David Levine Now

Jewish-Christian Relations :: God’s Presence in Israel and Incarnation: A Christian-Jewish Dialogue

Commenting on the presence of God, the Orthodox Jewish scholar Michael Wyschogrod did not shy away from choosing a phrase to characterize Judaism, which at first glance seems like the antithesis to what Buber said about the "lack of Incarnation". The God of Israel is "a God who enters into the human world and who, by so doing, does not shy away from the parameters of human existence, including spatiality. It is true that Judaism never forgets the dialectics, the transcendent God. . . But this transcendence remains in dialectic tension with the God who lives with Israel in its impurity (Lev 16:16), who is the Jew's intimate companion, whether in the Temple of Solomon or in the thousands of small prayer rooms. . . Thus, Judaism is incarnational — if we understand this concept as meaning that God enters into the human world, that he appears in certain places and lives there, so that they thereby become holy." According to Wyschogrod, there are no reasons "within the essence of the Jewish idea of God," which exclude a priori God's "appearance in human form".¹³ According to this position, the idea of the Incarnation in general is not antithetical to Judaism.¹⁴

A Christian Response

What can a Christian say in response to Jewish criticism of the Christian belief in the Incarnation of the Son of God in Jesus Christ and to the Jewish understanding of God's dwelling among the people of Israel or even to the incarnational self-understanding of a Jewish thinker like Michael Wyschogrod? The answer will not be philosophical but theological. We can begin with Wyschogrod. It was not the victory of a philosophical idea, but rather the free decision of the sovereign God of Israel to take up his dwelling in the one Son of the Jewish people, Jesus of Nazareth, in such a way that we Christians can no longer speak of God without including his relationship to this Son. In our description of God taking up his abode, we cannot come up with a better concept than that the Word or the Son of God became flesh. Here we should again remember the double statement in John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelled/lived among us." According to Johannine understanding, the testimony concerning the Word that was made flesh is the same as the testimony regarding God's dwelling or living in Israel. This was the testimony given from the midst of Israel to Christians from among the Nations, as the free deed of the God of Israel to the Son of the Jewish people, Jesus of Nazareth.

via www.jcrelations.net

Building on the ideas of Michael Wyschogrod and his helpful work regarding Jewish understanding of incarnation.

Jewish-Christian Relations :: Text of the Letter to the Pope from Edith Stein

Holy Father! As a child of the Jewish people who, by the grace of God, for the past eleven years has also been a child of the Catholic Church, I dare to speak to the Father of Christendom about that which oppresses millions of Germans. For weeks we have seen deeds perpetrated in Germany which mock any sense of justice and humanity, not to mention love of neighbor. For years the leaders of National Socialism have been preaching hatred of the Jews. Now that they have seized the power of government and armed their followers, among them proven criminal elements, this seed of hatred has germinated. The government has only recently admitted that excesses have occurred. To what extent, we cannot tell, because public opinion is being gagged. However, judging by what I have learned from personal relations, it is in no way a matter of singular exceptional cases. Under pressure from reactions abroad, the government has turned to "milder" methods. It has issued the watchword "no Jew shall have even one hair on his head harmed." But through boycott measures -- by robbing people of their livelihood, civic honor and fatherland -- it drives many to desperation; within the last week, through private reports I was informed of five cases of suicide as a consequence of these hostilities. I am convinced that this is a general condition which will claim many more victims. One may regret that these unhappy people do not have greater inner strength to bear their misfortune. But the responsibility must fall, after all, on those who brought them to this point and it also falls on those who keep silent in the face of such happenings.Everything that happened and continues to happen on a daily basis originates with a government that calls itself "Christian." For weeks not only Jews but also thousands of faithful Catholics in Germany, and, I believe, all over the world, have been waiting and hoping for the Church of Christ to raise its voice to put a stop to this abuse of Christ’s name. Is not this idolization of race and governmental power which is being pounded into the public consciousness by the radio open heresy? Isn’t the effort to destroy Jewish blood an abuse of the holiest humanity of our Savior, of the most blessed Virgin and the apostles? Is not all this diametrically opposed to the conduct of our Lord and Savior, who, even on the cross, still prayed for his persecutors? And isn’t this a black mark on the record of this Holy Year which was intended to be a year of peace and reconciliation?We all, who are faithful children of the Church and who see the conditions in Germany with open eyes, fear the worst for the prestige of the Church, if the silence continues any longer. We are convinced that this silence will not be able in the long run to purchase peace with the present German government. For the time being, the fight against Catholicism will be conducted quietly and less brutally than against Jewry, but no less systematically. It won’t take long before no Catholic will be able to hold office in Germany unless he dedicates himself unconditionally to the new course of action.At the feet of your Holiness, requesting your apostolic blessing,(Signed) Dr. Edith Stein, Instructor at the German Institute for Scientific Pedagogy, Münster in Westphalia, Collegium Marianum.

via www.jcrelations.net

Edith Stein - speaking up for her people as a Jewish Catholic.

