NathanZook

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Theology

Messianic Judaisms historic origins from the Jewish Missions and Jesus movements remains apparent in that a continuum of belief and practice exists back to Evangelic Christianity. This implies that the dividing line between what is Messianic Jewish and what is not is contested. Statements in this section need to be read with this knowledge.

Syncretism

Messianic Judaism rejects most of the changes in religious practice as Christianity emerged from Judaism, pointing to Deuteronomy/Devarim 12:4 and 30-31 ("... beware for yourself lest you be attracted after them and after they have been destroyed before you, and lest you seek out their gods, saying, 'How did these nations worship their gods, and even I will do the same.' You shall not do so to Hashem, your God, ..."). This includes Christmas, Easter and Sunday, although individuals who do observe them are not disfellowshipped.

The rejection of Christian holidays is coupled with the assertion that the commanded feasts of the Lord are to be observed.

Trinity

There is much questioning of the Trinity in some parts of Messianic Judaism. Some take a view close to Modalism. Others the Etz Chaim construct of Kaballah. A few consider the Trinity to definitely operate only in the current world, and that we do not know how God will manifest in the World to Come, nor can we comprehend anything about Him prior to creation. (God is not timebound.) There is also the charge that in pulpit-taught Christianity, trinitarianism often devolves into de facto polytheism.

The Role of Torah

There is substantial debate on the role of Torah. The Christian division of moral , civil and ceremonial is rejected. Jews are generally expected or encouraged to follow Torah, the debate is with Gentiles. One end is similar the Noahide Laws, forbidding Gentiles to observe certain portions of Torah, while encouraging them to uphold the rest (the basis is to maintain the Jew/Gentile distinction.) The other end encourages Gentiles to steadily accept more and more Torah, forbidding them nothing.

Conversion

Christian to Messianic Judaism

Prior post-confessional baptisms are accepted. This is generally not considered a conversion, since primary identity remains in Messiah.

Non-believing Gentile to Messianic Judaism

Mikvah required. Circumcision not a requirement (and discouraged.)

Non-religious/disenfranchised Jew to Messianic Judaism

Mikvah required. Circumcision not an immediate requirement.

Religious Jew to Messianic Judaism

Mikvah required. There is some debate as to how much doctrine must be accepted before a candidate is accepted. One view holds that accepting Yeshua as Messiah but not God can be acceptable (Acts 2).

Believing Gentile to Jew

This is a hotly debated topic, to include whether such a transition should be classified as a "conversion", or as something else. There appears to be much pressure to formalize a process in those congregations which discourage Gentiles from fully observing Torah. There is also pressure for or from spouses of Jews to convert. There is much reluctance to implement a process, which may be driven by concerns over expected Christian reactions, or lack of a convinced interpretation of Paul's writings on the subject. Some congregations have implemented processes, but it is not clear how such conversions are received by other congregations.

Messiah

The Union of Messianic Jewish Synagogues (UMJC) has adopted a statement on the identity of Yeshua which comports well with the traditional statements of Christianity. While the UMJC does not speak for all of Messianic Judaism, this statement appears representative. Note that while this statement certainly permits the two natures view of Messiah, some quarters prefer Monophysitism, which is also permitted.

Israel

The spiritual entity of Israel is identified by those throughout the millennia who have faith in God. There is great reluctance in many quarters to pronounce that Jews who have rejected Jesus in order to cling to Torah are lost. Some have argued the converse of Yeshua's statement "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father", that Jews who have sought the Father with "all of their heart" have also found the Son.

Authority and Scripture

Messianic Judaism universally accepts the Protestant Christian sciptures as scripture. However, in some quarters, the Apostolic writings are somewhat denigrated. This generally occurs in parallel with having a high view of Oral Torah. In these same quarters, Shulchan Aruch may be treated as having the presumption of authority. This follows from Yeshua's command to obey the Scribes and the Pharisees, with the necessary caveats.

