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CONTENTS
| Introduction | Dan Cohn-Sherbok |
How Much Liturgy Should We Have in Our Services?
| Chapter 1 | The Importance of Jewish Liturgy |
| Chapter 2 | Messianic Jewish Revival and Liturgy |
How Should Scripture Be Viewed?
| Chapter 3 | Biblical Authority |
| Chapter 4 | Scripture and Tradition |
| Chapter 5 | Halakhic Responsibility |
Finding a Congregational Home
| Chapter 6 | Messianic Jews Should Attend Messianic Jewish Synagogues |
| Chapter 7 | Messianic Jews May Join Bible-Believing Churches |
How Should an Association of Messianic Congregations Be Structured?
| Chapter 8 | A Representative Presence |
| Chapter 9 | A Centrally Run Organization |
Educating Ourselves and Our Children
| Chapter 10 | Messianic Jewish Higher Education: An Integrationist Approach |
| Chapter 11 | Messianic Jewish Institutions of Higher Learning |
| Chapter 12 | Messianic Jewish Childrenâs Education and Church Resources |
| Chapter 13 | Each Generation Must Teach the Next |
How Does Intermarriage Impact Our Community?
| Chapter 14 | Intermarriage Can Have a Positive Effect on Messianic Judaism |
| Chapter 15 | Intermarriage Can Have an Adverse Effect on Messianic Judaism |
Gentile Involvement in Messianic Judaism
| Chapter 16 | A Case for Jewish Leadership |
| Chapter 17 | Equal Participants in the Community |
Should Messianic Judaism Convert Gentiles?
| Chapter 18 | Conversion of GentilesââNo Way!â |
| Chapter 19 | The Legitimacy of Conversion |
Senior Congregational LeadershipâFor Men Only?
| Chapter 20 | Women Can Be in Leadership |
| Chapter 21 | Male Leadership and the Role of Women |
How Should Outreach Be Accomplished?
| Chapter 22 | The Traditional Jewish Mission as a Model |
| Chapter 23 | Messianic Keruv: Gathering In, Reaching Out |
Our Relationship with the Land
| Chapter 24 | Messianic Judaismâs Role in the Diaspora |
| Chapter 25 | Messianic Jews Should Make Aliyah |
Messianic Judaism and the End Times
| Chapter 26 | Are We Really at the End of the End Times? A Reappraisal |
| Chapter 27 | Eschatology and Messianic Jews: A Theological Perspective |
Observations of Messianic Judaism
| Chapter 28 | Challenges to Messianic Judaism |
| Chapter 29 | Thoughts from a Longtime Friend |
Glossary
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FOREWORD
âI am your friend!â
Thus began Dr. Dan Cohn-Sherbokâs speech to the annual conference of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations in the summer of 2000. With a skepticâs ear, I sat back and listened to this gentle, Reform rabbi explain why he was a friend of Messianic Jews.
In case you donât know this, as a rule, Jewish people who believe in Yeshua the Messiah are usually considered to be outside the Jewish world. Messianic Jews, as they are called, have been labeled as ignoramuses, traitors, self-hating, etc. But, here was a rabbi who claimed to be a friend of the movement.
Actually, I already knew something about Dan Cohn-Sherbok, having read his excellent book, Messianic Judaism. In it, he included an illustration of menorah, which represented the seven branches of Judaism. One branch was labeled âMessianic Judaism.â He wrote that in a pluralistic model, there is no reason to exclude Messianic Jews. Although for centuries thatâs exactly what Messianic Jews have been saying, this is the first time a rabbi has been willing to take the position that it might be true.
Being seen as M.O.T.s, (âMembers of the TribeââJews) by a respected spiritual leader of our people was a new experience for the thousand attendees and for me. He even predicted that we would be considered an accepted part of the Jewish people in this centuryâreminding us that every branch of Judaism was at first rejected by the âestablishment.â
I had been looking forward to talking with this author of over thirty books. We were to meet to discuss the book youâre holding in your hands. As he explains in his introduction, he was intrigued by this growing movement and wanted to understand it better. Unlike most âprofessionalâ Jews, Rabbi Cohn-Sherbok was willing to give Messianic Judaism a fair hearing. After all, as he quipped, he lives in the rolling hills of Wales, far away from the religious controversy in the U.S. and Israel. He had nothing to lose by telling the truth.
