Christians & Jews—Faith to Faith


Book Description

In time for Pope Francis's new initiatives. We now have the potential to end two thousand years of hostility—will we succeed? New in paperback! With keen wisdom and a masterful understanding of history, Rabbi James Rudin, an acclaimed authority in the field of Jewish-Christian relations, provides the context necessary for Christians and Jews to recognize the critical challenges posed by the past—and the future—of their two religions. Spanning twenty centuries of controversy, horror and promise, Rudin's narrative examines: The sources of both conflict and commonality between the two religions The need to address and redress past wrongs The agenda required to create a shared future free of bigotry It includes proven approaches for successful interreligious dialogues, including tips on session organization, project ideas and a discussion guide to enhance Christians’ and Jews’ knowledge of each other.




What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Jewishness of Jesus


Book Description

If you were to ask ten people, Who started Christianity? you might hear ten voices giving the same quick response: Jesus. But those ten people would be wrong. Jesus wasn’t a Christian. Jesus lived and died as a Jew. Understanding the Jewishness of Jesus is the secret to knowing him better and understanding his message in the twenty-first century. Walking through Jesus’ life from birth to death, Rabbi Evan Moffic serves as a tour guide to give Christians a new way to look at familiar teachings and practices that are rooted in the Jewish faith and can illuminate our lives today. Moffic gives fresh insight on how Jesus’ contemporaries understood him, explores how Jesus’ Jewishness shaped him, offers a new perspective on the Lord’s Prayer, and provides renewed appreciation for Jesus’ miracles. In encountering his Jewish heritage, you will see Jesus differently, gain a better understanding of his message, and enrich your own faith.




Christians & Jews—Faith to Faith


Book Description

In time for Pope Francis’s new initiatives. We now have the potential to end two thousand years of hostility—will we succeed? New in paperback! With keen wisdom and a masterful understanding of history, Rabbi James Rudin, an acclaimed authority in the field of Jewish-Christian relations, provides the context necessary for Christians and Jews to recognize the critical challenges posed by the past—and the future—of their two religions. Spanning twenty centuries of controversy, horror and promise, Rudin’s narrative examines: The sources of both conflict and commonality between the two religions The need to address and redress past wrongs The agenda required to create a shared future free of bigotry It includes proven approaches for successful interreligious dialogues, including tips on session organization, project ideas and a discussion guide to enhance Christians’ and Jews’ knowledge of each other.




Has the Church Replaced Israel?


Book Description

The relationship between Israel and the church continues to be a controversial topic led by this question: Does the church replace, supersede, or fulfill the nation of Israel in God's plan, or will Israel be saved and restored with a unique identity and role? In Has the Church Replaced Israel?, author Michael J. Vlach evaluates the doctrine of replacement theology (also known as supersessionism) down through history but ultimately argues in favor of the nonsupersessionist position. Thoroughly vetting the most important hermeneutical and theological issues related to the Israel/church relationship, Vlach explains why, "there are compelling scriptural reasons in both testaments to believe in a future salvation and restoration of the nation Israel."




Faith Transformed


Book Description

Traditionally, Christian churches have taught that the validity of Judaism came to an end with the emergence of Christianity. But in the last half-century, many Christians have reputiated this teaching and have affirmed the abiding validity of Judaism. Consequently, they have had to reevaluate Christian self-understanding in relation to Judaism. In Faith Transformed, Christian scholars who have been at the forefront of Christian-Jewish relations share how their encounters with Jews and Judaism have transformed their understanding and practice of Christianity. They reveal how their Christian faith has been profoundly enriched by drawing inspiration from the Jewish tradition.




