c. 1999 Religion News Service

Catholic, Jewish leaders call for end of death penalty

(RNS) A coalition of Roman Catholic and Jewish leaders has issued a statement calling for an end to the death penalty.

The statement, titled”To End the Death Penalty: A Report of the National Jewish/Catholic Consultation,”was co-sponsored by an ecumenical committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Council of Synagogues, which represents Conservative and Reform congregations. It was released Monday (Dec. 6).”Both traditions begin with an affirmation of the sanctity of human life,”the statement reads.”Both … acknowledge the theoretical possibility of a justifiable death penalty, since the Scriptures mandate it for certain offenses. Yet both have, over the centuries, narrowed those grounds until, today, we would say together that it is time to cease the practice altogether.” The document quotes from second-century Jewish rabbinical writings, a homily delivered last January in St. Louis by Pope John Paul II, as well as recent statements from Jewish and Catholic organizations.

It counters several arguments for capital punishment with reasons why it should not be used.”Some would argue that the death penalty is needed as a means of retributive justice, to balance out the crime with the punishment,”the statement reads.”Yet we believe that we are called to seek a higher road even while punishing the guilty, for example through long and in some cases life-long incarceration, so that the healing of all can ultimately take place.” The statement calls the contention that capital punishment determined by trial by jury is equitable and does not convict the innocent”the least persuasive argument of all.”It cites statistics demonstrating that persons on death row have been found to be innocent and that many facing capital punishment are poor or members of minority groups.”Our legal system is a very good one, but it is a human institution,”the statement reads.”Even a small percentage of irreversible errors is increasingly seen as intolerable. God alone is the author of life.” The National Jewish/Catholic Consulation has been meeting twice a year since 1987. This report is the result of a March meeting of the coalition.”It is extremely important that the Catholic and Jewish traditions have come together to speak with one voice on the sanctity of life as it relates to this crucial issue,”said Baltimore Cardinal William Keeler, the top Catholic participant in the consultation.

Rabbi Joel Zaiman, a representative of the National Council of Synagogues who is also from Baltimore, said:”It’s a significant statement by two different religious communities looking at the same issue from different perspectives.” Representatives of the two traditions hope the statement will lead to development of joint educational materials for congregations and schools as well as activity with coalitions that oppose the death penalty.

Jewish leader breaks off relations with Southern Baptists

(RNS) A leading bridge-builder between evangelical Christian and Jewish groups has broken off relations with the Southern Baptist Convention because of what he calls the denomination’s”recent commitment to targeted Jewish proselytizing.” Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the Chicago-based International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, issued a statement about his decision on Dec. 2.”I am now forced to break formal relations with them,”Eckstein said.”My own principles and position have not changed. But with the SBC’s recent commitment to targeted Jewish proselytizing, they have crossed the line of responsible witness. Unfortunately, it became necessary for me to reassess our relationship.” Eckstein, who considers himself a longtime friend of SBC President Paige Patterson, cited the Southern Baptists’ plan to bring an evangelistic campaign to Chicago this summer, as well as a recent prayer guide for Southern Baptists for use in”sharing the Gospel with the Jews”published at the time of the Jewish High Holy Days in September.”I wish to remind Rev. Patterson that Jews don’t like being targeted that way, and for good reason,”Eckstein said.”Our history is rife with well-intentioned, supposedly `loving’ efforts at targeted proselytizing by Christians who later turned to savage persecution and even pogroms when it became apparent that we would not willingly abandon the faith of our fathers.” The Chicago evangelistic campaign has been criticized by the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, which asked Patterson to reconsider the plans, saying they could be the catalyst for hate crimes. Patterson responded by saying Southern Baptists still plan to come to Chicago with a”compassionate message.” Bill Merrell, a spokesman for the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, said Baptist leaders were disappointed with Eckstein’s decision.”We do regret very much the rabbi’s reaction, for whatever reason he’s taken this step,”Merrell said.”It may be because of his own constituency that he’s felt compelled to make plain that he’s not being soft on Christians.” But Merrell said the Southern Baptists are not targeting any specific group of people.”Our goal is not to have ill relations with anyone,”he said, adding that Southern Baptists believe the New Testament gives them”a mandate … to proclaim the Gospel to everyone.” Merrell added that despite the new prayer guide focusing on Jews, Southern Baptists have numerous other publications about other groups they believe should be evangelized.”In context, the guide that focuses on Jews is not alone,”he said.

As for the Chicago plans, Merrell said it is”certainly a misunderstanding”to think that Jews will be targeted specifically during that time.

