Post details: The Misunderstood Jew by Amy-Jill Levine
The Misunderstood Jew by Amy-Jill Levine
Amy-Jill writes, as an orthodox Jew teaching NT studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, about Jesus the Jew in an attempt to alert Christians to their presuppositions (for many naively so) which superimpose Christianity on the Jew, Jesus, who lived, taught, and engaged his peers according to their norms and in a fashion recognized by them (but frequently not by us) with a desire to affect their behavior and their relationship with their God.
Although not agreeing with all her interpretation of what Jesus meant as he engaged his audience, I would ask if our Christianization of Jesus, would not be recognized by the very man who actually spoke the words. The primary approach to Christian scholarship routinely divides studies into three concerns, OT, NT, and systematic theology, the second two of which divorce the life of Jesus from his historical context. I have read of some who would rather not even consider that Jesus lived and taught in a context, how sad.
She walks on ground that calls me, but also repels; that is, interfaith dialogue. With whom should I talk? FGraham occupied much time and effort in the southern tier; is the only benefit those several ones "saved," or should the dialogue continue among the churches? What is more important, the church or my church? Few would answer and back it up with practice, number one. We are all more interested in our small communities than working together to develop God's.
Just two comments on Levine's work, first on public prayer. How does one "end"? Option 1: "in Jesus name amen"; which, I agree with Amy-Jill, is parochial in a mixed religions audience. She offers a better option: "As I pray in the name of Jesus"; focusing on the god that I worship versus those of the audience. Her third option challenges: "As I pray in the name of Jesus, and we all pray to the God who has many names and many childern." Do we acknowledge that many of our non christian neighbors worship other gods, and they do so sincerely? Are we willing to engage in religious conversation with them? Are we willing to put our god to the test versus others? And if not, are we ashamed or scared that he may lose such a confrontation?
Second, she proposed that the best way for christians to fulfill the great commission is to "work for justice." Put the love your neighbor commandment to work. How many of us would agree with her? How many of us are putting her advice into practice, one way or the other? Sometimes I have to ask myself, if I really am, when it gets down to it, nothing but a Sunday only christian.
The book is a great read, although it will be an eye opener for most.
