Judaism and Christianity

[Randy_Carson]

It is natural, yes. What is perplexing is how the narratives of the two religions have taken different paths over the centuries, sometimes leading to tragic consequences, bitter disputes, vicious antagonisms, and the like, even worse.

Theologically, Judaism and Christianity have much more in common if studied closely.

Agreed.

At the risk of overstating the case, it is probably equally true that Jews do not fully understand just how Jewish much of Catholicism really is while Catholics do not really know how Jewish we are!

Or at least how much OT Judaism Catholicism has retained…

 

[Qoeleth]

Oh, gee, I dunno…maybe cause He’s arguably the most famous Jew of all time? Maybe because He has probably had a greater impact on the Jewish people as a whole than anyone since Moses?

C’mon, Kaninchen…Catholics can hold opinions about Martin Luther.

It’s okay for you to be honest about what you really think of Jesus.

Yes, what Catholics think of Luther is a good starting point.

It’s important to know what Jews actually think, from the point of view of dialogue. I mean, if Jews though Jesus was a liar or blasphemer, etc., then dialogue is difficult. A good starting point would be to affirm that Jesus taught many good things, and was a great man (the same as a Christian would say about Buddha or Mahomet) . I understand that a Jew would not necessarily accept His divinity.

On the other hand, the Koran makes it clear that Jesus is considered in a highly respected way by Muslims, as is the Gospel law of mercy.

The situation has become more difficult in recent times, because of the outbreak of Church desecrations by Jews in Israel.

The Trinity does not contradict unity- by the way. The whole point is that it affirms the Unity of the Three Persons.

 

[Catholic_farmer]

Just as a reminder, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People.

When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People,326 "the first to hear the Word of God."327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ”,328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.“329”

Could we return to a polite, respectful discussion?

 

[Catholic_farmer]

No, Yiddish is not universal, the Shoah wiped out a large proportion of its speakers.

I’m a Jewish mother, my main obligation has always been to interfere in my daughters’ lives as much as possible!

Rather like Catholics, we raise our children for a way of life as well as in a religion.

So many lingering tragic effects from that time… Is there any movement to revive the use of the language?

Interfere as much as possible, lol! I an understand the focus on women as they pass on the Jewish heritage. My husband’s family is descended from a Jewish immigrant who married a Christian woman, thus making their children not Jewish under the law (but of Jewish ancestry). The family that remained in Germany was wiped out, for the most part. I think a few distant cousins survived by escaping to, what would become, Israel.

I am curious about Hanukkah. As I understand it, the books of Maccabees were rejected over 1.000 years ago by Jewish scholars. Isn’t that where Hanukkah came from? Is that why it’s considered a minor holiday? Did the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls change any opinions about what should be included or excluded from the Torah? Is there any variation between sects in what is included in the Torah in modern times?

 

[Kaninchen]

So many lingering tragic effects from that time… Is there any movement to revive the use of the language?

Well, it’s strong in the Hasidic world and they tend to have large families so it looks as if it has a future.

I am curious about Hanukkah. As I understand it, the books of Maccabees were rejected over 1.000 years ago by Jewish scholars. Isn’t that where Hanukkah came from? Is that why it’s considered a minor holiday? Did the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls change any opinions about what should be included or excluded from the Torah? Is there any variation between sects in what is included in the Torah in modern times?

The cynical amongst us might consider that celebration of Hanukkah is really about Jewish children having a midwinter celebration as well! The thing is that its origins of the festival itself are pretty ‘legendary’.

The Torah is the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy),it would take a pretty revolutionary discovery to change that! I think you mean the Tanakh (the rest of what you would call the Old Testament) and the answer would be no, the canon won’t change.

To a Christian, the OT leads towards Jesus, placing Jesus in a historical and religious context but you to remember that, simplifying greatly, Judaism is about Torah and the rest of the Tanakh is commentary. Even if other books had been included it would have been in that context, commentary on Torah, the Law.

 

[Catholic_farmer]

Thank you for your clarification and patience with some pretty basic questions.

 

[Qoeleth]

Just as a reminder, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People.

When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People,326 "the first to hear the Word of God."327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ”,328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.“329”

Could we return to a polite, respectful discussion?

Of course.

But my question remains: to what extent the sentiment to which your refer are reciprocated by our Jewish sisters and brothers?

I know there are respectful things said about Christians in the Koran (5:82), like:
You will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.

There’s also nice things said about Muslims in Nostra Aetate, since they also revere Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

So, Christians extend the olive branch both to Jews and to Muslims. Muslims extend the olive branch to Christians. But what do Jews think of Christians? Are they ready to extend the proverbial olive branch in the same way?

Ideally, all three Abrahamic faith can get together and be friends, divide up our common Holy Land and Holy City into three equal states (Christian, Muslim and Jewish) and be united in the Way, the Truth and the Life. I’m sure this is what Jesus, and all the prophets of Old, would have wanted…