Separated Siblings: An Evangelical Understanding of Jews and Judaism (John Phelan) - A Review
SEPARATED SIBLINGS: An Evangelical Understanding of Jewsand Judaism. By John E. Phelan, Jr. Foreword by Rabbi Yehiel Poupko. Grand
Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2020. Xix + 340 pages.
Christianity
has its origins in Judaism, but that fact has not stopped Christians from
persecuting and murdering Jews down through the centuries. Too often we Christians
have forgotten that Jesus was Jewish, as were Peter, Paul, and Mary. The fact
is none of them stopped being Jewish. There are numerous reasons behind the sad
history of Jewish-Christian relations, but we can and must change this reality.
Over the years I have learned much from my Jewish friends about Judaism and
therefore about my own faith. What I’ve discovered over time is that my faith
in Jesus is richer because of these friendships. But there is always more to
learn.
John
Phelan’s book Separated Siblings is an important contribution to the
work Christians need to do to change the dynamics of Jewish-Christian
relationships. He provides us with a detailed introduction to Judaism, so we
Christians might have a better understanding of our Jewish friends and
neighbors. John Phelan is a professor at North Park Theological Seminary, an
evangelical school in the Chicago area. He has long been involved in Jewish-Christian
dialogue. As evidence of this dialogue, the book carries a foreword by Rabbi
Yehiel Poupko, who writes that "Dr. Phelan wants evangelicals to come to
know Judaism and the Jewish people as Judaism and the Jewish people know
themselves" (p. xiv). While the book is written by an evangelical for
evangelicals, in reality, this is a word to all Christians. Even in mainline
Protestant congregations that pride themselves on their openness to other faith
traditions, misunderstandings of Judaism often color the way we think and talk
about Jews and Judaism. It is just as common to hear the word Pharisee used in
a derogatory manner from a progressive pulpit as it is from a non-progressive
one.
For
Phelan to accomplish his purpose, he covers a lot of bases. He acknowledges
that there are numerous books on Judaism written by Jews that can be very
helpful to Christians. In fact, I own a number of them. Nevertheless, there is
value in engaging with books written by Christians that interpret Judaism for
Christians. But, for this to be done well, it has to be written in conversation
with Jewish leaders. The reality is that Phelan has studied and engaged in
conversation with Jews over time in such a way as to digest Judaism as he has
encountered it. As a result, he can share what he has discovered in language
that Christians will understand (or should understand). What he offers, as he
notes, is not simply a "bland exercise in mutual admiration, but a
critical appreciation." It is rooted in his commitment to engaging with
Judaism in a way that is respectful and appreciative while recognizing that despite
all that is shared in common there are significant differences as well. much is
shared in common there are differences as well. For example, he writes:
"Jews and Christians share a common text, the Old Testament for Christians
and Tanakh for Jews. We both worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But
we read our common text and understand the person and accomplishments of Jesus
of Nazareth very differently" (p. xvii). This is an important insight if we
are to truly engage with one another.
Phelan's
book is composed of sixteen chapters that begins with a brief introduction to
Judaism. This introduction offers a look at the basics, but there is much more to
come as we dive deeper into Judaism. Phelan then offers chapters on the God of
Abraham (how do we understand God in light of the covenant with Abraham? Answering
that question requires looking at how Paul interprets the story of Abraham). He
has a chapter on the God of Moses (who is Moses and how does Moses factor in
this conversation?). He also reminds us that Judaism envisions God in relation
to the Commandments. As he explores each of these topics, laying out how Jews
understand Abraham, Moses, and the Commandments, he also offers a Christian
reflection on these subjects and those that follow. As we move through the book,
we encounter chapters on Israel, prayer, and righteousness. He writes of the
Exile and Restoration, as well as introducing us to Second Temple Judaism,
which gave birth to the Christian community.
Since this
is a book written about Jews and Judaism for Christians, it should not surprise
the reader to discover that Phelan offers chapters on Jesus and Paul as Jews.
For each of these chapters, he shares how Jews understand these figures. Would
it surprise you that Jesus fares better here than does Paul?
