Pope Francis does not find clear language in his “Letter to the Jews” to condemn the terror of Hamas and creates resentment.
New clouds are overshadowing the relationship between the Catholic Church and Judaism. The Chief Rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni, speaks of “great disappointment” and sees a “setback” in relations with the Catholic Church after October 7th. He refers to semantic ambiguities in the statements of Pope Francis, who expressed concern about the situation in the Holy Land and prayed for peace, but avoided a clear condemnation of the aggressor. The pontifical rhetoric of peace is too vague for the rabbi.
Pope Francis is a friend of the Jews. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he published a book of conversations with Rabbi Abraham Skorka, emphasized the enduring dignity of Judaism in his letter “Evangelii Gaudium” (2013) and rejected all those who see Israel as an outdated precursor of the Church.
However, the Vatican's peace diplomacy has provoked discomfort on the Jewish side since 7/10. This strives to remain neutral in wars in order to keep channels of communication open. But is it possible to remain neutral in the face of the Hamas massacre? Don't you become an unwitting accomplice of terrorists?
Every war is a “defeat for humanity”, emphasized Francisco. He prays for peace and the suffering of the victims hurts him. Not every war is a defeat, countered Rome's chief rabbi. The war against Hitler was a victory for civilization against an inhuman dictatorship. Prayers for peace are also good, but it depends on the context. If there is a vital threat, Israel must defend the safety of its countrymen – if necessary with violence.
An open letter from 400 Jewish scholars, dated November 12, called for a clearer position from the pope. The bond of friendship between Catholics and Jews, which has grown since Vatican II, raises the expectation of political solidarity. At the same time, the signatories expressed their understanding that Francis was remembering the suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. But it would be obfuscating not to make a clear distinction between attack and defense.
“Sin against God”
The “Letter to the Jews,” dated February 2, can be seen as the Pope's belated response to the Jewish letter. In it, Francis condemns anti-Semitism as a “sin against God.” That is good. He also reaffirms the bond between Catholics and Jews and once again expresses his pain for all the victims. That's good too.
What's not so good is that the letter contains a lot of blank spaces. Francis puts the war between Hamas and Israel in a global perspective. “Unfortunately,” said the Pope, “the Holy Land has also been drawn into a spiral of violence.” Without a doubt, but the perpetrators of the violence have not been identified. In its 1988 letter, the terrorist organization Hamas not only denies Israel's right to exist, but also wants to kill all Jews in a final battle.
Instead of condemning the massacre of October 7th and demanding in writing the release of the hostages, Francis tries to find a balance. He also keeps an eye on the situation of Palestinian Christians. His letter distinguishes between “you Jews” and “us Christians,” which is correct considering the two religious communities. An inclusive language, which Francis likes to use, would have been stronger, as Gregor Maria Hoff writes on the communio.de portal: “Whoever attacks the Jews also attacks us.”
By the way, shortly after the publication of the letter, the five-year anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Declaration between Pope Francis and Grand Imam Al-Tayyeb was celebrated. The document emphasizes universal fraternity – and is a milestone in the dialogue between the Church and Islam. However, the fact that the Egyptian Grand Imam publicly supported Hamas and, thus, indirectly legitimized the barbarity of 7/10, was visibly left unmentioned on the anniversary. There is also sympathy for Palestinians in liberation theology circles. The Jewish occupation policy demands resistance. The book of Exodus, which speaks of the liberation of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, turns subversively against Israel itself. It is no wonder that Hamas' terror is minimized here and that Israel's military offensive is classified as “genocidal”.
There is no doubt that the war between Hamas and Israel has a complex history. It would be wrong not to discuss the political errors of the State of Israel here, as is the case with the Israeli public. It is also indisputable that the Pope can question the proportionality of the military offensive and defend the suffering of civilians. However, the Vatican's position is no longer neutral when Cardinal Secretary of State Parolin accuses Israel of unnecessarily causing a “bloodbath” in Gaza, as if the perfidious terror of Hamas did not exist. The massacre of innocent Jews – on the territory of the State of Israel – demands clear language. Until Pope Francis discovers this, his vow for peace will go unnoticed in the Jewish world.
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The author
Jan-Heiner Tück (*1967
in Emmerich, Germany) is a professor at
Institute for Systematic Theology and Ethics at the University of Vienna. Most recently published: “Praise be to you, no one. The poetry of Paul Celan – a theological provocation”, 3rd edition 2023 (Herder).