Month: November 2006

For those wanting to check the latest on what’s happening with Pope Benedict in Turkey, Christopher over at Against the Grain has a running roundup, including his upcoming schedule day-by-day.

HERE’S THE LINK.

Last week I blogged about Pope Benedict’s forthcoming book about Jesus. The story I referenced had some brief excerpts from the introduction to the book.

Now Zenit has posted all of the preface (or as much of it has been made public).

HERE ‘TIS.

It’s also posted an excerpt from the book’s introduction (it apparently has both an preface and an introduction).

HEREZAT.

One of the interesting things to me about the book is that B16 appears to wish to read the gospels in light of both historical criticism and faith. Too often these approaches have been seen as mutually exclusive, so that one must either accept historical criticism and reject the perspective of faith in Christ or one must accept faith in Christ and therefore reject historical criticism. Pope Benedict proposes to reject this either/or solution in favor of a both/and solution, and I for one am interested in seeing the model that he proposes for how the two approaches can be harmonized.

Here’s a taste of his approach, from a passage in the Preface:

I believe, in fact, that this Jesus — the one of the Gospels — is
a historically honest and convincing figure. The Crucifixion and its
efficacy can only be explained if something extraordinary happened, if
Jesus’ figure and words radically exceeded all the hopes and
expectations of the age.

Approximately twenty years after Jesus’ death, we find fully
displayed in the great hymn to Christ that is the Letter to the
Philippians (2:6-8) a Christology which says that Jesus was equal to
God but that he stripped himself, became man, humbled himself unto
death on the cross and that to him is owed the homage of creation, the
adoration that in the prophet Isaiah (45:23) God proclaimed is owed
only to Him.

With good judgment, critical research asks the question: What
happened in the twenty years after Jesus’ Crucifixion? How was this
Christology arrived at?

The action of anonymous community formations, of which attempts are
made to find exponents, in fact does not explain anything. How would it
be possible for groups of unknowns to be so creative, so convincing to
the point of imposing themselves in this way? Is it not more logical,
also from the historical point of view, that greatness be found in the
origin and that the figure of Jesus break all available categories and
thus be understood only from the mystery of God?

Of course, to believe that though being man He "was" God and to
make this known shrouding it in parables and in an ever clearer way,
goes beyond the possibilities of the historical method. On the
contrary, if from this conviction of faith the texts are read with the
historical method and the opening is greater, the texts open to reveal
a path and a figure that are worthy of faith. Also clarified then is
the struggle at other levels present in the writings of the New
Testament around the figure of Jesus and despite all the differences,
one comes to profound agreement with these writings.

Of course with this vision of the figure of Jesus I go beyond what,
for example, Schnackenburg says in representation of the greater part
of contemporary exegesis. I hope, on the contrary, that the reader will
understand that this book has not been written against modern exegesis,
but with great recognition of all that it continues to give us.

John Allen ("The Other JA") is in the papal entourage for the trip to Turkey and has been blogging extensively about it (allowing for the fact that NCR doesn’t actually seem to call his blog what it is . . . a blog).

HERE’S A GENERAL BACKGROUNDER ON THE CHALLENGES FACING THE POPE.

And there are many updates as well.

CHECK HERE FOR DAILY UPDATES DURING THE TRIP.

I REALLY hope that the pro-papal safety parts of the following quotation from this piece prove to be accurate:

Security experts said that while the pope’s physical safety can almost certainly be assured, it’s much more difficult to protect other Christian targets in the country – churches, Christian-owned businesses and private homes, which could be placed in harm’s way if there is significant negative reaction to the pope’s presence, or his message.

Ely Karmon, an anti-terrorism expert in Herzliya, Israel, said, “I don’t expect threats against the person of the pope. The real risk is actions on the part of Islamic extremists against churches, religious institutes or other significant sites. It would ruin the trip, striking the pope and replying to what these groups considered anti-Islamic declarations at Regensburg.”

Let’s also pray for the safety of other Christians and their churches in Turkey during the trip!

