Posted on 05/09/2024 11:18:45 AM PDT by Vlad0
Given the events going on in the USA these days, with these campus protests, it seems like it might be valuable to look at the historic roots of anti-Semitism.
In religions that are about good guys and bad guys it is convenient the BAD GUYS to be few in number, enviable and readily identifiable.
Jewish leaders today: "Why did Christians have a history of anti-Semitism?"
Rome was a big factor in the schism between Jews and Christians.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_of_Christianity_and_Judaism
Not to justify anti-Semitism, but why is there always talk about it but never any mention of anti-Christian sentiment among the Jews?
Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day: “Crucify him!!!”
Jewish leaders today: “Why did Christians have a history of anti-Semitism?”
LOL !
” Non-Jews Become Christians Van der Horst says it is difficult to determine where to place the beginning of Christian anti-Semitism. “
It’s from reading the Wikipedia “Early Life and Family” section for prominent Leftists.
But then Jesus himself was a Jew, and almost all of his original followers, including all 12 apostles, were all Jewish too.
So the whole drama of his life took place within the Jewish culture and nation of the day. The fact is that some Jews loved Jesus, and some hated him and wanted him dead.
Those historic facts don't by themselves do much to explain Christian anti-Semitism.
Why not focus on his Jewish origin and many Jewish followers, and instead focus on the small mob that backed the State in his persecution and execution by crucifixion?
By the way: neither of the two Dutch scholars who wrote these articles (this one, and the one I posted yesterday) are themselves Jewish. And, for the record, neither am I.
The author of this article has a Ph.D in Christian Theology from one of the oldest Universities in the Netherlands, which played a huge role in the development of Dutch Reform theology during the early Reformation.
It's still an interesting topic, and lots of Christians and other non-Jewish people are interested in the question of "What is the origin of Christian anti-Semitism?"
Thanks! That’s a very interesting article I’ve never come across. Much appreciated!
I think that's a very fair question. It might have to do with the power differentials, the Jews never being a large nation or having an empire were rarely in as good a position to weaponize their anti-Christianity as (some) Christian (and Islamic, and Pagan) nations were to weaponize their anti-Jewish beliefs and feelings.
And of course this culminated in the Holocaust, which while there were many other victims of the Nazi terror, was obsessively focused on the Jews.
Anyway, that's my first draft answer of "why the focus on anti-Semtism and not anti-Christianity. As it relates to the news in the USA today, it's not Christian students who are being threatened in all of these campus encampments, it's Jews (ethnically and religiously) who are. So, that's why anti-Semitism is topical right now, and perhaps anti-Christianity isn't so much.
Historically the biggest and most effective anti-Christian ideology has been Islam, by far, and not Judaism, I would argue.
None the less I find your question so interesting that I will devote some future posts to the question of Jewish anti-Christianity or anti-European (white people) prejudice.
Thanks for the interesting comment.
Stoning Stephen to death didn’t make any friends.
Justin Martyr.
The orginal controversy was wether Gentiles could be saved without becoming Jews.
would seem Jews and christians have always been divided since chirtsians believe Jesus was the Christ and Jews don’t
These days, Christian antisemitism isn’t the problem. Its secular Leftist antisemitism.
Yes. The history lesson is a good one and reminder to Christians - antisemitism did not begin with Mohammed, no matter how much more intense Mohammed made it, for his own reasons.
1. Part of that history most Christian are not taught in school is in most every part of “Christian” Europe, until Napoleon’s “universal” laws, Jews lived all over Europe but could not be full fledged citizens anywhere. This only began to change during and following the time of Napoleon
And keep in mind that was all happening in supposedly very “Christian” countries.
2. The royals in control used the smart or talented non-citizen Jew, and did so in ways which did not endear Jews to the non-Jewish citizens - tax collector, royal money handler and banker, royal land manager, royal trade dealer. Why did the royals do that? They did it because unlike a citizen they have handed the job to, the Jew could gain no political power from it because they were not even a citizen. The “dirty Jew” had jobs the citizens resented. This proced to be a good and a bad thing in time. (A) It was good for Jews as they gained citizenship because around the same time the economies were changing and smart talented Jews had the kinds of experiences that would benefit them in the new economy - finance, banking, property management, trade. (B) However, that natural course also provided a new source of antisemitism - resentment for the “unfairness” of so many successful Jews in the new economy of the world.
3. American Christians also need to be reminded that until late in the last century (1900-2000) Jewsish persons were not admitted to the most prestiges colleges and universities in the U.S.
Was it just adherence to the Old Testament laws, or actually converting to Judaism ?
My church has Israeli flags in several places and you see many people wearing shirts saying “We Stand With Israel”.
The decision was that they obstain from things strangled by blood,and sexual immorality. It decently rejected easy grace, that you can profess, and live anyway you want. The New Testement does not show that.
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