The last time I mentioned Pope Benedict XVI on this blog, it was in relation to his last visit to the United Kingdom-the first such visit in three decades.
Then, the pontiff made international headlines the world over, given that his visit came at a time when the Universal Catholic church was under international scrutiny for its management of the child sex-abuse scandals that had taken place in previous decades.
I devoted a half-hour radio documentary to exploring the papal visit to Britain within the context of events that had taken place in the 28- year period since the previous pope, John Paul 11 visited the UK in 1982.
Pope Benedict XVI is headlining the concert of international public opinion again. But this time it is NOT to apologize for any supposed failings of the church.
The Pontiff’s new book: Jesus of Nazareth, which will be released tomorrow as a sequel to the earlier volume Jesus of Nazareth 1, reflects on who is to blame for Jesus’ death.
Why Jesus of Nazareth, Vol 2 promises to be popular
History records that for over 2000 years, Catholics had used Mathew 27, to blame Jews for the Killing of Jesus and to justify the bloody jewish persecution in the Middle Ages.
It was only in 1965 at the Second Vatican Council that the Catholic Church formally rejected the idea that Jews were collectively guilty for Jesus death.
Pope Benedict XVI’s new book which is a stride towards fighting anti-semitism (prejudice against Jews)has been hailed by critics as a sign of the Vatican’s ‘consistent policy toward better dialogue’.
In excerpts of the treatise which were released earlier, the Pontiff argues that Jesus, all his early followers and early Christians were Jews themselves and as such he explains that it would be unfair to pile the heap of blame for Jesus death on the entire nation of Israel.
After carefully reflecting at length on the guilt of Judas, and the Jewish people who shouted “His blood be on us and on our children!” before the Crucifixion, Pope BenedictXVI argues that these individuals symbolised the Temple Aristocracy or the entire human race.
He challenges his readers to see in themselves the same betrayal of Jesus renewed with every sin.
Old Arguments, New Significance
Pundits argue that while versions of these arguments have been made before , they take on a new significance when published by the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
They emphasise that the recent publication highlights the fact that the charge of anti-semitism which is sometimes pointed at Pope Benedict XVI is a gross libel to say the least.
However, the book-Jesus of Nazareth does not change any fundamental belief systems between Jews and Christians.
Unlike Christianity, Judaism does not recognise Jesus as God’s Son or the Messaiah, but simply as a prophet.
Skeptics of Monotheistic belief systems haven’t stopped criticising the ideas contained in the book either. An online commentator at the Telegraph blogs who calls himself Tiddles, writes:
“Surely it was God who killed Jesus ,as part of his grand plan to redeem us from sin . ( Bit of a crazy plan ,but thats monotheism for you ) (sic).