The Relationship Between Faith and Works

The New Perspective on Paul is a very popular--works confirm that one is in the covenant. The interpretive rule can be even stronger, however, based upon three points:

• Yeshua's promise that not one jot or one tittle will pass from all the words of Torah until Heaven and Earth pass away.
• Paul's execution of a Nazirite vow.
• Paul's declaration en route to Rome that he had not walked in a disordly fashion, implying that he followed Halakha

The interpretive rule then become that whenever Paul appears to be speaking against Torah observance, that he must be doing something else.

Covenants

God's continuing covenant with the Jews as a race remains in full effect--replacement theology is simply an impossibliity. It is presumed that the New Covenant declared at the last supper is the one that Jeremiah promised. Some quarters hold that the differences brought about by the New Covenant are to be minimal.

"Two Loaves" Verse "Grafted In"

There exists substantial debate on the corporate nature of the body of Messiah.

One side ("Two Loaves") may go so far as to say that the Church is for Gentiles while Messianic Synagogues are for Jews. This view sees the two thosand year split between Christianity and Judaism as God-preferred. This view is not to be confused with the view discussed in the article Two House Messianic Movement, nor with the "Ephraimitism" view below.

The other side ("Grafted In") may go so far as to say that there no longer exist operational differences or distinctions between Gentiles and Jews. This view sees the aforementioned split as a tragedy which has broken God's heart.

Christian Rejectionists

As a NRM emergent from Christianity, the movement has enormouse appeal to some Christian rejectionists. There are two notable theologic views rejected by Christianity which have repeatedly sought acceptance in Messianic Judaism.

Sacred Name Movement

No congregation holding to this view is likely to be accepted as being Messianic Jewish, but it is common for individuals with this view to attempt to join Messianic Jewish congregations.

"Ephraimitism"

This is the view that all who serve the God of Jacob are decended from Jacob--either as Jews (Judah) or as unknowing members of the Ten Lost Tribes. Some congregations considered to be Messianic Jewish in character appear to have accepted this doctrine, at least in part, despite its use in antisemitism. This view is considered to be outside of Messianic Judaism in many quarters.

NathanZook 04:31, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

Looks good to me

Looks good to me for a starter. I'm not sure though, are you planning to completely re-do the theology section entirely? I created the Theology section as it is now, based on David Stern's outline in his cornerstone book, Messianic Manifesto. Perhaps there is a way to include this information you've drafted to the various sections and subsections already in existence. For example, some of it can go in the Identity section, others would fit in the Theology section and its subsections, and still some would require new subsections. Feel free to use the format of the current sections for the presentation of your additional information. Please ask first in the MJ talk page before deleting entire subsections. It's better to have the page loaded with additional info (or new pages created), than to have another edit war. inigmatus 05:09, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

I think as Messianics we also need not bend over backwards to not offend the orthodox or antimissionaries. Yeshua is simply offensive to those with a bias to hate him and his followers, no matter how hard we try to get them to change their paradigm of him. Also, I think by going on an anti-Christian campaign within Messianic Judaism that much of the extreme lengths we go to is just as much adding fuel to the fire of the antimissionaries because they view our "purging of our Christian identity" as evidence we are seeking to become Jew wannabes, when in fact we are in an entirely different class of Jews (that is, we are the faithful believing remnant of Israel) and they can't even see this. We shouldn't be hiding this fact, nor should we seek to become like them for the sole purpose of just looking like them because we are fellow Jews, when it's their own Sages who couldn't even accept Yeshua as the Messiah. We should be the ones setting the standard they should follow. Our sect of Judaism is the Way for a purpose... because it's the only Way to the Father and the Olam Habad (World to Come). Our Theology section should reflect this. If by our Theology we are identified with the Christians, it should be because we share the same Messiah as Lord and Savior of our souls. This alone should be something all believers of Yeshua share, else they are not true believers in Yeshua. The divinity of Messiah as God Himself, is another such shared belief. If we don't share this belief, then what good is Yeshua's sacrifice for our sins? These and others we share with the Christians. Sure they worship God on pagan holidays, and in pagan ceremonies, sure they commit the same sin Israel commited before she was kicked out of her land many times, but it doesn't mean that we don't share the same essential theology for salvation. I think our Theology section would do a lot of good by covering what the majority of Messianics believe in regards to salvation; and then in a later section, address all the differing doctrines within that majority. A further subsection would also describe the doctrines of the minority and other extreme views those who call themselves "Messianics" but subscribe to an entirely different salvific theology.

