Compass: Aug 16

This Sunday on Compass Geraldine Doogue goes on a personal quest to understand more about the Jewish roots of her Christian faith.

Following a visit to Jerusalem at Easter, Doogue says she became intrigued by the history and traditions of Judaism.

In this program Geraldine asks how a deeper understanding of Judaism might enlighten Christianity. She meets Rabbis, historians, church scholars, along with ordinary Jews and Christians in order to explore the overlap between Judaism and Christianity.

Along the way, she is invited to share in a Friday night ‘Shabbat’, and she catches up with some former neighbours, German Jews who lived next door to her in South Perth when she was growing up.

As a practising Catholic, Geraldine has witnessed a growing sense inside the church that if you ignore the Jewish essence of Jesus, you miss a lot about his real message.

“People sometimes forget that Jesus, his mother Mary, the saints Peter and Paul were all orthodox practising Jews until the day they died.”

Archbishop Mark Coleridge tells Geraldine that he believes St Paul never abandoned his Jewish identity and that it’s possible the apostles went to Synagogue as well as celebrated Holy Communion. The commonality between Judaism and Christianity is the focus of a Catholic group called ‘The Light of Torah.’ Course founder Teresa Pirola, says that studying Judaism has been extremely transforming for her as a Catholic, so much so that she now prays in Hebrew.

“I’m not trying to be a Jew but these influences are part of the fabric of my Catholic life.”

Also Interviewed in the program are Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio, Rabbi David Rosen, Fr David Neuhaus, Evan Thornley, Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, Rabbi Jordan Cohen and Dr Avril Alb.

6:30pm Sunday ABC.