The Roots of Christian Antisemitism

My second paper on the relations between Christians and Jews starts like this:

After the Church parted ways with Judaism and became predominantly gentile in constituency, it quickly forgot its Jewish roots in spite of Paul's injunction of Ro 11:17-24. Christian antisemitism has echoed throughout church history with grave consequences as Christians have atrociously persecuted Jews in the name of Christ. This paper seeks to identify the roots of Christian antisemitism amongst the second century Church Fathers. This is not an evaluation of their theology per se, but an account of antisemitic sentiment within historical orthodox Christianity, even by the Church's greatest ancient theologians.

For the whole paper, click here.

The Judeo-Christian Schism

Click here for my first essay in a series on Christian-Jewish relations over the past 2000 years. Here's the introduction:

The heartbreaking history of the Church's relation to the Jewish people is a story of a disagreement growing into a dispute, division, and ultimately divorce. Without assessing the merit of particular theologies, this paper examines the schism between Christianity and Judaism in the first hundred years of the Church's existence (from c30 to 135) – its causes and course. Consequences will be explored in later papers.

There's something about the Shema

Shema Yisrael, YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad

Hear O Israel, YHWH is our God, YHWH is one

In all the Bible the "abbreviated Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4, above) is surely the most quintessential verse of Judaism. The full Shema is much longer than just that one verse; it includes Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. Yet it is the single verse quoted above that has become the mainstay of Judaism, quoted by every observant Jew at least twice daily and, traditionally, in their dying breath. (I attended a Jewish fellowship last night in which we recited this verse seven times in succession!) Keep in mind, though, that almost all Jews would avoid saying the Name of God (see the previous post for more on this) so, effectively, the verse becomes:

Hashem: What's in the Name?

Our church songs are full of references to the Name of the LORD, for example, "In your Name there is strength to remain...", or "The Name of the LORD is a strong tower...". We sing songs based on the Psalms proclaiming his Name; we are exhorted to trust in his Name, to take refuge in his Name, to believe in/on the Name. Has it ever occurred to you that this is not the way we express ourselves in daily language? Why don't we just "trust the Lord" instead of trusting in "the Name of the LORD"?

The Temple swallow in Psalm 84

How more fitting a way to begin this blog than to quote Psalm 84, the Psalm that mentions how even the swallow has made a nest for herself in the courts of God's Temple? Here it is in one of my favourites, the New English Translation:

Psalm 84

For the music director; according to the gittith style; written by the Korahites, a psalm.

How lovely is the place where you live,
O Lord who rules over all!

I desperately want to be
in the courts of the LORD's temple.
My heart and my entire being shout for joy
to the living God.

Even the birds find a home there,
and the swallow builds a nest,
where she can protect her young
near your altars, O Lord who rules over all,
my king and my God.

How blessed are those who live in your temple
and praise you continually! (Selah)

How blessed are those who find their strength in you,
and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple!

As they pass through the Baca Valley,
he provides a spring for them.
The rain even covers it with pools of water.

They are sustained as they travel along;
each one appears before God in Zion.

O LORD, sovereign God,
hear my prayer!
Listen, O God of Jacob! (Selah)

O God, take notice of our shield!
Show concern for your chosen king!

Certainly spending just one day in your temple courts is better
than spending a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather stand at the entrance to the temple of my God
than live in the tents of the wicked.

For the LORD God is our sovereign protector.
The LORD bestows favor and honor;
he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity.

O Lord who rules over all,
how blessed are those who trust in you!