Pope urges”globalization without marginalization” (RNS) Defending the right of exiles, refugees, migrants and street people to a share of the world’s riches, Pope John Paul II called Monday (Dec. 6) for”globalization without marginalization.””The challenge of our time is to assure a globalization in solidarity, a globalization without marginalization,”the Roman Catholic pontiff said in a message marking the 86th World Day of the Migrant and the Refugee.”The process of globalization can constitute an opportunity if cultural differences are accepted as an occasion for meeting and dialogue and if the unequal division of the world’s resources provokes a new consciousness of the need for solidarity that must unite the human family,”John Paul said.”If, on the contrary, the inequalities are aggravated,”he warned,”poor populations will be forced into an exile of desperation while rich countries find themselves prisoners of an insatiable mania for concentrating all available resources in their own hands.” The pope linked his appeal on behalf of the world’s poorest people to celebrations of Holy Year 2000 when the church will mark the start of the third Christian millennium.”In celebrating the great jubilee of the year 2000, the church cannot forget the tragedies that have marked the century that is ending: the bloody wars that have devastated the world, the deportations, the death camps, `ethnic cleansing,’ the hate that has rent and continues to darken the human story,”he said.

John Paul also deplored the plight of migrants, whom he described as”men and women in irregular situations, deprived of rights in a country that refuses to welcome them, victims of criminal organizations or of unscrupulous entrepreneurs.” Holy Year celebrations require of Christians”the effective recognition of the rights of migrants”as members of a single human family, the pope said.”To work for the unity of the human family means a commitment to reject all discrimination based on race, culture or religion as contrary to the design of God,”he said.”It signifies testifying to a fraternal life founded on the Gospels, respectful of cultural diversity and open to sincere and trustful dialogue.” Dalai Lama urges Tutu, Mandela to engage China on Tibet

(RNS) The Dalai Lama, speaking at the Parliament of World Religions in Cape Town, South Africa, says he would welcome overtures to China by Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu on the question of Tibet.”They can make a contribution, of course, no doubt,”the Dalai Lama said Sunday (Dec. 6).”I personally would appreciate”such an offer by the former South African president and the retired Anglican bishop, he told a South African television network.

China has occupied Tibet since 1950, sending the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist nation’s religious and political leader, into exile. While the Dalai Lama has said he would accept China’s rule, he has lobbied worldwide for greater Tibetan autonomy. China has rejected his efforts.

More than 3,000 religious leaders and experts from around the globe and representing a myriad of groups are in Cape Town for the meeting, the third such parliament in 106 years. The event began Dec. 1 and ends Wednesday (Dec. 8).

Mandela received an award at the parliament for his contributions to peace and humanity.”It is the decent, ordinary citizen we salute at this turn of the century,”Mandela said after receiving his award from the granddaughter of India’s Mahatma Gandhi.

New Jerusalem dispute between Jews, Muslims

(RNS) The latest dispute in Jerusalem between Jews and Muslims is over a new exit to an underground prayer hall in the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, which Jews revere as the former site of their ancient Temple.

In a surprise move, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has agreed to let Muslims open the new entrance, saying it was needed for safety.

That enraged the mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, a member of an opposition party. Olmert maintained that construction of the exit was damaging ancient archaeological relics.

The underground hall _ known to Muslims as the Marwani mosque, and to Christians and Jews as Solomon’s Stables _ was first constructed in the 10th century by Jerusalem’s then-Muslim rulers.

The current dispute over the entrance is part of the larger political struggle between Israel and the Palestinians for control of Jerusalem.

Church of England panel opposes genetically altered crops

(RNS) The Church of England’s ethical investment working group will recommend that church land not be used for genetically altered crops, according to a report in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

The question arose because of an application by the government’s Central Science Laboratory to lease church land near York, even though there is no current intention to use this land for genetically altered crops.

Trial sowings of genetically altered oil-seed rape and maize have been made on nine sites in Britain this year, some of which were the target of sabotage by environmental activists. The government has imposed a three-year moratorium on the commercial growing of genetically altered crops.

Although the church’s ethical investment working group has still to draw up a detailed report to submit to church commissioners and the church’s other bodies concerned with investment, it was reportedly unanimous in its opposition to the crops at a meeting Dec. 1.

It is thought that its final report will be submitted early next year, and it is considered unlikely that church commissioners will go against its recommendation.

The church’s agricultural holdings amount to 123,000 acres.

Quote of the day: The Rev. Judy Schultz of Seattle

(RNS)”We talked about Jesus and what he would have done had he had a parking lot to offer homeless people … and suddenly the needs of people were worth risking for.” The Rev. Judy Schultz, pastor of Crown Hill United Methodist Church in Seattle, whose church temporarily broke city zoning regulations to give homeless people a place to stay when they were displaced from downtown locations during the World Trade Organization meeting.

IR END RNS