Among Evangelicals, A Kinship With Jews: Some Skeptical of Growing Phenomenon

The Washington Post ^ | January 8, 2006 | Alan Cooperman

[quidnunc]

Danville, Va. – Everyone who worships at the Tabernacle quickly learns three facts about its deeply conservative pastor. He comes from a broken home. He rides a canary-yellow Harley. And he loves the Jews.

There is some murmuring about the motorcycle. But the 2,500 members of this Bible-believing, tradition-respecting Southern Baptist church in southern Virginia have embraced everything else about the Rev. Lamarr Mooneyham.

Out of his painful childhood experiences, Mooneyham, 57, preaches passionately about the importance of home. Out of his reading of the Bible, he preaches with equal passion about God's continuing devotion to the Jewish people.

"I feel jealous sometimes. This term that keeps coming up in the Old Book — the Chosen, the Chosen," says the minister, who has made three trips to Israel and named his sons Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. "I'm a pardoned gentile, but I'm not one of the Chosen People. They're the apple of his eye."

Scholars of religion call this worldview "philo-Semitism," the opposite of anti-Semitism. It is a burgeoning phenomenon in evangelical Christian churches across the country, a hot topic in Jewish historical studies and a wellspring of support for Israel.

Yet many Jews are nervous about evangelicals' intentions. In recent weeks, leaders of three of the nation's largest Jewish groups — the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Union for Reform Judaism — have decried what they see as a mounting threat to the separation of church and state from evangelicals emboldened by the belief that they have an ally in the White House and an opportunity to shift the Supreme Court.

-snip-

[papertyger]

Do you really believe in a deity who, per the conceptual framework you've delineated, kills people?

Yup.

[DoNotDivide]

And their 3, 9 and 12! Amen.

[rdb3]

Isn't it incongruous with belief in one universal almighty all-encompassing divinity to contend that favoritism from such is extended to a particular group?

No, it is not. As the Almighty, He can do what He wants and choose who He wants. Sovereign Will is what it is.

He is not constrained by what we deem to be "fair".

Surely humankind has outgrown such tribalistic views.

Tribalistic? I won't go there.

And after all, many religions have contended that their supporters would be blessed and their opponents cursed.

True, but your point is...?

Further, isn't it incongruous with Christianity to contend that even the most faithful Christians have lesser status than even one other religious group?

First, your premise is extremely flawed. Second, your quesion begs even more questions, i.e., are you a deist, agnostic, or atheist?

This is a ch__ch. What's missing?

[rdb3]

I made it up. ;OP

Oh, really? Well, if I come to your wedding, you know I'm gonna smack you. Right? ;-)

This is a ch__ch. What's missing?

[DoNotDivide]

U-R: that's brilliant!

[ConservativeMind]

"I feel jealous sometimes. This term that keeps coming up in the Old Book — the Chosen, the Chosen," says the minister, who has made three trips to Israel and named his sons Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. "I'm a pardoned gentile, but I'm not one of the Chosen People. They're the apple of his eye."

The Chosen People are those who follow God.

Since the Resurrection, those people, according to the Bible, are now Christians.

[DoNotDivide]

What Bible are you reading from?

[Petronski]

Only once?


(And by the way, what's with this "if" crap?)

[cyborg]

You can smack him but that seems to make the sickness more entrenched.

[Alouette]

"three of the nation's largest Jewish groups — the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Union for Reform Judaism "

Other than blood(well maybe not so much in yoffie's group)what is Jewish about those three groups?

They are not even three separate groups, they have basically the same membership.

[Giant Conservative]

Would you kneel before a king who would do anything, evil or good, at anytime sans rhyme or reason? Surely this is the image of a despot, and not almighty divinity. And surely, there must be clear differentiation between the latter and the former for the two to indeed be different.

[Petronski]

[rdb3]

U-R: that's brilliant!

Glad you like it and understood. BTW, I didn't come up with that.

This is a ch__ch. What's missing?

[DoNotDivide]

You hang around the right people (pun intended)! Thanks for sharing.

[ConservativeMind]

From the article:

"Mark A. Noll, a professor of Christian thought at Wheaton College, a center of evangelical scholarship in Illinois, said evangelicals are beginning to move away from supersessionism -- the centuries-old belief that with the coming of Jesus, God ended his covenant with the Jews and transferred it to the Christian church."

I am one of the Christians who believes in supersessionism, the way Christians have believed for many centuries.

Which Bible do you read from?

[Soul Seeker]

American evangelicals are rediscovering the Jewish roots of their faith, not hoping to dissolve Judaism.

Well summarized. In a way it's like searching out family histories of our birth ancestors, or the origins of the Funders that wrote our Constitution and influences upon it. Disolving the roots would be contrary to that exploration.

As well, there is a desire for them to accept Christ, no different then the desire for Non Jews to do so, and a belief they have a special purpose in God's plan. I suppose someone might throw in warnings about retaliation for their treatment as well, but that's never been a primary motivator for me or I suspect most Christians.

In any event, whether they accept Christ or not, fundamentally it is wrong to seek the destruction of their blood from the Earth as a Majority in the world are driven to do. For that reason alone I feel desire to protect the Jewish people and State of Isreal. It's a personal choice whether they worship Christ, or not, whether they worship at all, or not. Christians have no desire to strip them of that choice. But I don't support the KKK hanging blacks from dead tree limbs, and I don't support bigots killing Jews. Both practices are abhorrent. And if I feel a closer link to the Jewish people because of the roots of Christianity, so what? It only ensures I'm more driven to protect their right to live and worship without massacre.

[rdb3]

(And by the way, what's with this "if" crap?)

Well, my brotha from anotha motha of anotha color, I can't commit to anything. I'd hate to reneg on a promise.

This new company monopolizes all of my time. I could have a lot more accomplished if this leg wasn't broke (MS notwithstanding).

You can smack him but that seems to make the sickness more entrenched.

Aww, geez. GET A ROOM HOUSE! :P

This is a ch__ch. What's missing?

[DoNotDivide]

I read from about 2 dozen and in none of them does (tradition is not relationship) Replacement Theology hold any water. That's not just a damaged bucket holding not water, it's not even a bucket (Replacement Theology) according to any Word study I've ever been a part of.

[Petronski]

You never cease to amuse me. Heh heh heh.


Better to wait and see than promise and reneg. Good policy, my brotha.

[cyborg]

Well you'll definately get an invite!