And here’s a non-endorsement endorsement that the Vatican has apparently settled on regarding Turkey’s admission to the EU:

Without the pope having left Rome, the Vatican on Sunday took an enormous step towards making the Turkey trip a success, effectively neutralizing the issue of Turkey’s candidacy to join the European Union.

The ANSA news agency quoted Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone as saying, “I hope that Turkey can fulfill the conditions for entry into the EU and integration into Europe.”

Bertone added that the question of EU membership is a political matter, and that the Vatican will remain neutral.

Suggesting that the Vatican has crafted a corporate response on the EU question, spokesperson Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi said much the same thing in an interview with the Turkish news ageny Anatolia.

"Turkey’s membership in the EU depends on its ability to meet the EU criteria. If Turkey fulfils its obligations and meets the requirements of the EU criteria, why shouldn’t it become a full member of the EU?" Lombardi said.

That strikes a significantly different stance from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s opposition to Turkey’s admission prior to his election as pope. Ratzinger told Le Figaro in 2004, “Making the two continents identical would be a mistake. It would mean a loss of richness, the disappearance of the cultural to the benefit of economics.”

I recognize the good diplomatic effects of this announcement, though I don’t think it really signals that the Holy Father is warm to the idea of Turkey joining the EU.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I’m heartened to see the Holy See not weighing in on a political issue for once; on the other hand, I think this is one where (due to the religious dimension of the situation) it could do so with significant legitimacy. I don’t know what the effects of including Turkey in the European Union would be, but I could see the presence of a populous Muslim country in the Union serving an advocacy role that would prevent other European countries from doing what they need to in order to deal with the problem of radical Islam in Europe.

That’s something that’ll have to be left in God’s hands. In the meantime,

GET THE STORIES.

MORE ON TURKEY JOINING THE EU.

Yesterday was Torture Day, but today is Pope Benedict Today. As folks likely know, His Most Awesomeness B16 is embarking on a trip to Turkey–which has a lot of folks (me included) nervous. I hope that you will take time to pray for him during this trip, using whatever form of prayer you feel led to use.

In that regard, a reader has a suggestion and writes:

I am extremely concerned about Pope Benedict’s trip to Turkey, especially amid the vast number of fanatical Muslims protesting. And since the Pope said that he is releasing the first 10 chapters of his book since he isn’t sure how much energy or time he has left has only added to my uneasy feeling. Attached is a beautiful prayer (Novena from 11/28 – 12/1) by Bishop Lori.  Would yo please post this on your website or blog. Today I stood outside church and handed out about 100 and people were so pleased to be able to pray the novena for the Pope. And it is such a beautiful prayer.

Here’s the prayer:

SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE WITH HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI ON HIS PASTORAL VISIT TO TURKEY

NOV. 28 – DEC. 1, 2006

Heavenly Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, we humbly ask that you sustain, inspire, and protect your servant, Pope Benedict XVI, as he goes on pilgrimage to Turkey – a land to which St. Paul brought the Gospel of your Son; a land where once the Mother of your Son, the Seat of Wisdom, dwelt; a land where faith in your Son’s true divinity was  definitively professed. Bless our Holy Father, who comes as a messenger of truth and love to all people of faith and good will dwelling in this land so rich in history. In the power of the Holy Spirit, may this visit of the Holy Father bring about deeper ties of understanding, cooperation, and peace among Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and those who profess Islam. May the prayers and events of these historic days greatly contribute both to greater accord among those who worship you, the living and true God, and also to peace in our world so often torn apart by war and sectarian violence. We also ask, O Heavenly Father, that you watch over and protect Pope Benedict and entrust him to the loving care of Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Fatima, a title cherished both by Catholics and Muslims. Through her prayers and maternal love, may Pope Benedict be kept safe from all harm as he prays, bears witness to the Gospel, and invites all peoples to a dialogue of faith, reason, and love. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord.  Amen.      

Prayer composed by Bishop William E. Lori,
Knights of Columbus Supreme Chaplain