During Mass this week, one of the prayers of the faithful referred to the God’s covenants with the Jews and Muslims, that these covenants be a means toward peace in the Middle East.
We know the Jews are the chosen people from whom the Messiah came. They are the descendants of Isaac. On the other hand, Muslims are the descendants of Ismael. Both are descendants of Abraham with whom God made the following covenant, the sign of this covenant being circumcision. Both Jews and Muslims are circumcised for this reason.
To your descendents I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River.(Genesis 5:18). Genesis 17 goes more in depth into how God will bless both Isaac and Ishmael.
What has changed as a result of Vatican II is not the teachings of the Church, but rather how we respond to those of other faiths and religions who share with us worship of the one true God.
Does this mean that we overlook the call to pray for all men, that they may come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ? Of course not. Neither do we see those who do not share our faith as adversaries. Each person that we meet, regardless of personal creed is made in the image and likeness of God.
Deb,
I agree with you that Vatican II changed no teaching, but the fact that some in the Church clearly believe it
did and act accordingly is a real problem you seem to be glossing over. I believe this is the problem the OP is referring to.
Your quote above also contains errors. You are correct that God has made covenants with Abraham specifically and later the entire Hebrew people, but it is the constant teaching of the Church that all such covenants were made null by the New Covenant in which all human beings participate.
Yes, every human being is indeed made in the image of the Creator and has inherent, great dignity. But that is not related to the questions at hand. Furthermore, the Church has
always recognized that basic truth - not just since the 1960s.
I’ll let Catholic author and Relevant Radio personality John Salsa explain.
From
scripturecatholic.xanga.com/703979835/16-pope-benedict-xvi8217s-homily-on-the-jews8217-irrevocable-covenant/
"Now, referring to the Mosaic Law as the “irrevocable gift” is not accurate. The Mosaic law is not “irrevocable,” for it has been abolished by the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. See Rom 7:4; 2Cor 3:14; Gal 3:10-13; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14; Heb 7:12,18; 8:13; 10:9. To say that the Mosaic law has not been abrogated but has been “relativized” is to contradict the very Scriptures that explicitly say it has been abrogated (especially the terminology Paul uses in Hebrews) and dogmatic councils. Also, the word “relativized” has no theological meaning.
Further, this statement is an eisegesis of Romans 11:29 where Paul says that God’s “gifts and call [to the Jews] are without repentance.” The word “irrevocable” which has crept into many translations of Romans 11:29 is not accurate. The Greek is ametameletos which means “unregretted.” It doesn’t mean "irrevocable. The Douay Rheims accurately translates the word as “without repentance.”
Also, Paul in Romans 11:29 is not referring to the covenant of law God established with Moses, but the covenant of grace that God established with Abraham. Paul is simply saying that, inspite of the Jews’ hardheartedness, God does not regret calling them into the covenant of Jesus Christ, by grace (although Paul says that God is going to save only a remnant of them)."
Something else related:
scripturecatholic.xanga.com/703979316/13-what-do-you-think-about-the-new-good-friday-prayer/
