Purgatory, Protestants, Catholics, and Jews

[tabsie3210]

I was raised by a Jewish mother and a Catholic father. I learned the Old Testament at my mother’s knee, and without it, I never would have learned the power and beauty of Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion and his Resurrection.

It seems to me that Judiasm flows into Catholicism like a hand fitting into a glove, but I don’t always find that with Protestant and Evangelical teachings. Here’s the big issue that’s on my mind lately:

The celebration of Chanukah (the Festival of Lights) is a part of the Jewish culture, so much so that it’s stated that Jesus himself celebrated it in the New Testament. Macabees 1 and 2 are not part of the Jewish Torah, but the celebration of the Miracle of the Oil is not something that the Jews take lightly. One thing that I’ve learned is that Jewish tradition holds that everything that happened in the past was done for all the Jewish people. During Passover, for example, some Rabbis will say, “God brought me out of slavery,” meaning that as part of the original Covenant, the things that went before are passed down to this and all future generations. For the Jews, the Macabees and their revolution are historical. A part of the culture, because it’s a solid part of the past.

If Christianity flows from Judiasm, it would follow then that the Macabees are a part of Christianity’s history as well as the Jewish history.

Likewise, I heard a Rabbi teaching that praying for the dead is a part of the Jewish tradition, with the desire to help our loved ones reach Heaven. The Kaddish is a prayer by the community for the dead, not the dying.

Clearly, the Orthodox Jews do believe in Purgatory, and it shows in their culture. Orthodox Jews are the forefathers of Christianity. Without their (name removed by moderator)ut, we cannot have a clear concept of what Jesus’ mission on Earth was all about.

Why is it that any number of Evangelicals teach that we should become united with our Jewish family (even Jack Chick says so, and supports the Jews!), and yet they refuse to believe in Purgatory, something that the Jewish culture does believe in?

With Love and Affection,
The Jewish Catholic,
Tabsie.

 

[Little_Katie]

Wow- that’s really fascinating.

I knew that Christianity stemmed from the Jewish faith, but I never realized how much so!!

I remember in my parish back home they would invite the local rabis to celebrate a pass over meal with us. I always loved attending it. It was a fascinating look into the culture that Christ grew up in.

 

[Lev23]

I was raised by a Jewish mother and a Catholic father. I learned the Old Testament at my mother’s knee, and without it, I never would have learned the power and beauty of Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion and his Resurrection.

It seems to me that Judiasm flows into Catholicism like a hand fitting into a glove, but I don’t always find that with Protestant and Evangelical teachings. Here’s the big issue that’s on my mind lately:

The celebration of Chanukah (the Festival of Lights) is a part of the Jewish culture, so much so that it’s stated that Jesus himself celebrated it in the New Testament. Macabees 1 and 2 are not part of the Jewish Torah, but the celebration of the Miracle of the Oil is not something that the Jews take lightly. One thing that I’ve learned is that Jewish tradition holds that everything that happened in the past was done for all the Jewish people. During Passover, for example, some Rabbis will say, “God brought me out of slavery,” meaning that as part of the original Covenant, the things that went before are passed down to this and all future generations. For the Jews, the Macabees and their revolution are historical. A part of the culture, because it’s a solid part of the past.

If Christianity flows from Judiasm, it would follow then that the Macabees are a part of Christianity’s history as well as the Jewish history.

Likewise, I heard a Rabbi teaching that praying for the dead is a part of the Jewish tradition, with the desire to help our loved ones reach Heaven. The Kaddish is a prayer by the community for the dead, not the dying.

Clearly, the Orthodox Jews do believe in Purgatory, and it shows in their culture. Orthodox Jews are the forefathers of Christianity. Without their (name removed by moderator)ut, we cannot have a clear concept of what Jesus’ mission on Earth was all about.

Why is it that any number of Evangelicals teach that we should become united with our Jewish family (even Jack Chick says so, and supports the Jews!), and yet they refuse to believe in Purgatory, something that the Jewish culture does believe in?

With Love and Affection,
The Jewish Catholic,
Tabsie.

Catholic purgatory and certain views in rabbincal Judaism are two different things. For instance, in some rabbincal traditions, there is a scale of good and bad works awaiting a person in the afterlife. Some even teach if the scales are even, you are sent back to earth to hopefully do one more good work to “tip” the scales.

Evangelicals do teach and are aware about Chanukah, especially those that are Jews.

As a matter of fact, Christians of all types go to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with the Jews.