He dedicated many months to researching and writing about what is surely the most misunderstood movement of Judaism. During this time, especially at conferences (Dan and his wife, Lavinia, also attended Messiah â99, the annual conference of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, another other major Messianic group), he discovered something.
He saw that the Messianic Jewish brand of Judaism had something other brands lacked. Setting aside the issue of whether Yeshua was the Messiah, he saw joy and celebration, dedication to the Bible and to the traditions of the Jewish people. He saw the fruit of the lives of people who had been transformed. He recognized, as he says in his introduction, âthat the Messianic movement has become a significant force on the Jewish scene.â It was fun to watch Dan and his wife, Lavinia, get up and do the hora (with only a little coaxing from my wife). They really enjoyed themselves.
When Dr. Cohn-Sherbok and I finally talked, he continued to develop the idea he had this book. As a friend of Messianic Judaism, he believed that it was important for the movement to grapple with some of its more thorny issues. Compiling a collection of articles by some of its best scholars and thinkers would contribute to the process.
I invited my friend, Dr. John Fischer (also a member of my Board of Advisors) to join us. Before lunch was over, we came up with a list of topics and prospective authors for each issue. When I got back to my office, I asked my editor, Janet Chaiet, to contact each of these writers to see if theyâd be willing to write on the subjects âassignedâ to them.
Soon, amid her other duties, she got a group of disparate people with different perspectives and backgrounds, to contribute to this book. They conformed to our style-guide (pretty much), limited the amount they wrote (even though many wanted to write books on their topics), met deadlines (most of the time), and generated this book.
As you read Voices of Messianic Judaism, keep in mind the old saying, âWhen three Jews get together to discuss a matter, there are at least four opinions.â In this book, you will encounter strong opinions on different sides of an issue. You may find yourself agreeing with one side, then find yourself agreeing with the other side after you read it. Thatâs good. It means that each author, expressing his or her own thoughts and opinions, has argued effectively for their position. This kind of discussion and dialogue is a distinctive of Jewish theology called pilpul, a way to resolve apparent contradictions.
We selected topics we think are most germane to Messianic Jews at this time, and the authors we believed could do them justice. There are other matters we could have addressed, and other writers who could have contributed to this book. However, we had to make some difficult choices. Perhaps there will be a sequel with a whole new set of discussions and authors. If thereâs interest, there will be.
We deliberately chose only thirteen different topics. Discussion questions are included for twenty-seven chapters. Many congregations prefer materials that can be used over one quarter of a year. It is our hope that you and your groupâwhether a Messianic congregation or a gathering of Christians who care about the Jewish people and Messianic Judaismâwill have your own discussion and dialogue, using these well thought-out articles as a starting point. Doing so will contribute to the maturing of Messianic Judaism.
âBarry Rubin
President, Messianic Jewish Communications
P.S. Weâve included a glossary in the back of the book to help you with some unfamiliar terms and abbreviations.
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INTRODUCTION
Growing up in the leafy suburbs of Denver, Colorado, it was my intention ever since I was a little boy to become a Reform rabbi. This desire amazed everyone. My father was a successful surgeon. Why, my parentâs friends asked, did their son not want to follow in his footsteps? Being a rabbi, they said, was not a job for a nice Jewish boy. Undeterred, I went to Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and later studied for five years at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. During this time, I served as a student rabbi in congregations in Jasper, Alabama; Galesburg, Illinois; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Boulder, Colorado. After ordination, I was a Reform rabbi in Melbourne, Australia before beginning studies at Cambridge University for a doctorate. During my time at Cambridge, I served as a rabbi at the West London Synagogue, and later in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Although I had anticipated that congregants would listen in hushed silence to my sermons and attend study courses, it did not turn out that way. To my astonishment, I discovered that being a rabbi was not at all what I had expected. Services were sparsely attended; hardly anyone came to the courses I offered. In one of my congregations, the parking lot was packed on bingo night at the Temple, but only a few came to synagogue to pray. In another congregation, I was expected to dress up for a fashion show, or play tennis with women members at the Jewish country club. Eventually I decided I could take no more, and I became an academic, first at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, and now at the University of Wales where I am a Professor of Judaism. During these years, I have written books on a wide variety of Jewish topics, many which deal with modern Jewish life.
