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CHRISTIANITY AND ANTI-SEMITISM By: William A. Kornblum 2/23/06
- Public Attitudes Toward Jews And Anti-Semitism
- Early Origins
- Religious Anti-Semitism
- Anti-Semitism In The New Testament
- Anti-Semitic Church Fathers
- Anti-Semitic Catholic Saints
- Anti-Semitic Christian Writers
- Opposition Began During The Holocaust
- Reasons Why Anti-Semitism Continued
- Anti-Semitism In Modern-Day Nations
- The “White Power” Movement
- Current Attempts To Complete Jews To Christianity
- Christian Responsibility Towards Jewish People & Israel
1. Public Attitudes Toward Jews and Anti-Semitism
Do you think that anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jewish people, is currently a – very serious problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all – in the United States? (CNN/USA Today/Gallup, May 30-June 1, 2003)
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Very serious problem |
9% |
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Somewhat of a problem |
48% |
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Not much of a problem |
30% |
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Not a problem at all |
9% |
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No opinion |
4% |
2. Early Origins
Christians began to show philosophical differences with Judaism at the early outset of Christianity. Debates between Paul, other Jewish Christians (e.g. Nazarenes and Ebionites 2Pe 2:1 – “But there were false prophets - There were not only holy men of God among the Jews, who prophesied by Divine inspiration, but there were also false prophets, whose prophecies were from their own imagination, and perverted many”. and other Jews revolved around a unique feature of Judaism: it claimed to worship a universal God through a particular religion. In other words, Judaism claims that its God is the God of all, but does not require non-Jews to follow Jewish law in order to worship that God. Since Jesus was Jewish, the question facing early Christians was whether gentiles had to follow Jewish law in order to follow Jesus. Paul argued not only that gentiles did not have to follow Jewish law; he argued that Jews ought no longer to follow Jewish law. The establishment of Paul’s views led to a break between Christianity and Judaism. The Apostle Paul was firm against the Jews who hated Jesus and Christians. He held the doctrine of Jesus doctrinally militant unequaled by any other Apostle. Perhaps because being a former Pharisee, he knew the tricks and methodology they would use to try and destroy the Faith of Jesus Messiah. So he put the Faith into written form like the Pharisees had done with the Babylonian Traditions of the Elders, and with apostolic sanction spread these Sacred Truths into the world becoming a part of our Sacred and Holy Bible. Because the Apostle Paul was not a softie on issues of the New Covenant that was prophesied by Jeremiah and which Jesus said he instituted with his Passover Cup, the intense hatred against him has not subsided to this very day. 3. Religious Anti-Semitism Anti-Judaism is a manifestation of a religious hostility toward Jews, that claims to base itself in Christian religious doctrine. Although Christians should consider anti-Judaism contrary to Christian teaching. Here are the major social anti-Semitic categories a. Christians towards Jews: If all men would understand the mystery of the Cross, that love triumphs over enemies, then there will be peace on earth and goodwill toward all men. It is wrong and unfair for Christians to class all Jews into this group of Jesus and Christian haters. Most well studied Christians long for a bridge back to decent relationships with Jews. True Christians know that people other than Jews take advantage of them at times so there is no reason to blast at the Jews as if they are the only ones who have ever done this. Gentiles hate and abuse Gentiles and rip them off every day. b. Jews towards Jews: Christian Jews are commanded to love their fellow Jews, but there is no mutuality here. I would remind everyone that the crucifixion of Jesus Messiah was the direct result of Jewish hatred against another Jew, the BEST JEW who ever lived! The persecution of Christian Jews within Messianic Judaism for the first one hundred years of the Church was by other Jews, led by Jews, and provoked in many heathen Cities by Jews. Two of the worlds greatest anti-Semites were Karl Marx and Adolph Hitler and both were of Jewish birth. Marx and Hitler both did this for their new causes of world dominion! c. All other religions towards Jews: atheist, Apostate, Homosexual, Lesbian, Communist, Mafia, New Age, Wicca, Satanism, Hindu, Buddhist 4. Anti-Semitism in the New Testament? Few Jews consider the New Testament anti-Semitic as such. The main concern of most Jews today is how the New Testament has been used to provoke anti-Semitism, which is a modern phenomenon. A number of elements of the New Testament are debatably anti-Jewish. Among them are: #1 The claim that Jews are responsible for the murder of Jesus. This is exemplified by I Thessalonians2:14-15, “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men”. #2 The claim that the Jewish covenant with God has been superseded by a new covenant. Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. But let us as Christians know Rom 11:11 “Have they(Jews) stumbled that they should fall?” The faith of the old covenant led on to the faith of the new covenant, which shows that salvation has been by faith from the call of Abraham to the present time. #3 Criticisms of the Pharisees. The self-righteous Pharisees considered it equal to legal defilement to sit in company with tax-gatherers and heathens. John 7:19 – “Did not Moses give you the law” The scribes and Pharisees announced our Lord to the multitude as a deceiver; and they grounded their slander on this, that he was not an exact observer of the law, for he had healed a man on the Sabbath day, Joh_5:9, Joh_5:10; and consequently must be a false prophet. Now they insinuated that the interests of religion required him to be put to death: #4 Another source of tension between early Christians and Jews was the question of observance of Jewish law. Early Christians were divided over this issue: Jesus’ brother James believed that Christians had to be Jews and observe Jewish law, while Paul argued that Christians did not have to observe all of Jewish law, and did not have to be circumcised, which was a requirement for male Jews. #5 Christians continue in theologically rejecting any and all groups who rejected the Christian claim that Jesus was God, which of course included the Jews. In recent years a few Christian denominations have begun to teach that readers should understand the New Testament’s seeming attacks on Jews are specific charges aimed at the Jewish leaders of that time, and upon attitudes displayed by many, inside and outside Judaism. 5. Anti-Semitic Church Fathers & Catholic Saints
Eusebius of Caesarea, in 325, blames the calamities which befell the Jewish nation on the Jews’ role in the death of Jesus: “that from that time seditions and wars and mischievous plots followed each other in quick succession, and never ceased in the city and in all Judea until finally the siege of Vespasian overwhelmed them. Thus the divine vengeance overtook the Jews for the crimes which they dared to commit against Christ. “ (Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History: Book II, Chapter 6: The Misfortunes which overwhelmed the Jews after their Presumption against Christ) [1] Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (340-397 CE) - A bishop was accused of instigating the burning of a synagogue by an anti-Semitic mob, and Emperor Theodosius was preparing to order the bishop to rebuild it. Ambrose discouraged the Emperor from taking this step because it would appear to show special favoritism to the Jews. Augustine of Hippo in Book 18, Chapter 46, of The City of God. wrote “The Jews who slew Jesus, and would not believe in Him, because it behoved Him to die and rise again, were yet more miserably wasted by the Romans, and utterly rooted out from their kingdom, where aliens had already ruled over them, and were dispersed through the lands (so that indeed there is no place where they are not), and are thus by their own Scriptures a testimony to us that we have not forged the prophecies about Christ.” [2] Augustine deems this scattering important because he believes that this is a fulfillment of certain prophecies, thus proving that Jesus was the Messiah. This is because Augustine believes that the Jews who were dispersed were the enemies of the Christian Church. He also quotes “that the Jews should be left alive and suffering as a perpetual reminder of their murder of Christ”. Ephraim the Syrian and his polemics against Jews Analysis of Ephraim’s writings In his Dialog of Justin, Philosopher and Martyr, with Trypho, a Jew, the Christian scholar Justin Martyr advanced arguments for the truth of Christianity and wrote to his imaginary Jewish opponent: “You think that these words refer to the stranger and the proselytes, but in fact they refer to us who have been illumined by Jesus. For Christ would have borne witness even to them; but now you are become twofold more the children of Hell, as He said Himself.” Saint Jerome (374-419 CE) - He denounced Jews as “Judaic serpents of whom Judas was the model.” and “The Jews seek nothing but to have children, possess riches and be healthy. They seek all earthly things, but think nothing of heavenly things; for this reason they are mercenaries.” Saint John Chrysostom (ca 344 - 407 CE) - wrote of the Jews “Shall I tell you of their plundering, their covetousness, their abandonment of the poor, their thefts, their cheating in trade? the whole day long will not be enough to give you an account of these things. But do their festivals have something solemn and great about them? They have shown that these, too, are impure.” “But before I draw up my battle line against the Jews, I will be glad to talk to those who are members of our own body, those who seem to belong to our ranks although they observe the Jewish rites and make every effort to defend them. Because they do this, as I see it, they deserve a stronger condemnation than any Jew.” “Are you Jews still disputing the question? Do you not see that you are condemned by the testimony of what Christ and the prophets predicted and which the facts have proved? But why should this surprise me? That is the kind of people you are. From the beginning you have been shameless and obstinate, ready to fight at all times against obvious facts.” Historical note The goal of these sermons was to discourage Christians from intermixing Jewish belief and practice with Christian belief and practice, because he believed that Jewish belief and practice were incompatible with Christianity. They were delivered while Chrysostom was a tonsured Reader, well before his ordination to the priesthood. Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe (467-533 CE) - In his “Writings”, written about 510 CE, he states “Hold most firmly and doubt not that not all the pagans, but also all the Jews, heretic and schismatics who depart from the present life outside the Catholic Church, are about to go into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” 6. Anti-Semitic Christian Writers & Events
