have pierced.
While Protestant theology (generally - there are exceptions) holds firmly that one must confess Jesus as saviour by name to be saved, the Catholic Church believes in the possibility of salvation for those of other faiths, based upon their search for God to the best of their knowlege and ability.
Blessings,
Brian
But the Jews do not see this.The Jews need Jesus and the fullness of Truth just as any human.