Christians and Jews: historical and theological perspectives of their relationship (original) (raw)
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Christianity in Jewish Terms: A Project to Redefine the Relationship 2000
CrossCurrents WINTER 2000/2001, Vol. 50, No. 4, 2000
Christianity in Jewish Terms is a theology offered both about and in response to Christian theologies that themselves arose from within, about, and in response to Judaism. It also recognizes that, since the dawn of Christianity, Jewish theologies have often been a response to Christianity In the past, these mutual influences have been obscured by a rhetoric of rejection. It is only recently that scholars and theologians have become aware of the almost symbiotic relationship between the two traditions. This Jewish theology is offered, moreover, in response to efforts by courageous Christians who, in the years since the Shoah, have exposed those aspects of their tradition that helped create Western antisemitism and who offered new Christian visions that affirm the rightful place of Jews and Judaism in the cosmic order. Our theological project has been dialogic in form, part of an ongoing history of responses to responses; in keeping with that theme, we introduce the project here by illustrating how our editorial group responded and to what we responded, with what effects.
Closeness and Distance. Towards a New Description of Jewish-Christian Relations
It is a long-standing tradition not only in historiography to describe the relations between Jews and Christians as a history of Christian hostility towards the Jews, which is usually called anti-Judaism and/or antisemitism. 2 In this paper I would like to examine this aspect of historical hermeneutics and propose an alternative approach to this area of historical research. I will, therefore, proceed in three steps. My first step is to describe what I see as the methodological status quo and its history. In a second section I would like to examine some points of criticism which have been raised against this status quo, points which I consider valid, although I now tend to disagree with the hermeneutical conclusions drawn from this criticism. Finally, I would like to outline a new way of describing Jewish-Christian relations.
Horizons, 2012
I don't think we're in Christendom anymore, Toto. The consistently superb essays that have been produced by the project, Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today (CJJPT), remove any doubts we may have had that the twenty-first century will challenge Christian theology in profound ways. The authors profile several of the challenges which have emerged in the Jewish-Christian encounter over the past sixty-five years, since the Shoah (Holocaust) made clear the church's complicity in unspeakable horror and focused attention on the doctrinal formulations and ecclesial practices that could allow such a failure of faithfulness. They articulate theological responses, initiate probes into meeting those challenges, and lay the groundwork for an ambitious agenda. These wide-ranging investigations share a central theme: the intellectual and spiritual hegemony which the Christian church claimed for itself through most of its first two millennia is neither necessary to the church's identity nor an accurate account of God's work in the world. Their common effort aims at sustaining the biblical and theological faithfulness of the Christian heritage while formulating central Christian claims in ways that do not depend on that hegemony and will not continue to impose its influence on further generations. Taken together, they set a demanding agenda and establish an impressively high baseline for those who will follow in developing their work more fully. This project is the effort of an "intercontinental partnership" of primarily Roman Catholic scholars, sponsored by the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Boston College, Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. Their aim is to explore the possibility of a consensus emerging in recent years on questions of "the relationships among Jesus Christ, the covenantal status of the Jewish people, and understandings of salvation" (xxi). Those questions are not in any way limited to Roman Catholic reflection or significance, 9
Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today: New Explorations of Theological Interrelationships
2011
I don't think we're in Christendom anymore, Toto. The consistently superb essays that have been produced by the project, Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today (CJJPT), remove any doubts we may have had that the twenty-first century will challenge Christian theology in profound ways. The authors profile several of the challenges which have emerged in the Jewish-Christian encounter over the past sixty-five years, since the Shoah (Holocaust) made clear the church's complicity in unspeakable horror and focused attention on the doctrinal formulations and ecclesial practices that could allow such a failure of faithfulness. They articulate theological responses, initiate probes into meeting those challenges, and lay the groundwork for an ambitious agenda. These wide-ranging investigations share a central theme: the intellectual and spiritual hegemony which the Christian church claimed for itself through most of