As a Christian, I believe in the redemptive quality of the creation (and humanity).
That being said, I dare not speak for Pope Benedict XVI, but I can’t imagine why this move was made:
Has the work of John Paul II and his outreach to Jews been made null with this move? John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter (and participant in the NPR story linked above) calls this move a “disaster” for Jewish-Christian relations.
The Anti-Defamation League’s Director Abraham Foxman sums it up well:
This decree sends a terrible message to Catholics around the world that there is room in the Church for those who would undermine the Church’s teachings and who would foster disdain and contempt for other religions, particularly Judaism. Given the centuries-long history of anti-Semitism in the Church, this is a most troubling setback.
We need you back, Prof. Goodman. This world is ready for the types of healing you described when you told us of your vision or real and honest Jewish-Christian dialogue. I wish you were there to temper my righteous indignation on such issues.