Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: conan@rosarita.berkeley.edu (David Cruz-Uribe) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Passover for Christians Message-ID: Date: 14 Apr 91 02:11:27 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U.C. Berkeley Math. Department. Lines: 36 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article dvnspc1!tom@tredysvr.tredydev.unisys.com (Tom Albrecht) writes: > [ A discussion on Passover for Christians, leading into a discussion on the "need" to convert Jews; see below ] >And on the matter of the Passover lead by a Jew, the fact is all these >modern day Passover celebration have been developed SINCE the coming of >Messiah. The Jew who wrote the service that Elizabeth attended consciously >understood the difference between Jew and Christian. This is therefore not >simply a collection of innocent prayers. It is a calculated method for >highlighting the distinction between Jew and Christian, and probably aimed >at reminding the original Jewish audience why they are not Christians. "We >have Abraham as our father." (John 8:39). Christians should be uncomfortable >in this environment, especially if the atmosphere stiffles the opportunity >for telling the rabbi of his need for Messiah Jesus. With no offense to the author, this passage sounds both slightly paranoid and slightly anti-semitic. Every passover service (hagaddah sp?) I have ever read or heard contained _nothing_ to indicate that the author was purposefully trying to distinguish between Jews and Christians. I fail to see what is gained by imputing otherwise. On the more general subject of the salvation of Jews, I would like to quote from the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, a key document of Vatican II: (2.16) ...we must recall the people to whom the [old] testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh. On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the call He issues. (cf Rom. 11,28-29) Yours in Christ, David Cruz-Uribe, SFO