Public Lecture "Has Europe Lost its Soul?" delivered by Lord Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome on 12 December, 2011 |
This lecture, organized by the Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies and the Woolf Institute, Cambridge, UK, marked the occasion of the Chief Rabbi's private audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
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In his address the Chief Rabbi stated: "The future health of Europe, politically, economically and culturally, has a spiritual dimension. Lose that and we will lose much else besides. To paraphrase a famous Christian text: what will it profit Europe if it gains the whole world yet loses its soul?" Reflecting on the trip he commended the Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies and the Woolf Institute as representing "the best of European thought, wisdom and spirituality. Through collaborative work, my hope is that these two institutions will help build a European platform to showcase and apply the resources that this continent with its rich heritage has to offer to build a better future for the world." |
WHAT THE PRESS SAYS
17 December 2011 - The Tablet - Two faiths, one goal - Lord Sacks at the Vatican
15 December, 2011 - RomeReports.com - Chief Rabbi of UK: "What will it profit Europe if it gains the world yet loses its soul?"
14 December, 2011 - EWTN News - Rabbi Sacks worries Europe is losing its Judeo-Christian 'soul'
13 December, 2011 - ZENIT - La cultura giudaico-cristiana può salvare l'Europa e il mondo
13 December, 2011 - Catholic News Service - Meeting pope, rabbi seeks joint efforts to infuse economy with values
13 December , 2011 - Moked - Rav Sacks: “Uniti per dare un futuro all’Europa”
13 December , 2011 - SIR - Europa: Rabbino Sacks, Ebrei e Cristiani per una nuova etica economica
12 December , 2011 - Vatican Insider - Il Papa incontra il Rabbino Capo del Commonwealth