Madam, - Further to Dr Martin Pulbrook's letter (March 10th) replying to our's (March 6th) we do not accept his contention that "anti-Semitism is rife in the New Testament writings".
Yes, Matthew 27.25 does quote the Jewish crowd as saying, "His blood be on us and on our children", but we believe this curse was cancelled by Jesus's prayer from the Cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
Jesus and Paul did harshly criticise the Jewish leadership in first-century Israel, as did the Old Testament Jewish prophets in their time. While it is true that the Jewish authorities pressurised the Roman Governor to crucify Jesus, according to New Testament records, this should never be used to justify anti-Semitism.
Dr Pulbrook quotes from Acts and questions how this can be the Word of the Lord when it appears to be anti-Jewish. All Christian Churches accept the whole Bible as the inspired authoritative Word of God. Unfortunately, in church history there were erroneous, unjust interpretations of the New Testament which stoked up hatred towards the Jewish people.
These have been totally and definitively rejected by Vatican Council, which teaches that "God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers.. and decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone."
It must be acknowledged that wrong interpretations of the New Testament led to great pain and suffering for the Jews over the centuries. Repentance is our only response as Christians to this situation. Pope John Paul acknowledged this in his 1998 statement "A Reflection on the Shoah" and expressed deep sorrow for the failures of Christians in every age.
As the Mel Gibson film opens in Ireland it is important that viewers keep in mind that, according to Christian theology, all of mankind is responsible for the death of Jesus. The Vatican Council states this very clearly: "though the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Christ underwent His passion and death freely ... out of infinite love".
It goes on specifically to seek to "foster and recommend mutual understanding and respect" between Christianity and Judaism. - Yours, etc.,
PADDY and ANNE MONAGHAN, Hillcourt Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin.