Shaul Magid, “Christian Supersessionism, Zionism, and the Contemporary Scene: A Critical Reading of Peter Ochs’ Reading of John Howard Yoder,” Journal of Religious Ethics 45:1 (March 2017): 104-141 (original) (raw)
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Shaul Magid - Supersessionism, Zionism, and Reparative Theology: Peter Ochs and John Howard Yoder
I Over the course of his career, Peter Ochs has been a leading voice in a team of scholars who have been instrumental in reconceptualizing the reading of scripture in the wake of creating a new paradigm for inter-religious conversation founded on a postliberal perspective. 1 Ochs' own philosophical and theological contribution to the larger project includes creating a logic for adherence to scriptural authority without succumbing to fundamentalism, creating conditions for deep engagement with various scriptural traditions through close readings of scriptures by Jews, Christians, and Muslims and thinking about the conditions required for such a reading that is both anti-foundationalist and still modern (Ochs uses the term "postliberal") that includes translating that professional theological enterprise into language that can be used by religious communities. Finally Ochs has developed a way of thinking through the structures of not what each tradition needs to sacrifice but how each tradition can do so without either succumbing to the foundationalist modern notion of questioning all tradition or questioning Reason itself as a catalyst 1. On postliberalism, see Lindbeck, Nature of Doctrine.
Another Reformation: Postliberal Christianity and the Jews
""The upshot of Ochs's careful, erudite, detailed argument is that postliberal theology escapes the traps of both liberal and antiliberal reason and so is not drawn to supersessionism. . . . Ochs, in his practice and in his exposition, exhibits a way of relating and thinking and believing that makes wholeness and healing possible."--Walter Brueggemann, Christian Century Jewish theologian Peter Ochs argues that a significant and expanding movement in recent Christian theology offers a way for Christians to rededicate themselves to the gospel message and to classical, patristic doctrines of the church without revisiting classical claims that, with the coming of Christ, God has replaced his love of the Jewish people with his love of the church. Ochs examines the christologies and pneumatologies of leading postliberal theologians George Lindbeck, Robert Jenson, Stanley Hauerwas, John Howard Yoder, Daniel Hardy, and David Ford, who argue in their work that God's love of Christ and the church does not replace his love of Israel and the Jews. Another Reformation not only provides a detailed study of the movement of recent postliberal Christian theology in the United States and the United Kingdom but also offers stimulating Jewish-Christian theological exchange. Ochs's realization that some Christian thinkers retain a place for the people of Israel opens up the possibility of new understanding and deepens the Jewish-Christian dialogue. Contents 1. Introduction: Christian Postliberalism and the Jews Part 1: American Protestant Postliberalism 2. George Lindbeck and the Church as Israel 3. Robert Jenson: The God of Israel and the Fruits of Trinitarian Theology 4. Arguing for Christ: Stanley Hauerwas's Theopractic Reasoning 5. The Limits of Postliberalism: John Howard Yoder's American Mennonite Church Part 2: British Postliberalism 6. Finding Christ in World and Polity: Daniel Hardy's Ecclesiological Postliberalism 7. Wisdom's Cry: David Ford's Reparative Pneumatology 8. John Milbank: Supersessionist or Christian Theo-semiotician and Pragmatist? 9. Conclusion: Christian Postliberalism and Christian Nonsupersessionism Are Correlative Endorsements "Discerning a close correlation between postliberal Christian theology and nonsupersessionism, Ochs, a Jewish theologian, gratefully receives the gifts this strand of Christian theology has to offer. But then he offers a startling gift in return. Moving qualitatively beyond mere 'dialogue' with Christian theologians, Ochs enters deeply, sympathetically, and critically into the heart of postliberal Christian theology and profoundly assists Christian theology in its work of building up the body of Christ. Are we not astounded by that? One thing now becomes utterly clear: Christian theology, if it truly seeks and prays for 'another reformation' by which divisions among the churches and divisions among Jews and Christians are repaired, can no longer do without such gifts as this--and without giving them in return."--Douglas Harink, professor of theology, The King's University College "Anyone wishing to discern the contours of a properly postliberal theological ethos in George Lindbeck, Robert Jenson, Stanley Hauerwas, John Howard Yoder, Dan Hardy, David Ford, or John Milbank could not find a more astute guide than Peter Ochs, whose exposition is as penetrating as his critique is incisive. Deftly employing the philosophical tools of Charles Sanders Peirce, Ochs's focus is the bugbear of 'supersession,' yet his clear goal is a mode of exposition and analysis freed from easy polarities. A meticulous reading delineates the contributions each author makes to an inclusive Jewish-Christian theology, and in so doing reveals what renders these thoughts properly Christian."