its first two millennia is neither necessary to the church's identity nor an accurate account of God's work in the world. Their common effort aims at sustaining the biblical and theological faithfulness of the Christian heritage while formulating central Christian claims in ways that do not depend on that hegemony and will not continue to impose its influence on further generations. Taken together, they set a demanding agenda and establish an impressively high baseline for those who will follow in developing their work more fully. This project is the effort of an "intercontinental partnership" of primarily Roman Catholic scholars, sponsored by the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Boston College, Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. Their aim is to explore the possibility of a consensus emerging in recent years on questions of "the relationships among Jesus Christ, the covenantal status of the Jewish people, and understandings of salvation" (xxi). Those questions are not in any way limited to Roman Catholic reflection or significance, 9
Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society, 2012
I don't think we're in Christendom anymore, Toto. The consistently superb essays that have been produced by the project, Christ Jesus and the Jewish People Today (CJJPT), remove any doubts we may have had that the twenty-first century will challenge Christian theology in profound ways. The authors profile several of the challenges which have emerged in the Jewish-Christian encounter over the past sixty-five years, since the Shoah (Holocaust) made clear the church's complicity in unspeakable horror and focused attention on the doctrinal formulations and ecclesial practices that could allow such a failure of faithfulness. They articulate theological responses, initiate probes into meeting those challenges, and lay the groundwork for an ambitious agenda. These wide-ranging investigations share a central theme: the intellectual and spiritual hegemony which the Christian church claimed for itself through most of its first two millennia is neither necessary to the church's identity nor an accurate account of God's work in the world. Their common effort aims at sustaining the biblical and theological faithfulness of the Christian heritage while formulating central Christian claims in ways that do not depend on that hegemony and will not continue to impose its influence on further generations. Taken together, they set a demanding agenda and establish an impressively high baseline for those who will follow in developing their work more fully. This project is the effort of an "intercontinental partnership" of primarily Roman Catholic scholars, sponsored by the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Boston College, Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. Their aim is to explore the possibility of a consensus emerging in recent years on questions of "the relationships among Jesus Christ, the covenantal status of the Jewish people, and understandings of salvation" (xxi). Those questions are not in any way limited to Roman Catholic reflection or significance, 9
Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, 2013
has been a trailblazer and leader among Jews studying the relationship between Jews and Christians, especially in the medieval world. It is thus entirely appropriate that this massive festschrift honors him with important contributions from many of the other leading scholars in the field, all but one of them Jews. This wide-ranging collection presents many of the approaches to the study of the relationship between Jews and Christians typical of orthodox participants in the world of Jewish Studies today.
This paper is about the major parallels between Judaism and Christianity. Broadly this paper will examine the history of Judaism and its relationship to Christianity from 70AD to until today. Generally covered in their historical groupings are the early (70-500AD), medieval (500-1500), reformation (1500-1700) and modern day (20th Century to present) Judaism strands in each era. Examined will be what each strand believed and how does mainstream Judaism compare alongside Christianity—but more specifically evaluated from a slightly more Lutheran perspective. The key questions covered are; 1. What is the main point of divergence between Jews and Christians since the early Church and what does this mean apologetically? And 2. How Should Christianity Engage with Judaism? In addition will be what is the apologetic evaluation of Judaism and how can the average Christian practically engage with Judaism in conversation without being offensive and yet, understanding the key issues between their respective religions to have fruitful ecumenical dialogue. Historically Judaism and Christianity have been at odds with one another since the end of the first century. Jews have had a hard time surviving and migrating in each generation until about the eighteenth century where there is far less unity across individual Judaic sects since this time. The walls of hostility since 1949 have broken down significantly between Jews and Christians, more so since Vatican II. In conclusion Christian-Jewish dialogue is happening more frequently now, however still has a long way to go in terms of strengthening interfaith relationships across the spectrum.