Jewish-Christian Relations :: Toward a Dialogue of Civilizations

Religion has become a decisive force in the contemporary world, and it is crucial that it be a force for good – for conflict resolution, not conflict creation. If religion is not part of the solution, then it will surely be part of the problem. I would like therefore to put forward a simple but radical idea. I want to offer a new reading, or, more precisely, a new listening, to some very ancient texts. I do so because our situation in the 21st century, post-September 11, is new, in three ways.

via www.jcrelations.net

A window into the broad thinking of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, one of England's Chief Rabbis.

Time Magazine: Deceptive DNA

Making one person's blood and saliva appear to have been taken from someone else is so simple, Israeli scientists found, that a biology student could do it. In a startling experiment, the researchers faked DNA using multiple techniques. In one, they replaced the DNA in a blood sample with that of another person, collected from hair or saliva. In another, they drew on DNA profiles in law-enforcement databases to construct a sample without obtaining any real DNA from a person. Their findings may undercut the viability of genetic evidence in the courtroom.

Asteroids and Noah's flood.

New research about asteroids has convinced some scientists that Noah's flood was a worldwide flood caused by an object from space hitting the Indian Ocean. Here's an excerpt from a recent article in Atlantic Monthly: The Sky is Falling.

"What’s more, the Gulf of Carpentaria object was a skipping stone compared with an object that Abbott thinks whammed into the Indian Ocean near Madagascar some 4,800 years ago, or about 2,800 B.C. Researchers generally assume that a space object a kilometer or more across would cause significant global harm: widespread destruction, severe acid rain, and dust storms that would darken the world’s skies for decades. The object that hit the Indian Ocean was three to five kilometers across, Abbott believes, and caused a tsunami in the Pacific 600 feet high—many times higher than the 2004 tsunami that struck Southeast Asia. Ancient texts such as Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh support her conjecture, describing an unspeakable planetary flood in roughly the same time period. If the Indian Ocean object were to hit the sea now, many of the world’s coastal cities could be flattened. If it were to hit land, much of a continent would be leveled; years of winter and mass starvation would ensue. "

Click to read The Atlantic: The Sky is Falling

Are believers more rational than athiests?

Bill Maher's movie, Religulous, makes believers look irrational. But a comprehensive study concludes that athiests like Maher are more likely to believe in pseudo-science and superstitions.

To read Wall Street Journal's "Look Who's irrational now", Click to read .

Russian rules out any war with U.S. - Print Version - International Herald Tribune

Russia tries to assure USA we are still in an era of peaceful relations, despite the Georgian incidents.

Click to read: Russian rules out any war with U.S. - Print Version - International Herald Tribune.

Will Israel oppose MJAA efforts to help Ethiopians and encourage aliyah?

Jerusalem Post reports on MJAA's efforts to provide aid to Ethiopians, along with encouragement for them to make aliyah. The report may stir up new controversy.

Click to read: Jerusalem Post - Messianic Jews promote Ethiopian aliya

Why did the Rabbi and other religious leaders eat with Ahmadinejad?

Jerusalem Post reports on the religious leaders who dined with Adhmadinejad. Here's an excerpt. Click on the link below for the full article.

People say, 'Why are you honoring this man?' Well, that's not the purpose," said Rev. Chris Ferguson, representative to the UN for the World Council of Churches, a co-host of the dinner.

"It's not a celebration or an endorsement of anyone's opinions," Ferguson said.

In a statement released Thursday, the Mennonite and Quaker organizers of the event said: "The exclusive purpose of this evening's dialogue among religious and political leaders is to build peace and understanding between societies that face increasing tension. As people of faith, we are obligated to seek peace, especially with leaders and individuals with whom we have serious disagreements. As people of peace, we advocate for our governments and the government of Iran to resolve their conflicts through dialogue. We see this particular event as an opportunity to continue a conversation with the Iranian people and their president."

Click to read: Jerusalem Post - Rabbi among Ahmadinejad dinner guests

Scientists Report Advance in Stem Cell Alternative

Scientists reported yesterday that they have overcome a major obstacle to using a promising alternative to embryonic stem cells, bolstering prospects for bypassing the political and ethical tempest that has embroiled hopes for a new generation of medical treatments

Click to read: Washington Post - Scientists Report Advance in Stem Cell Alternative