Pope Benedict XVI said that he wanted to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and experience the Holy Land first hand. So photographers waited eagerly by a turgid pool in the Jordan River for the pope to peer from a wooden promontory to a central spot in Christianity, where Christ is believed to have been baptized.
But Benedict declined to get out of the golf cart that brought him there.
Certainly an 82-year-old pope is entitled to remain seated if he likes. Yet the drive-by pilgrimage seemed to sum up his eight-day trip to Jordan, Israel and the West Bank ”” and indeed his entire papacy so far.
a related problem: that the Vatican seems to assume Benedict’s actions and words are self-explanatory,
Or perhaps the pope is interested in something other than “making a statement” or “sending a message”.
…when often they are not. Sometimes the gesture, timing and location count more than the close reading.
In the fevered world of the New York Times, this is true. To say it, however, the Times asks us to believe they are capable of understanding, or presently accurately, religion in its own terms, rather than the narrow political confines of Manhattan.
This comment has almost nothing to do with with subject addressed in the article, thus, I hope that I’m not “straining on a gnat” here, but…I’ve been to Israel a few times – the last time was a six month stint working on a kibbutz around 20 km outside, Tiberias which is on the Sea of Galilee/Kinneret. It is here that the River Jordan begins it’s journey south, and it is also here that they have historical markers all over, pointing piglirms to the “place where Jesus was baptized.” Naturally, when you get to the “place where Jesus was baptized,” there is the requisite gift shop, selling the usual cheesy t-shirts, post-cards, plastic bottles (for people to take a few ounces of the Jordan home with them), and the ubiquitous olive wood carvings (Thankfully, there wasn’t a church erected there – like there is every other place that Jesus ate, drank, healed, fell asleep, had His sandals re-soled, [i] thought about going [/i], but missed the last donkey out of town, ordered a double Caramel Mocchiato with skim milk and turbinado sugar, picked a fig, stubbed His toe or discussed the next day’s itinerary with His disciples). Unfortunately, however, Jesus was actually baptized around ONE HUNDRED MILES south of this particular tourist trap. What makes this doubly unfortunate is that the actual place where Jesus was baptized is in a militarized zone (when I was last there, the ‘militarized zone’ was really a war zone). Obviously, we can’t risk having pilgrims from all over the world hanging out in a war or militarized zone, so…what to do, what to do? I know!!!!!!!!!!! Why don’t we just move the place where Jesus was baptized to the relative safety of Tiberias????
Problem solved.
# 2, add to all you have written the fact that most of the Jordan river that you refer to is in the property of Degania Kibbutz, which was one of the very first to be established in what was then Ottoman controlled Palestine. They had a keen eye to the potential of the site. There are really two baptism sites you further south. The West Bank one under Israeli control is indeed in a militarised zone, although it is a peaceful one and open to pilgrims at certain times of the year. The Jordan one at Al Maghtas is open to all and has a growing number of pilgrims. You can, in fact, go from one to the other via the Allenby Bridge but be prepared for a long line and a long wait.
Hmm …. that should read most of the stretch of the Jordan River in the north that you refer to etc.
In general, most of the reporting of the Pope’s visit that I have read, including this article, have been patronizing in tone. The Pope is not only Catholic. He is old. He also believes in fixed religious truths. Three reasons why the media shake their head and cluck and do their best to dismiss him.
“But Israelis are taught from grade school about the church’s historic persecution of Jews, and many were disappointed that Benedict did not directly address that theme.”
How very interesting. Are they ever taught anything at all about the persecution of the earliest Christians, many of whom had been Jews, by those Jews who refused to recognize their Messiah on earth? (a prime example being Saul before he became Paul) Have they ever even heard that this was an issue 1900-2000 years ago? Not to exculpate persecution of Jews by Christians later in history, merely to point out that only one side is being presented.
Moreover, the Pope is successor to the Apostle Peter – not to Jesus Christ! The persistence in complete misunderstanding of the Catholic Church by some in the Israeli community is fierce. Fortunately, some make the effort – for example Mordechai Lewy, Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican:
http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2009/05/popes-visit-to-israel-great-success.html#more