Several years ago, my wife and I were writing a book, The American Jew, a study of the nature of American Judaism based on a single Jewish community. In the process of our research, we heard about the Messianic movement. One of those who spoke to us was an opponent of Messianic Judaism. At length, he recounted what he perceived as the iniquities of the movement. âMessianic Jews,â he declared, âare deceptive and deliberately attempt to hide their true intentions. Although they claim to be Jewish in their approach, in fact they are nothing more than Christians in disguise.â
Intrigued, my wife and I contacted a local Messianic Jewish rabbi. His congregation was located in an industrial warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The sanctuary had an Ark, which contained a Torah scroll, and there was a purple curtain with an embroidered Star of David hanging in front of the Ark. The bookcases in the rabbiâs office were full of Hebrew Texts, and a large photograph of the Walling Wall hung over his desk. The rabbi wore a skullcap, and was anxious to explain about the history and nature of Messianic Judaism.
In the 19th century, he said, a small group of Jews proclaimed their faith in Jesus. Referred to as Hebrew Christians, they saw themselves as fulfilling their Jewish heritage by embracing the Messiah in their lives. Throughout the 20th century, Hebrew Christianity grew in strength, but it was only in the l960s that notice was taken of these Jewish Christians. In recent decades, a new form of messianic faith has emerged out of these earlier subgroups within the Jewish community.
Messianic Judaism, he went on, is a movement of Jews who, like the Hebrew Christians, believe that Jesus, whom we call Yeshua, is the promised Messiah. In the view of Messianic Jews, Messianic Judaism differs from all other branches of Judaism in relying solely on the Hebrew Scriptures. Their faith is biblical Judaism; centered around the Messiah and the worldwide salvation he brings. Messianic Jews are convinced that they have access to God because of the atoning work of Messiah Yeshua, who has fulfilled them as Jews.
Showing us around his synagogue, he explained that Messianic Jews are one in spirit with Gentile followers of Jesus. Yet, Messianic Jews have their own expression of faith in the Messiah. Messianic Judaism asserts that it is Jewish to believe in Yeshuaâthis, they contend, is a return to the Jewish roots of the faith. As a result Messianic Jews observe the biblical feasts and holidays while maintaining that the only route to salvation is through the atoning work of Yeshua.
Adherents of this new movement insist they are not Christians. In our view, he continued, the term Christian originally meant âfollower of Christ.â Yet, over time, the connotations of the term have changed. Unlike Gentile believers in Christ, Messianic Jews do not wish to separate themselves from their Jewish roots. They believe that they have found the Jewish Messiah and are now completed Jews in that Yeshua is the fulfillment of biblical Judaism. Yeshua never intended to start a new religion. Rather, he came to correctly explain the law and the prophets.
After introducing us to several members of the congregation who were wearing skullcaps as well as tzitziyot, he continued his description of the movement. From an institutional perspective, he stated, Messianic synagogues constitute the heart of the movement: they serve as the place where those who believe in Yeshua as the Messiah can live a Jewish life, raise their children as Jews and worship the God of Israel in a Jewish fashion. Like other Jews, Messianic believers celebrate all the biblical festivalsâRosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, and Passoverâin a Messianic fashion believing that Yeshua is the fulfillment of all these holy days. The pattern frequently followed involves Davidic worship and praise using musical instruments, singing, Hebraic music, psalms, lifting up of hands, chanting, clapping, and processions. In addition, Messianic Jews incorporate dance into the worship.
Although Messianic Jews are guided in their practice by Scripture, he noted, there is a degree of ambivalence about Torah. As Messianic Jews, they believe that it is not possible to be âsavedâ through religious observance. Yet, while the law does not provide salvation, it is not dead. The moral precepts of the Ten Commandments, for example, are part of the New Covenant. The festivals are for all time. Hence, in varying degrees Messianic Jews seek to uphold the precepts found in Scripture, and often the details of observing the T...