What Every Christian Needs to Know About Judaism


Book Description

Explore the wisdom and traditions of the Jewish faith and examine what they mean for Christians. “In this extraordinary book, Rabbi Evan Moffic takes Christians on a journey through the roots of our faith, by giving insight into the history and tradition that Jesus would have observed. In this way, Rabbi Moffic provides the backstory to the main story. If you want to get more from your faith, this book is a must-read!” —Dave Adamson, Pastor, North Pointe Church “Rabbi Moffic is an engaging teacher who excels at communicating ancient truths for modern audiences. His insights into Hebrew scriptures and the Jewish heritage of the Christian faith will be a blessing to all who want to learn.” —Steve Gillen, Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church When Christians learn about Jewish tradition and history, they see the Bible and the life of Jesus with a new and enriched perspective. Knowing more about Judaism brings them closer to Jesus because Jesus lived and died as a Jew and consistently quoted the Jewish scripture and stories. In this book Evan Moffic, popular rabbi, author, and guide to Jewish wisdom for people of all faiths, continues the What Every Christian Needs to Know About series with an exploration of the wisdom and traditions of Judaism. Rabbi Moffic provides answers to hundreds of questions he receives about Judaism to provide a deeper understanding of the roots shared by Christians and Jews. Through this book’s explorations, readers will learn insights of the great Jewish sages to live a richer and more meaningful life, soak up the wisdom and traditions of Judaism, and a develop closer relationship with God. “My hope is that these teachings can serve as a way of fostering bonds focused not on the past and the troubled history between Jews and Christians, but rather one looking forward to a future in which we share wisdom with one another.” – Rabbi Evan Moffic Product Features: A popular rabbi explores Jewish wisdom and traditions for Christian readers. Topics explored include: Jewish texts, spiritual life, holidays and events, and others. Highlights intersections of the Jewish and Christian faith that give deeper meaning to reading the Bible.




Salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22)


Book Description

Growing up in an ethnic suburb in Cleveland, Aaron Milavec was an impressionable adolescent whose religious and cultural influences made it natural for him to pity, blame, and despise Jews. All of that began to change in 1955 when Mr. Martin, a Jewish merchant, hired Milavec as a stock boy. Milavec's initial anxieties over working for a Jew surprisingly gave way to profound personal admiration. This, in turn, plunged Milavec into a troubling theological dilemma: How could God consign Mr. Martin to eternal hellfire due to his ancestral role in the death of Jesus when it was clear that Mr. Martin would not harm me, a Christian, even in small ways? This book is not for the faint-hearted. Most Christians imagine that the poison of anti-Judaism has been largely eliminated. In contrast, Milavec reveals how this poison has gone underground--disfiguring not only the role of Israel in God's plan of salvation but also horribly twisting the faith, the forgiveness, and the salvation that Christians find through Jesus Christ. This painful realization serves as the necessary first step for our healing. At each step of the way, Milavec's sure hand builds bridges of mutual understanding that enable both Christians and Jews to cross the chasm of distrust and distortion that has infected both church and synagogue over the centuries. In the end, Milavec securely brings his readers to that place where Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity can again be admired as sister religions intimately united to one other in God's drama of salvation.




A Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith


Book Description

A Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith is a comprehensive handbook that serves as an introduction to the Jewish roots of the Christian Faith. It includes Old Testament background, Second Temple Judaism, the life of Jesus, the New Testament, and the early Jewish followers of Jesus. It is intended as a resource for college and/or higher education. It is no longer a novelty to say that Jesus was a Jew. In fact, the term Jewish roots has become something of a buzzword in books, articles, and especially on the internet. But what does the Jewishness of Jesus actually mean, and why is it important? This collection of articles aims to address those questions and serve as a comprehensive yet concise primer on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. It consists of thirteen chapters, most of which are divided into four or five articles. It is in a “handbook” format, meaning that each article is brief but informative. The thirteen chapters are grouped into four major sections: (1) The Soil, (2) The Roots, (3) The Trunk, and (4) The Branches. Craig A. Evans, PhD, DHabil, is the John Bisagno Distinguished Professor of Christian Origins at Houston Baptist University in Texas. He is a frequent contributor to scholarly journals and the author or editor of over seventy books. Evans resides in Houston, TX. David Mishkin, PhD, serves on the faculty of Israel College of the Bible in Netanya, Israel. He is the author of The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheim and Jewish Scholarship on the Resurrection of Jesus.




Christianity Is Jewish


Book Description

Edith Schaeffer lovingly encourages Christians to embrace the Jewishness of their faith. When the early church repudiated its Jewish roots, the New Testament became disconnected from its Hebraic foundations in the Old Testament. Edith Schaeffer presents a most convincing case for an unbreakable continuity in the flow of history from Genesis to Revelation. Her book reveals the thread of redemption in its Jewish context and Christianity as a grafted vine rooted in Judaism. The reader will hardly be able to miss the conclusion that the Christian gospel built on the foundation of the prophets and of the apostles is entirely Jewish. We live in a time when Christians and Jews are confused about their true identity and mutual calling to each other. This book deserves a re-edition at a time of unrelenting persistence of anti-Semitism, when much of the world turns their backs on Israel and the Jews. The global community of nations risks abandoning its Judeo-Christian heritage. This book's simple message may be what is needed to open the eyes of the Church to what Christianity owes to the Jews: gratitude, love, and the knowledge of their Jewish Messiah as the true Passover Lamb.