(RNS) — Habemus papam! We have a pope!
By “we,” I do not only mean the Roman Catholic Church. For the first time, “we” includes the United States of America, as Pope Leo XIV is the first American pope, the first pope from Chicago and, arguably, the first pope to be a Cubs fan.
Or, is he a White Sox fan? This was to become the first theological dispute of his papacy. I would root for both teams, but then again, I am a pluralist on such matters.
I offer these words, as spoken by the pope himself in the first minutes of his reign:
I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth. … God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! We are all in the hands of God.
That is a universal message, which is the true definition of “catholic.” Jews, in particular, can rejoice upon hearing it, for it has only been in the last half century that Jews (and others) could have heard such a pluralistic message — the reaffirmation of divine love for the entire world.
In response, this is what I propose that we, as Jews, can offer the new pope.
We can offer our own words, which the pontiff would likely accept, because he studied under the Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, a pioneer in Jewish-Catholic relations.
I am thinking of a document that first appeared in September 2000 — nearly 25 years ago — and that was published in The New York Times and other places.
It was “Dabru Emet” (“Speak truth”), a statement by 220 Jewish thought leaders. In that statement, we spoke of the need to reassess the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. I am proud to have been one of the signatories of that remarkable statement.
What was the truth that we spoke? Some highlights:
- Jews and Christians worship the same God … while Christian worship is not a viable religious choice for Jews, as Jewish theologians we rejoice that, through Christianity, hundreds of millions of people have entered into relationship with the God of Israel. The relationship between Christianity and Judaism is neither competitive, nor hostile, but partnership. Judaism was how Adonai got to Europe, and the rest of the world! The modern Jewish thinker Franz Rosenzweig had referred to Christianity as “the rays of the star of David.”
- Jews and Christians seek authority from the same book — the Bible (what Jews call “Tanakh” and Christians call the “Old Testament”). Notice the words — the statement affirmed that Jews call the Hebrew Bible the Tanakh and that Christians call that same book “the Old Testament.” I am among those Jews who believe the term “Old Testament” is a subtle and “soft” remnant of an older anti-Judaism in the church. It implies that the covenant at Sinai is the “old” covenant/testament — which the “new covenant”/New Testament would replace.
In the decades since this statement, many Christian churches have dropped the term “Old Testament,” substituting “first testament.” But there is a generosity of spirit in this statement from “Dabru Emet” — it basically says: We Jews have a term for our book; you Christians have a term for that book.
But several more controversial statements follow:
Christians can respect the claim of the Jewish people upon the land of Israel. The most important event for Jews since the Holocaust has been the re-establishment of a Jewish state in the Promised Land. As members of a biblically based religion, Christians appreciate that Israel was promised — and given — to Jews as the physical center of the covenant between them and God. Many Christians support the State of Israel for reasons far more profound than mere politics. As Jews, we applaud this support. We also recognize that Jewish tradition mandates justice for all non-Jews who reside in a Jewish state.
For Jews, the covenant is not merely spiritual, but it is rooted in soil. There are many Christians who have their own theological reasons for supporting Israel (the exact implications of that support are a matter of ongoing debate). It affirms, as well, that Judaism cares for the stranger, especially in the land of Israel.
But notice one small word here: “Christians can respect … ” I hope that “can” will become “will.” Christians might understand that for Jews, the Holocaust was “Good Friday” (in fact, the Protestant thinker Franklin Littell referred to the Holocaust as “the crucifixion of the Jews”) and the establishment of the state of Israel was “Easter” — the resurrection of the Jewish people, a symbol of hope.
I save the most controversial for last.
Nazism was not a Christian phenomenon. Without the long history of Christian anti-Judaism and Christian violence against Jews, Nazi ideology could not have taken hold nor could it have been carried out … But Nazism itself was not an inevitable outcome of Christianity. If the Nazi extermination of the Jews had been fully successful, it would have turned its murderous rage more directly to Christians …
This is an amazing statement. Yes, there is a clear link between Christian anti-Judaism and the acts of the Nazis (yes, many Christians resisted, but far more collaborated). “Nazism was not a Christian phenomenon.” As to whether the Nazis would have turned against Christians, that is very difficult to say, and even to ponder.
But the statement got this right: Nazi ideology was not Christian.
It was pagan — rooted in the ancient Teutonic gods, aiming for gotterdammerung, a final, apocalyptic war. The Nazis took great delight in desecrating Torah scrolls. Why? Because the Holocaust was not only a war against the Jews, and not only a war against Judaism. It was a war against God — precisely because God is the source of morality.
One last thing.
Remember how President Donald Trump shared the AI-generated image of himself as pope?
He got it right. He is the head of a new religion: Trumpism. And, as David Brooks put it, this new religion is akin to paganism — the worship of raw power.
I do not think Trump will like Pope Leo XIV. As a cardinal, Robert Prevost was critical of this administration’s immigration policies, especially those of Vice President JD Vance, himself a Catholic.
This is why Jews can applaud this new pope. Like us, he is a foe of the pagan worship of pure power.
We should see him as a colleague, and as a sacred partner in tikkun olam, healing the world.
If this is a “bully pulpit,” let him use it wisely.