Why Some Doubt Pope’s Concern for Jews is Genuine

The hot water into which Pope Francis has put himself regarding his Jewish friends continues to boil. In a recent public audience at the Vatican, Francis stated that the Torah "does not give life" (that is, a share in God's life, now and eternally). And he added: "Those who seek life need to look to [God's] promise and to its fulfillment in Christ." It didn't take long for prominent rabbis in Israel, Rome, and the US to remind the Pope that this is the kind of talk that throughout the history of Christianity has led to "contempt for the Jews."