--David Burrell, CSC, professor of ethics and development, Uganda Martyrs University "Several Jewish thinkers have applauded the recent efforts of Christian theologians to overcome supersessionism--the notion that the Christian church has replaced the Jewish people in God's covenant with Israel as the people of God--without abandoning their own Christian theology. Indeed, the efforts of these Christian thinkers have contributed to the deepening of their theology. Peter Ochs is one of the most prominent of these Jewish thinkers, and in Another Reformation he articulates his applause with unprecedented theological insight and philosophical perspicacity."--David Novak, J. Richard and Dorothy Shiff Chair of Jewish Studies, University of Toronto "Another Reformation demonstrates why Jewish philosopher Peter Ochs has been a seminal thinker for Jews and Christians seeking reconciliation through fidelity to the divine Word. With profound insight, Ochs engages a set of Christian theologians committed both to classical Christian modes of apprehending reality and to the pragmatic exercise of critical reason, and discovers a correlation between their theological sensibilities and a nonsupersessionist orientation toward the Jewish people. In his own interaction with these Christian thinkers--via personal dialogue and written words--Ochs models the virtues he extols in those he studies: sensitivity to the particularities of historical and social context; reliance upon relational rather than dichotomous patterns of thought; an ecumenical concern to heal wounded communities; and an ear attentive not only to the voices of other human beings but also to the voice of God. This is a masterful example of the way Jewish scholars may contribute to Christian conversations, and a reminder that the Jewish and Christian conversations belong in the same room, where each circle can overhear and learn from the other."--Mark S. Kinzer, senior scholar, Messianic Jewish Theological Institute; author, Postmissionary Messianic Judaism: Redefining Christian Engagement with the Jewish People Reviews "The interface of Jewish and Christian theology has always been vexing. . . . Happily, we are at the threshold of a new way of communicating at that interface. . . . More broadly, no one has contributed more to this fresh possibility than Peter Ochs. With his largeness of spirit, his deep theological sensibility, and his practical passion for fresh work with Christians, he has taken on important initiatives that have made room for new communication and understanding. . . . The upshot of Ochs's careful, erudite, detailed argument is that postliberal theology escapes the traps of both liberal and antiliberal reason and so is not drawn to supersessionism. . . . Ochs has performed a formidable interpretive task that awaits follow-up in local settings. . . . Ochs, in his practice and in his exposition, exhibits a way of relating and thinking and believing that makes wholeness and healing possible."--Walter Brueggemann, Christian Century"
Israel Affairs (in prep)
Political attitudes towards the modern state of Israel are largely a function of underlying theological issues in Pauline Christianity regarding ethnic versus spiritual Israel. The very charge of Israel as occupier can be seen as an inverted perception or even a psychological projection emerging from the supersessionist view that the Pauline Church is the New Israel, displacing the Jewish people as God’s elect. Hard and soft political charges of Israel as “occupier” are discussed and rebutted as are hard and soft claims of theological supersessionism. Dual covenant Christians tend not to espouse the view of Israel as occupier. Finally, these political and theological realms of thinking are linked in an attempt to bring psychological clarity to the peculiar nature of political projection towards the modern state of Israel, among Christians and even post-Christians in the West.
Christian Zionism: A Missiological Emergency
Journal of the Evangelical Missiological Society, 2023
Zionism historically refers to the international movement to establish a Jewish homeland, a hope that was fulfilled by the present state of Israel. Christian Zionists were instrumental in facilitating the establishment of the modern state. Their continuing support for Israeli political interests, territorial expansion and security has been at the expense of pursuing peace-making, justice, and human rights for Palestinians. The result has been to create a missiological emergency with serious harm to the Church in the Middle East and its mission in the Muslim world. Personally observing the adverse consequences on Arab Christians and Muslims forced the author to reflect upon and discern flaws in his dispensational theology – a theology that is widely held by Christian Zionists. The article proposes a corrective that is (a) true to Scripture, (b) truly dispensational, and (c) compassionate and just toward the Palestinian Christians and Muslims, as well as Israelis, by addressing seven arguments of Christian Zionists. Focusing on misinterpretations or misapplications of scripture relating to the modern state of Israel, this study demonstrates that theological and political support for modern Israel does not logically follow from a dispensational interpretative framework. Nevertheless, future fulfillment of biblical promises to national Israel can still be expected. This theological corrective that can serve to advance the mission of God in the Middle East.