Thomas of Monmouth, a monk in the Norwich Benedictine monastery, wrote a detailed anti-Semitic tractate holding that Jews tortured to death Christian children during Passover. His tractate was called The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich, 1173. Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274) preached that the Jews were damned because they had slain Jesus, and the only way they could be saved was to renounce their faith and be baptized as Christians. Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) wrote in “The Prioress’s Tale” of his Canterbury Tales of a devout little Christian child who was murdered by Jews affronted at his singing a hymn as he passed through the Jewry, or Jewish quarter, of a city in Asia: Pope Clement VIII (1536-1605). “All the world suffers from the usury of the Jews, their monopolies and deceit. They have brought many unfortunate people into a state of poverty, especially the farmers, working class people and the very poor. Then, as now, Jews have to be reminded intermittently that they were enjoying rights in any country since they left Palestine and the Arabian desert, and subsequently their ethical and moral doctrines as well as their deeds rightly deserve to be exposed to criticism in whatever country they happen to live.” Events
The Jews’ expulsion from England
Edward I of England expelled all the Jews from England in 1290 (only after ransoming some 3,000 among the most wealthy of them). The Jews’ expulsion from Spain
In 1481, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, the rulers of Spain who financed Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the New World just a few years later in 1492, declared the Spanish Inquisition. All Jews in their territory were compelled to convert to Christianity or flee the country. While some converted, many others left for Morocco and North Africa. The Synod of Clermont 535 CE, prohibited Jews from holding public office. Nazi Germany, 1935 CE - Prohibited Jews from holding public office. The 12th Synod of Toledo (Spain), 681 CE, ordered the burning of the Talmud and other Jewish books. Nazi Germany - Ordered the burning of the Talmud and other Jewish books. In 692, the Trulanic Synod forbade Christians to go to Jewish doctors, attend Jewish religious feasts or have friendly relations with Jews. Nazi Germany - The Nuremberg laws forbade people to go to Jewish doctors The Fourth Lateran Council, 1215 CE, forced Jews to wear a distinctive badge on their clothing. Pope Paul IV, in 1555, issues a papal bull forcing Jews to wear yellow hats; this same papal bull confines Jews to ghettos, and bans them from working in most professions. Nazi Germany adopted every one of these laws in 1939; the only change was that the yellow hat was changed to a yellow star. In the 1930s Nazi Germany help the Lutheran church and other Christian churches publicize Martin Luther’s teachings; his recommendations were carried out on every Jew in Germany and its occupied lands.
7. Opposition Began during the Holocaust
The Confessing Church was, in 1934, the first Christian opposition group. The Catholic Church followed by officially condemning the Nazi racism in Germany in 1937. By the 1940s, fewer Christians were willing to oppose Nazi policy publicly, but many secretly helped save the lives of Jews. There are many sections of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Museum, Yad VaShem, dedicated to honoring these “Righteous Among the Nations”. 8. Reasons Why Anti-Semitism Continues
A Christian principle is that all people must know God as revealed through Jesus, as that is the only way that anyone can avoid damnation and gain eternal life in Heaven. · Modern Christian leaders fight to retain maximum power and authority of the Church. Same as the Pharisees argued to retain maximum power and authority · Modern Christian leaders are not open to what they do not understand, Jewish roots of Christianity 9. Anti-Semitism In Modern-Day Nations Anti-Semitism in Europe remains a substantial problem. The entry on Religious freedom in Poland discusses the current state of religious tensions in predominantly Catholic Poland. Anti-Semitism exists to a lesser or greater degree in many other nations as well, including: mostly countries with immigrants from Muslim countries. While in a decline since the 1940s, there is still a measurable amount of anti-Semitism in the United States of America as well, although acts of violence are quite rare. The 2001 survey by the Anti-Defamation League reported 1432 acts of anti-Semitism in the United States that year. The figure included 877 acts of harassment, including verbal intimidation, threats and physical assaults. 10. The “White Power” Movement
The Christian Identity movement, the Ku Klux Klan and other White supremacy groups claim to be very strongly Christian in nature; they are vehemently anti-Semitic, as well as racist. The Klan is also demonstrably anti-Catholic. A racial belief common among these groups, but not universal, is an alternative history doctrine, sometimes called British Israelism. In some forms this doctrine absolutely denies that modern Jews have any racial connection to Israel of the Bible. Instead, according to extreme forms of this doctrine, the true racial Israel and true humans, are the Adamic (white) race.
