Beth Israel Messianic Synagogue Blog

Parsha Ha'Azinu "Give ear" - Yom Kippur "Day of Atonement" ~ September 25 - October 1, 2009

Parsha Ha'Azinu "Give ear" · Deuteronomy 32

Haftarah:    2 Samuel 22

Yom Kippur"Day of Atonement"

Leviticus 16, 18; Numbers 29:7-11;

Isaiah 57:14–58:14; Jonah 1–4; Micah 7:18–20

Supplemental Readings:

S	2 Chronicles 10–13; Revelation 13
M	2 Chronicles 14–17; Revelation 14
T	2 Chronicles 18, 19; Revelation 15
W	2 Chronicles 20, 21; Revelation 16
Th	2 Chronicles 22–24; Revelation 17

Rosh HaShana 5770 "Feast of Trumpets" ~ September 18 - September 24, 2009

"Feast of Trumpets"  Genesis 21, 22; Numbers 29:1-6;  1 Samuel 1:1–2:10; Jeremiah 31:2-20  Supplemental Readings: S 1 Chronicles 26, 27; Revelation 8 M 1 Chronicles 28, 29; Revelation 9 T 2 Chronicles 1–3; Revelation 10 W 2 Chronicles 4–6; Revelation 11 Th 2 Chronicles 7– 9; Revelation 12

Jewish-Christian Relations :: Jesus and the Jews - Today

There was a time when the Church triumphant would have regarded it as ludicrous to work together with the Synagogue blindfolded (as the two are depicted, for example, at the entrance to the Cathedral in Strasbourg). At that time, the Synagogue, too, would consider it dangerous to seek cooperation with Christians in the firm belief that this was only a Christian ploy to convert the Jews. Today, however, Christians are less confident -- for the same open, secular, society has often reduced Christians to a defensive minority -- and Jews are less suspicious, no longer in dread of persecution and less fearful of conversion.

To bring about effective cooperation, Christians and Jews alike must learn not to forget the past, but seek to overcome it. For, as Michael Hilton argues, for Christians only to see Judaism in terms of the religion of Jesus, since superseded by the accounts of his life and teaching as recorded in the New Testament, is to limit the scope of self-understanding. Similarly, for Jews to refuse to go beyond the litanies of persecution is to miss the other side af Christian teaching in ages past, and their beneficial influence on Judaism in our time.

via www.jcrelations.net

Overcoming the past as a way of processing history.

Jewish-Christian Relations :: Jewish-Christian Relations: From Historical Past to Theological Future

However, the unexamined notion of election often creates the impression that as a consequence of our special status, we as Jews have little to gain or learn from other people or other religions. They may need us, but we do not need them in any significant way. Yet, few Jewish thinkers are able to offer a coherent understanding of the way in which others do indeed need us. Put differently, if a generation or two ago we were comfortable understanding our task as a "light to the nations", the near-disappearance of this phrase from the common vocabulary is symptomatic of a wider malaise. We have lost a sense of our particular mission and contribution to the nations. Probably due to the vicissitudes of recent history, it is no longer clear how exactly Israel is to be a "light to the nations". The struggle over Jewish identity, and the competing notions of Israeli identity have all but led to an eradication of self-definition in light of our contribution to others. Defining in what way we can contribute to others is tantamount to a definition of our uniqueness, hence, the key to our self-understanding and our identity.

via www.jcrelations.net

My messages for this weekend addressed the interdependence of Jews and Gentiles, the provocative idea that we actually need each other. This Orthodox Jewish writer considers the same provocative question. Interesting background material.

