John Paul II in the Holy Land: Christian and Jewish Perspectives

Pope John Paul II has been the undisputed leader in fostering Jewish Christian dialogue for over 25 years. He has labored intensely to change the hearts and minds of both sides and has never been afraid to apologize for the sins committed by Christian people against Jews. His visit to the Middle East in March 2000, where he was able to visit the places where Jesus had lived and walked, was a moving and extraordinarily rich experience, both for him personally and for the Catholic Church. However, it also gave rise to a certain amount of rumor and misunderstanding among Jewish, Christian and Muslim residents of the region. Many locals voiced suspicion regarding the real reason for the Pope’s visit. Pope John Paul II In the Holy Land forthrightly addresses these doubts and suspicions by documenting the Pope’s itinerary and recording the speeches that the Pope gave at each stop along the journey. In addition to the Pope’s own words, this book also provides reflections on that visit from two important scholars, Fr. Michael McGarry and Prof. Yehezkel Landau– the former Catholic and the latter Jewish. Both of them have been participants in building the interfaith dialogue. The speeches that Pope John Paul II gave on his journey, taken together with the reflections of Fr. McGarry and Prof. Landau, collectively establish the critical importance of the Pope’s visit, and candidly explore the difficult issues that remain unresolved. Taken together, these writings serve as a starting point for building mutual trust. They also compel us to think more seriously about the mystery of God’s plan for humankind as revealed in these two great religions.