- Aryan Nations: Idaho-based Aryan Nations remains an organization of serious concern and a potential catalyst for acts of violence. The ideology that motivates the group's hatred is "Christian Identity," a pseudo-religious doctrine which argues that Northern European whites and their American descendants are the "Chosen People" of Scriptural prophecy; that Jews are the "Synagogue of Satan"; that Blacks and other people of color are subhuman "mud people," and that the Bible mandates that homosexuals be executed. To promote this agenda, Aryan Nations hosts semiannual gatherings at its headquarters, conducts a "prison outreach ministry" affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang, and operates a Home Page on the World Wide Web. Aryan Nations is the most significant "Identity"-oriented organization in America.
- White Aryan Resistance (WAR) Founded by former California Klan leader Tom Metzger in 1983, WAR has been the leading information and propaganda clearinghouse for the neo-Nazi skinhead movement in the United States. WAR continues to publish a monthly tabloid and operates a telephone hate message service, as well as an Internet Home Page, to disseminate the lowest level of hatemongering propaganda against Jews, Blacks and other groups. With a proven record of violence, WAR remains a group whose activities and publications demand the attention of law enforcement and the condemnation of the public.
- National Alliance
- Skinheads
11. Current attempts to convert Jews to Christianity
Most Jews consider attempts to convert Jews to Christianity as effectively being anti-Semitic. The Southern Baptist Convention, has explicitly rejected suggestions that it should back away from seeking to convert Jews, a position that critics have called anti-Semitic but that Baptists see as consistent with their biblical view that salvation is found solely though faith in Christ. Among the controversial groups that has found support from some Evangelical churches is Jews for Jesus, which claims that Jews can find their Jewish faith become complete by accepting Jesus as the Messiah. By contrast, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Canada and the Roman Catholic Church have ended their efforts to convert Jews. Most Jews see evangelism directed specifically at Jews as anti-Semitic. 12. Christian Responsibility Towards Jewish People & Israel Especially strong fascination with Jews and Judaism, both positive and negative, has typified Christianity from the beginning. No other family lineage has the significance to Christianity that belongs to every Jew, simply by being born Jewish. Special interest in their history and religion has occasionally produced among Christians a special interest in winning their completion. The logical assumption that Jews should understand Jesus better than anyone makes Jewish rejection of Christian claims felt with unique disappointment, sometimes erupting into hatred and violence toward them, for reasons that would not even remotely apply to any other ethnic group. This has been the important cause of Christian anti-semitism for centuries, and especially during the Inquisition. As director of Light, Life, & Peace Ministry and a Christian Jew, ask you to help me turn around the unfair characterization that all Jews are evil and antichrist. This can be very hard since other Mainstream Jews (orthodox, conservative, reform) dislike Christian Jews because of their religious choice to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
- Being Christian means being a living image of God's grace, mercy & work in our personal lives. Rom 11:30-31 “For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief. Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.”
- Being Christian means opening channels of prayer for the Jewish people and all other religions Paul expresses his great sorrow for the unbelief and obstinacy of the Jews in Rom 9:1-6 “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” - Though the apostle knew that the Jews were now in a state of rejection, yet he knew also that they were in this state through their own obstinacy, and that God was still waiting to be gracious, and consequently, that they might still repent and turn to him. Of his concern for their salvation he had already given ample proof, when he was willing to become a sacrifice for their welfare Rom 10:1 “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved”.
- Being Christian means sharing God's love through our new circumcised heart Mar 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment”.
Therefore we apply this same love to all people Mat 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” Joh 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. Refs: Jewish Virtual Library Christians who hate the Jews By Melanie Phillips. First published in the Spectator, February 16 2002. Jews Who Hate Other Jews By Cohen G. Reckart, Pastor Clark Commentary
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