The relationship between the Church and Israel has been the source of passionate debate among Christians throughout much of Church history. More recently, however, the issue has moved beyond the exegetical and theological spheres to encompass the political realm, with the publication of a number of books by evangelical authors who champion the Palestinian cause and are highly critical of both Israel and Christian support for the Jewish state. The debate surrounding the relationship between the Church and Israel has evolved from mere disagreement over doctrine and now includes areas of both historical and political debate regarding the current Middle East that further divides Christians. In recent years it has become apparent that the traditional pro-Israel stance of evangelicals has come under fire by those who support the Palestinian cause, calling for a new perspective and more nuanced approach by Christians who believe that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people by virtue of God’s covenants and promises. This essay will challenge the Supersessionist drift of the modern Church, arguing that God retains a plan and purpose for the Jewish people while also addressing a number of the divisive issues raised by authors critical of Israel, including justice related issues which so many of young adults are concerned with regarding the Middle East conflict. The essay addresses the pervasive issue of Replacement theology and focuses on the ways in which this view has shaped the Palestinian narrative and the views of those who tend to be pro-Palestinian while opposing the modern state of Israel. Unfortunately, these views have widened the chasm between Israeli and Palestinian believers, but are not often sufficiently discussed to show their negative impact. Finally, this essay focuses on the impact modern Supersessionism has on today’s Church, both in Israel, the Middle East and in the West. The author zeroes in on the negative impact Supersessionism has had on the Jewish people. This impact is especially the case with Jewish evangelism over the past century. Issues covered will include how negative portrayals of Israel by some sectors of the Church have a detrimental impact on Jewish responses to the Gospel, and how a high view of Israel aids Jewish evangelism. The writings of some of the better-known Supersessionist authors of our day receive particular attention and analysis. Solid principles emerge that might lead towards less acrimonious, healthier dialogue.
Theo‐Politics in the Holy Land: Christian Zionism and Jewish Religious Zionism
Religion Compass, 2011
This article focuses on the ‘theo-political’ core of US Christian Zionism and Jewish Religious Zionism. The political militancy characterizing two Millenarian/Messianic movements such as Christian Zionism and Jewish Religious Zionism constitutes a still under-researched and under-theorized aspect that, at present, is paramount to address for its immediate and long terms implications in the highly sensitive and volatile Israeli-Palestinian issue, in the US and Israeli domestic domain, and in the wider international community. Although processes of the ‘sacralisation of politics’ and ‘politicisation of religions’ have already manifested themselves in countless forms over past centuries, Christian Zionism and Jewish Religious Zionism are unprecedented phenomena given their unique hybridized nature, political prominence and outreach, mobilizing appeal amongst believers, organizational-communicational skills and degree of institutionalization. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-8171.2011.00267.x/abstract
Biblical Zionism. Generous Theology of History
I am honored to be here at this occasion to offer some remarks on a topic of deep passion for our colleague Judith Mendelsohn Rood and one that is also at the heart of Biola’s own confessional identity: Zionism. Now, it is unfortunate but true that in some, even many, circles today the mere mention of Zionism is met with a darkened countenance and furrowed brows. It’s the repulsive “Z-word” that supposedly hails from some quirky apocalyptic millennarian sects of the 19th century that evokes images of xenophobia and narrow nationalistic self-interest. And what’s worse, this “Zionism” commits the greatest possible prevarication by Reinhold Niebuhr’s taxonomy of sin : it sanctions its perversions with God’s good name. Rosemary Radford Ruethers’ statement sums it up well: However much Christians need to honor the Jewish people and Judaism as our religious ancestors, Christians cannot accept an ethnocentric notion of God and of God’s election of one people at the expense of others. Fundamental to Christian theology is a belief that God is a god of all nations, all peoples. In Christ there is no more Jew or Greek (Gal 3:28). No one people is especially favored by God against others. In Ruether’s reading, Zionism is a true wolf in sheep’s clothing, a nefarious theological trope that in God’s name does violence to God himself and his program for the world! In these few minutes we have today, I hope to examine the biblical claims behind the charges for those like Ruether, for whom Zionism is anything but a generous theology of history. Specifically, these charges are that (1) particularism, or God’s election of one people, is done at the expense of other peoples, and, (2) that God’s universalism, or God being the God of all nations, means the elimination of human national distinctions (re: “…neither Jew nor Greek,” Gal 3:28). My thesis today is that such pretenses represent a profoundly deficient reading of God’s word and a serious captivity to humanist-centered values of the age in which we live. Expressed more positively: a close reading of Scripture will bring us closer to a picture of God’s heart for his creation that I know my friend and colleague Judith shares passionately: that the God of history has scripted a generous narrative for all of the world’s people—indeed by his nature he can do nothing other, and this he has done so through the particular choice of Israel. In other words, God is a “Biblical Zionist”, and such truths are the backbone of the Jesus’ announcement: “For God so loved the world…” and “Salvation is from the Jews.”
On the Relationship Between Christianity and Zionism
In recent years, some Christian leaders have argued for Christian Zionism, a belief system that supports political Zionism and the policies of the State of Israel as an expression of Christian theology, in particular, end-times eschatology. This paper engages in a critique of the arguments of Christian Zionism and lays out several objections to it ground in Christian theology and fundamental Christian doctrine.