david mills on the prayer for the jews

I wrote in two earlier posts (here and here) about the response of some Jewish leaders (particularly Rabbi Walter Homolka's) to the prayer for the Jews in the Good Friday liturgy. I argued that what Homolka is asking of Catholics ends up being a negation of both Catholicism (and Christianity in general) and Judaism. As long as Christians believe that Jesus is the "way, truth, and the life," the "living one" who was dead but is now alive and has "the keys of death and Hades" they are obliged to pray that all the world find faith in him. For believing Jews to ask that Christians (who worship Jesus as God) continue to practice their own faith (instead of converting to Judaism) but not pray for the conversion of Jews is to render hollow perhaps the fundamental teaching of Judaism, which is that "you shall no other gods before Me," since Judaism does not teach that Jesus was God or the Messiah.

The new issue of Touchstone Magazine has an article on this subject by David Mills. Mills makes an incisive argument for the point I have been making:

"We would want gently to note that in demanding that Christians do not pray for the conversion of the Jews, the Jewish leaders are demanding the conversion of Christians - not to Judaism, of course, but to a different version of Christianity, one defined not by our Scriptures and tradition but by the desires of another faith. This is no less offensive to Christians than the prayer is to Jews. It is an assault on the integrity of the Christian religion.

Whatever his view of other faiths, the Christian by definition believes that it is better to know, love, and follow Jesus in this world than not to, and that is true for every single person on earth. This is, indeed, the basis not only for evangelization but for all preaching, all pastoral work, all spiritual direction, because while St. Paul tells us that the veil has been removed from those who are in Christ, he also reminds us that we see through a glass darkly. We only ask for our Jewish friends what we ask, in a different sense, for ourselves."

I would say that Mills does not quite go far enough. Homolka's demand of Christians does not require them to convert to a new version of Christianity, but to another religion altogether. Christianity is that religion which teaches that Jesus of Nazareth is the only way to salvation. We can quibble about the particulars, such as how God will deal with those who are ignorant of the Gospel or who through extraordinary life circumstances beyond their control do not believe in it; but even if such people can be saved, it will only be by the grace that Christ bought with his own life. And even if it is possible, it is by no means certain, and as Mills says, "it is better to know, love, and follow" him. Therefore it is our responsibility to pray for and reach out in love to others. To teach and believe otherwise is to teach and believe something other than Christianity.