Stimulus Vol 13 Issue 2 May 2005 |
Table of ContentsJesus, justice and Judaism Muse-ak: Tinned swedes, painting by numbers, and religious minimalism Jesus, justice and Judaism: How to avoid speaking of “Judaism” and “Christianity” Jesus, justice and Judaism St Imulus: What Jesus would do Open theism’s doctrine of God: a review of five books God of the Possible: A Biblical Introduction to the Open View of God. Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God’s Openness. The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God. Beyond the Bounds: Open Theism and the Undermining of Biblical Christianity. God’s Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism. Naturalism versus supernaturalism Pulpit: The fragrance; the missional church in c:/21 Book reviews God under Howard: The Rise of the Religious Right in Australian Politics Martin Luther When Faiths Collide Borderlines; The Partition of Judeo-Christianity Francis of Assisi: Performing the Gospel Life The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story Appendices to Paul Morris’ article |
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May 2005 |
EditorialSeveral centuries ago, the Pope decided that all the Jews had to leave Rome. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Jewish community, so the Pope made a concession. He would have a religious debate with a member of the Jewish community, and, should the Jewish champion win, then the Jews would be allowed to stay. Realising they had no choice the Jews reluctantly selected an old man named Moishe as their champion. Finding no common language it was agreed that the debate would take place in complete silence. When the day came Moishe and the Pope sat opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers. Moishe raised one finger in response. The Pope waved his fingers in a circle around his head. Moishe quickly pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope pulled out a wafer and a glass of wine. Moishe pulled out an apple. The Pope stood up and declared, “I give up. This man is too good. The Jews can stay.” An hour later, the cardinals convened to inquire of the Pope as to what had happened. The Pope explained: “First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was still one God common to both our religions.” “Then I waved my finger around me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground, showing that God was also right here with us. “I pulled out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us from our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything. What could I do?” Meanwhile, the Jewish community had crowded around Moishe, amazed at his achievement! “What happened?” they asked. “Well,” said Moishe, “First he said to me that the Jews had three days to get out of here. I told him that not one of us was leaving. “Then he told me that this whole city would be cleared of Jews. I let him know that we were staying right here.” “And then?” they prompted. “I don’t know,” said Moishe. “He took out his lunch and I took out mine.”
At the centre of this issue is Paul Morris’ Jesus, Judaism and Justice – an article drawn from the Clyde Vautier memorial lecture delivered at the Wellington branch of the Bible College of New Zealand last year. Paul Morris is Professor of Religious Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. The concern of both the article and two responses, like the joke above, is the way Jews and Christians have continually misunderstood each other (and furthermore understood this misunderstanding rather differently). Morris’ article surveys ways in which this misunderstanding has become manifest in Christian anti-Judaism – a legacy stretching from the apostle Paul to medieval disputations, from Luther’s ‘liars’ to secular anti-Judaism. Victor Lipski, the first respondent, supplements Morris’ contribution by sharing the story of his own family; the complex blurring of identity that exists within his own legacy. My own response, in a rather different manner, again blurs such boundaries – this time by arguing for a lack of originary difference between 1st Century Judaism and Christianity. Christian anti-Judaism has been continually founded on a misrecognition of the true nature of both Christianity and Judaism.
Other content in this issue includes Stu McGregor’s survey of recent scholarship from the theological movement Open Theism. McGregor summarises the important debates this movement has raised, and its reception within American evangelicalism. In his Naturalism and Supernaturalism Ross McKerras considers issues in cross-cultural mission through positioning these two concepts in their philosophical history. This issue also contains our regulars. Simon Perris’ Muse-ak column takes us from Trinitarianism to Estonia and back again. The Saint (Imulus) reveals the true meaning of the WWJD bracelets (and the lesser known WWJB). In Pulpit Mike Brantley advocates a reworking of how we do Church; specifically advocating the need for more mission focused models. Finally there are book reviews, enough here to initiate a small library. Books topics range from the Australian religious right to St Francis of Assisi, from Martin Luther to narrative theology. In this issue there is something for the whole family (assuming your family roughly resembles our editorial team!)
Mike Mawson
Douglas Maclachlan |
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Jesus, justice and Judaism |
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“...to be part of the gospel imperative to transform minds and put faith in God into practice.” |
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STIMULUS THE NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE |