Pope John Paul IIMy initial thoughts on the passing of Pope John Paul II are that from a Jewish perspective, it is essential to view the Pope both as a historic figure and as a world leader over the last 26 years.
From a historic perspective, Pope John Paul II has continued the positive path started by Pope John XXIII. After so many centuries of Christian - and particularly Catholic - brutality against Jews, the last half century has seen a radical shift from Catholicism's leadership. There are areas such as beatification controversies, the Holocaust and the role of Pope Pius XII that remain deeply problematic, but those are best left for another day. There can be no doubt that on both a theological level and on a human level, the relationship between Christians and Jews worldwide has changed for the better during the time that the Pope led the Catholic Church.
As a world leader, the Vatican under Pope John Paul II finally recognized Israel, and the Pope visited Israel a few years ago. But shortly thereafter, the Pope said nothing while Syrian dictator Bashar Assad told him, referring to "the Jews": "They tried to kill the principles of all religions with the same mentality in which they betrayed Jesus Christ and the same way they tried to betray and kill the Prophet Mohammed." The Pope's failure to say anything would not be so troubling if the Vatican had supported Israel's defense against Arab fanatics like Assad. But alas, the Vatican remained pro-Arab even during the terror war launched by Yasser Arafat. Even when Fatah terrorists seized the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 2002 and held its clergy hostage, the Vatican would not criticize Arafat or the Palestinians. And amid all the condemnations of the Holocaust, the Pope awarded knighthood to former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim in 1994, with whom he had a long-standing close relationship. By 1994, Waldheim's Nazi war crimes were well documented, and he was barred from entering the United States.
Overall, the Pope's contributions as the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church to a rapprochement between Judaism and Catholicism are likely more important than his shortcomings as a world political leader. But any honest assessment of Pope John Paul II that is taken from a Jewish perspective must examine all aspects of his reign.
posted on 4/03/2005
