"Every idea has its time. Thoughts that may be unthinkable or heretical to one generation may become commonplace and acceptable to another."
[Opening lines of Ukrainian-Jewish Relations, ed. Potichnyj & Aster (1988)]
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
3.10.10
23.6.10
Messianic Judaism vs. Hebrew Christianity in 1917
When did modern "Messianic Judaism" begin?
(This post is in response to comments re: Whatever Happened to Messianic Judaism?)
About thirty years ago David Rausch investigated the history of the MJ movement. He wrote in part:
« It is ironic that The Hebrew Christian Alliance of America [founded 1915] was charged in the early years of its existence with some of the same charges that Hebrew Christians would level against Messianic Judaism during the 1970s. In 1940, Rev. Elias Newman addressed the Silver Jubilee Hebrew Christian Alliance Conference in St. Louis, Missouri and reminisced about those early difficult years:
"Twenty-five years ago when we began to unite we were warned, we were threatened, we were cajoled, we were urged not to form such an alliance. It was supposed to be unscriptural. We had to watch our steps. If we wanted to eat a Jewish corned beef sandwich we were considered Judaisers. If we wanted to get married we were told we must marry a Gentile; there were a few Hebrew Christian girls and they had to marry Gentiles and if we were impudent or imprudent to cast an eye upon one of these maidens, flesh of our flesh, we were considered in danger of apostacy, etc."
Newman said that some Christians were afraid that the Alliance was trying to form "a Hebrew Christian Church." He wryly mused about this view, "Hebrew Christians must not unite. Union was only for Gentile Christians."
As one travels the United States and interviews Messianic Jews today, he is impressed with the fact that quite a few leaders believe they coined the term "Messianic Judaism." Of those who are not quite so bold as to suggest such pioneering, many Messianic Jews believe that the term originated within the last 10 or 20 years. It is quite amazing, therefore, to find out that the fledgling Hebrew Christian Alliance of America did some "attacking" in its early period, thwarting a controversy that might have split it asunder if more of its members had adhered to such "heretical" dogma. The year was 1917 and the controversy: Messianic Judaism.
(This post is in response to comments re: Whatever Happened to Messianic Judaism?)
About thirty years ago David Rausch investigated the history of the MJ movement. He wrote in part:
« It is ironic that The Hebrew Christian Alliance of America [founded 1915] was charged in the early years of its existence with some of the same charges that Hebrew Christians would level against Messianic Judaism during the 1970s. In 1940, Rev. Elias Newman addressed the Silver Jubilee Hebrew Christian Alliance Conference in St. Louis, Missouri and reminisced about those early difficult years:
"Twenty-five years ago when we began to unite we were warned, we were threatened, we were cajoled, we were urged not to form such an alliance. It was supposed to be unscriptural. We had to watch our steps. If we wanted to eat a Jewish corned beef sandwich we were considered Judaisers. If we wanted to get married we were told we must marry a Gentile; there were a few Hebrew Christian girls and they had to marry Gentiles and if we were impudent or imprudent to cast an eye upon one of these maidens, flesh of our flesh, we were considered in danger of apostacy, etc."
Newman said that some Christians were afraid that the Alliance was trying to form "a Hebrew Christian Church." He wryly mused about this view, "Hebrew Christians must not unite. Union was only for Gentile Christians."
As one travels the United States and interviews Messianic Jews today, he is impressed with the fact that quite a few leaders believe they coined the term "Messianic Judaism." Of those who are not quite so bold as to suggest such pioneering, many Messianic Jews believe that the term originated within the last 10 or 20 years. It is quite amazing, therefore, to find out that the fledgling Hebrew Christian Alliance of America did some "attacking" in its early period, thwarting a controversy that might have split it asunder if more of its members had adhered to such "heretical" dogma. The year was 1917 and the controversy: Messianic Judaism.
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