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PAGE 12 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE October 24, 1986
Papa/ initiative
Inter-religious prayer meeting criticized
(From JTA Reports)
A meeting next week of repre
sentatives of the world’s major
religions to pray for peace has
evoked criticism from a Jewish
expert on inter-religious affairs.
The meeting was called by Pope
John Paul II, who earlier this
month issued invitations to Jews,
Christians and other faiths to
convene at Assisi, the birthplace
of St. Francis, on Monday for an
international day of prayer for
peace. According to Msgr. Achille
Silvestrini, the Vatican secretary
of state, all nations are bmng
asked through diplomatic chan
nels to lay down their arms lor
the entire day.
The appeal has gone out not
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only to nations in a state of war
or formal belligerence, but also
“to those who seek to achieve
their aims through terrorism or
other forms of violence," Msgr.
Silvestrini declared at a press
conference announcing the day
of prayer.
Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum, di
rector of international relations
for the American Jewish Com
mittee, who has close ties to the
Vatican, however, has cited diffi
culties related to the prayer meet
ing.
According to Rabbi Tanen
baum, “While clearly Judaism’s
leaders are deeply committed to
the idea of‘shalom,’ the organi
zation of this prayer demonstra
tion has not been without prob
lems for Jewish spokesmen.”
Among Rabbi Tanenbaum’s
complaints is that the prayer day
is scheduled to take place on the
morning after Simhat Torah, the
final day of Sukkot.
“In practical terms that means
that no Jewish religious leader,
certainly no chief rabbi, would
violate Yom Tov by traveling
overseas to Assisi on the Sunday
before,” Rabbi Tanenbaum writes
in a statement to the Jewish Tel
egraphic Agency. “As of now,
only Chief Rabbi Elio Toaff of
Italy is expected to be present as
a Jewish religious representative.
He will need to travel only a
short distance from Rome.”
The rabbi points out that an
official invitation had been ex
tended earlier to Rabbi Morde-
cai Waxman, chairman of the
International Jewish Committee
for Inter-religious Consultations,
which relates to the Vatican and
the World Council of Churches
as coordinating body for the
American Jewish Commitee, B’nai
B’rith International, the Syna
gogue Council of America, the
World Jewish Congress and the
Israel Interfaith Committee. Be
cause of the conflict with Sim
hat Torah. Rabbi Waxman will
not attend. Rabbi Tanenbaum
notes.
Though some individual rab
bis and representatives of Jewish
organizations reportedly will
attend the Assisi meeting, they
have not received official invita
tions, Rabbi Tanenbaum adds.
He also writes that “theologi
cal” difficulties exist that are being
discussed in Jewish and other
non-Catholic circles.
When the idea of a world peace
meeting was first discussed in
Rome several years ago, Rabbi
Tanenbaum says, the idea was
that “ecumenical” invitations
would be sent out by the fore
most recognized leaders of the
major Western and Oriental reli
gions, who would ask represen
tatives of their respective com
munities to join in appropriate
prayers and discussions for world
peace. This would have precluded
the possibility of religious “one-
upmanship” or triumphalism, he
writes.
However, the manner in which
the meeting was called has given
the perception that it is essen
tially a “papal” or “Vatican”
meeting in which other religions
are being invited to take part, he
says.
“That imagery of a predomi
nantly Catholic initiative with
inter-religious participation
rather than a genuine pan-religious
event will be underscored by the
fact that the climactic prayer event
will take place in the Basilica of
St. Francis instead of some more
neutral assembly place,” Rabbi
Tanenbaum writes.
He does conclude, however,
that, “In any case, the threat of
nuclear catastrophe is so great
and the cause of world peace so
compelling that religious leaders
appear to be ready to put aside
ecumenical protocol for the time
being in order to make a strong
public demonstration for the
cause of world peace.”
Besides Rabbi Toaff and Pro
testant and Catholic leaders, the
meeting is expected to draw rep
resentatives of the Sikh, Hindu,
Moslem. Buddhist, Shinto and
animist faiths.
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