Jewish-Christian Relations :: Nostra Aetate at 40: A Protestant Perspective

Nostra Aetate is an epochal document also from a Protestant perspective. Partly this is due to the fact that relations between Protestants and Catholics, as well as between Christians and Jews, have improved during these past forty years (despite some setbacks on both fronts). This has created a sense of shared history, whereby what was achieved by Vatican II in its effort to overcome millennia of Christian enmity towards Jews is regarded as an achievement on behalf of Christendom as a whole. Partly it is due to the fact that Nostra Aetate served as an inspiration for the Protestant churches to craft their own statements of a similar nature. If even the Roman Catholic church, which regards itself as the pre-eminent guardian of unchanging truth, can admit its error in countenancing the “teaching of contempt” for so many centuries – so the implicit argument went – surely the Protestant churches should do no less.

In my own denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the most striking development of this nature was the 1994 “Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the Jewish Community.” In what was probably the first time an official Lutheran body has ever renounced a teaching of Martin Luther, the ELCA decisively repudiated the anti-Jewish views expressed in several of his treatises. “We reject this violent invective,” the declaration states, “and yet more do we express our deep and abiding sorrow over its tragic effects on subsequent generations. . . . We recognize in anti-Semitism a contradiction and an affront to the Gospel, a violation of our hope and calling, and we pledge this church to oppose the deadly working of such bigotry, both within our own circles and in the society around us.” Looking forward, the declaration states “our urgent desire to live out our faith in Jesus Christ with love and respect for the Jewish people.”

via www.jcrelations.net

The ELCA's renunciation of specific teachings by Martin Luther points the way for some of the healing needed within Christianity.

Parsha Nitzavim "Standing" - Parsha Vayeilech "He went out" ~ September 11 - September 17, 2009

Parsha Nitzavim "Standing" · Deuteronomy 29:10–30:20

Haftarah:    Isaiah 61:10–63:9

Parsha Vayeilech "He went out" · Deuteronomy 31

Haftarah:  Isaiah 55:6-8

Supplemental Readings:

S	1 Chronicles 12–14; Revelation 3
M	1 Chronicles 15, 16; Revelation 4
T	1 Chronicles 17–20; Revelation 5
W	1 Chronicles 21–23; Revelation 6
Th	1 Chronicles 24,  25; Revelation 7

Parsha Ki Tavo "When you come in" ~ September 4 - September 10, 2009

Parsha Ki Tavo "When you come in" · Deuteronomy  26:1–29:9

Haftarah:    Isaiah 60

Supplemental Readings:

S	1 Chronicles 1, 2; 1 John 5
M	1 Chronicles 3, 4; 2 John 1; 3 John 1
T	1 Chronicles 5, 6; Jude 1
W	1 Chronicles 7, 8; Revelation 1
Th	1 Chronicles 9–11; Revelation 2

Parsha Ki Teitzei "When you go out" ~ August 28 - September 3, 2009

Parsha Ki Teitzei "When you go out" · Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19

Haftarah:    Isaiah 54:1-10

Supplemental Readings:

S	Nehemiah 1–3; 2 Peter 2
M	Nehemiah 4–6; 2 Peter 3
T	Nehemiah 7, 8; 1 John 1, 2
W	Nehemiah 9, 10; 1 John 3
Th	Nehemiah 11–13; 1 John 4

Parsha Shoftim "Judges" ~ August 21 - August 27, 2009

Parsha Shoftim "Judges" · Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9    

Haftarah:    Isaiah 51:12–52:12

Supplemental Readings:

S	Ezra 1, 2; 1 Peter 2
M	Ezra 3, 4; 1 Peter 3
T	Ezra 5, 6; 1 Peter 4
W	Ezra 7, 8; 1 Peter 5
Th	Ezra 9, 10; 2 Peter 1

Parsha Re'eh "Behold" ~ August 14 - August 20, 2009

Parsha Re'eh "Behold" · Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17    

Haftarah:    Isaiah 54:11–55:5    

Supplemental Readings:

S	Daniel 1, 2; James 2
M	Daniel 3, 4; James 3
T	Daniel 5–7; James 4
W	Daniel 8–10; James 5
Th	Daniel 11, 12; 1 Peter 1