Moving
forward beyond the biblical period, Phelan introduces us to the Judaism that
emerges after the destruction of the Second Temple, focusing on the Rabbinic
tradition, along with the creation of the Mishnah and the Talmud. Here he
reminds us that the Rabbinic tradition is an outgrowth of the tradition of the
Pharisees. This section is extremely important since Christian views of the
Pharisees are colored by our reading of the Gospels that often portrays the
Pharisees as uptight and self-righteous opponents of Jesus. So, we must keep in
mind that what we know as religious Judaism today has its origins in this
period following the destruction of the Temple as Judaism moved from its focus
on the Temple and Land to being a people of the Book and synagogue. The
Pharisees played a central role in this transition.
When we
get to Chapter 12, we move into the Medieval period, which entails Jewish life
after the emergence of Islam. He calls this the Age of Genius. Of this period,
Phelan writes that "these years represented times of intellectual,
spiritual, and economic flourishing as well as times of marginalization,
persecution, and nerve-wracking insecurity" (p. 211). It was a period in
which Jews in the East lived under Muslim rule and in the west under Christian
rule. He notes that this formative period ended in 1492 with the expulsion of
the Jews from Spain. Nonetheless, the basic forms of Judaism were reaching
maturity during these years as the Talmud was being completed. This chapter is
essential reading if we wish to understand Judaism as it has come to exist.
Chapter
13 continues the story into early modernity, after the expulsion from Spain. We
learn about Judaism as it came to exist under the Ottomans, as well as in
Poland and Lithuania (the latter saw the rise of a flourishing Jewish community).
There is, of course, the need to discuss the tragic impact of Luther on Judaism,
both in Luther’s time and on into the future. Chapter 14 carries the title of
"Emancipation, Reform, and Danger.” Here we explore Jewish attempts at
assimilation into European life. This attempt to assimilate came as laws on emancipation
began to be enacted in Western Europe during the late eighteenth century and on
into the nineteenth. Though laws were enacted that were intended to benefit
Jews, life remained precarious. This was especially true when Judaism began to
be understood in racial terms. That, of course, would lead to the emergence of
anti-Semitism (as opposed to anti-Judaism) and then the Holocaust/Shoah.
Chapter
15 takes us into the twentieth century and the rise of Zionism. We are reminded
that Zionism emerged among European Jews, as they began to wonder whether they
could truly be safe and secure, despite attempts at assimilating. Central to
this conversation is the impact of the infamous Dreyfus affair on the development
of Zionism. Due to the racialization of Judaism, questions were raised as to
whether Jews were fully human. The ultimate result of the emergence of Zionism
as a response to the persecution of Jews in Europe was the rise of the state of
Israel. Unfortunately, as Phelan notes, despite what occurred in the twentieth
century, now that we've entered the twenty-first century, we are witnessing
again the rise of anti-Semitism in our midst. While there is at times conflict
between Jews and Christians over Israel, that is not the only area of
concern. Because of the realities of our
time, Phelan notes that “Conversations that once were hopeful are increasingly
hostile and hopeless. What now is to be done?” (p. 283).
Phelan
raises this problematic question, but fortunately, it's not the last word on
the subject. Therefore, he concludes the book with a chapter titled
"Dialogue and Hope." To get there, however, we must acknowledge the
Christian response before, during, and after the Shoah. Even a liberal magazine
like the Christian Century failed to take seriously enough the reports
of the Shoah as they took place. In fact, it was organizations and journals
associated with Jewish evangelism that initially raised the alarm. Thus, we
must acknowledge our complicity as Christians in this tragic history. While we
need to address our own complicity, Phelan notes that his Jewish conversation
partners don't want to simply engage with Christians based on guilt. There must
be more than this. We must, he notes following Abraham Heschel, recognize that
"whatever our differences, we meet as people of faith, as believers in the
One God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." (p. 304).
There
is much with which to wrestle in Phelan’s Separated Siblings. This book
covers, as I said upfront, a lot of material. Nevertheless, what he offers us
in this rather comprehensive exploration of Judaism is very useful if we as Christians
are to truly engage in informed dialogue with Jews that leads to hope for the
future. In this era of polarization, finding a path to a truly transformative
conversation is not easy. Christians have a lot of baggage to deal with when it
comes to our relationships with our Jewish neighbors. But, unpacking that
baggage, wrestling with it, and beginning to engage with one another as equals
is worth the effort. This book is a good starting point for that journey to commence.
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