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THE MEANING OF LIFE, WITH GAY BYRNE

Rabbi Sacks and Gay Byrne Image Name: Rabbi Sacks and Gay Byrne
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Episode 5: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks is outgoing Chief Rabbi of the UK, respected academic, theologian and author will take the chair to discuss the Meaning of Life with Gay Byrne this week. His parents were economic refugees from Lithuania who instilled in him a love of Judaism, and education.

When he became Chief Rabbi his mission was to introduce better religious education for Jewish children in the UK where the Jewish community was originally disengaged from the practise of their faith. He believes that Judaism has contributed much to the world: the idea of equality of man before God, a respect for the Word and for knowledge, and a passion for justice and equality.

“I think to myself, you know, Abraham, what did he do?  Here’s a man who ruled no empire, commanded no army, performed no miracle.  And yet he had this enduring impact on people…it was that statement in Genesis 1, that every single one of us, regardless of colour, culture or class is in the image and likeness of God.  Nobody ever took the human individual, regardless of any other factor, as so holy.  I think it was something to do with the covenant with Noah and the sanctity of life.  I think it is that Jewish passion for justice.  All of these things really shaped Western civilisation.  And I felt and I still feel it would be tragic if the religion that gave these things to the world should disappear just because people lost interest in it.”

Lord Sacks is deeply disturbed by the way in which God is being used as an excuse for terror attacks and to justify discrimination on religious grounds . His recent book Not in God’s Name is a deeply thought provoking book which examines the misinterpretations of sacred text which are the basis of the use of God in the justification of killing.

In an era when Jewish people are once again in danger on the streets of European cities, Sacks calls on religious leaders to lead the way to educate a new generation of religious leaders in a theology and practise of religious tolerance. The end of  ‘them’ and ‘us’.