After reading what I just posted here, I'd love to hear your suggestions. inigmatus 05:28, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

I am proposing a complete reworking of the theology section. I believe that it is important that this article, and its parts, be designed with a particular goal of presenting the facts (good and bad) about our movement in the most attractive package possible. NPOV is the primary goal. But NPOV is not enough. You can be factually correct and give an entirely negative impression--or a positive one.

"Positive" is a very, very, relative term. The people I want most to see this as positive are Jews who can consider the possibility that after 2,000 years, He might just be Messiah. What I don't want is for the antimissionaries to be able to bring such a person to this page and "prove" that we're a bunch of wannabes. I really, really don't want them to be able to take someone to a website of a major denomination and show a statement of faith which looks exactly like what is here. I don't care about giving a necessary offence, but I don't want to have any part in causing a little one to sin, either.

I no longer consider myself a Christian, because there are too many core areas where my views are outside those of historic Christianity. It's not a matter of purging Christian identity, it's a matter of purging a Gentile outlook--for me and, I hope, for the movement. You may have noted my exclusive use of Jewish terms. That was not conscious--I now think in these terms.

I don't know if you have a Jewish (not Messianic) Siddur. If you don't, it's well worth the $20 to get one. Our congregation used the Artscroll (Ashkenaz) for a decade. If you study the prayers, (what I refer to as "Prayerbook Judaism") you see a Judaism which is centered around faith in God's mercies. The mechanism of substitutionary atonement by Messiah is lacking, but note the faith that Messiah will be the one to make things right in the world. There are a nubmer of references to all nations worshiping God--although it is pretty much restricted to the Messianic Age. There is little distance between the Judaism of the prayerbook and the Judaism of the Apostolic Writings--I don't want to exagerate that distance.

Perhaps I should call Russ and get permission to copy the statement on Messiah (with which I of course do not completely agree :)) into the article.

Two words about the Messianic Manifesto:

1. Its starting to get a bit old. Messianic Judaism is more self-confident as a Judaism today than it was then. It's not been that long since there were questions about if it was okay (for Jews!) to wear a kippa or a talit.
2. There remains great deal of selfconsciousness in much of the leadership, which manifests itself as an exagerated sense of Jewish identity. This is part of why the "Two House" view retains a substantial following--it sweeps many of the day-to-day difficulties we face under the rug. (It also means that we are not a challenge to the Christian world.)

You used a term I find disturbing--"new kind of Jew". I don't see a basis for this term in Scripture. I see lots of places where Gentiles worship the God of Israel as Gentiles. I see places where Gentiles are grafted into Israel. What is this "new kind of Jew"?

NathanZook 04:16, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Your point of view regarding where MJism is now compared to where we were 20 years ago, makes sense to me. The phrase "new kind of Jew" is someone else's phrase. I didn't put that in the article. My aim of the article is to make it positively received by both Christians and Jews - for both should be our target audience. :) I don't think a simple list of agreeables and another list of disagreeables within MJism would constitute a reason for any antimissionary to use that as proof of our wannabe status. I really think that any Theology section should list the core values and beliefs the vast majority of those who call themselves Messianic would say they agree with. If not, then why even a Theology section at all... for "Theology" is a Gentile term if we want to go that far. I really think you should just add your additional material into the sections and subsections where they best fit, and if no fit - to create new sections or subsections. That's the safest thing for now. If you want to, we can discuss the finer details of the relevancy of including the points listed in the Essentials and Non Essentials subsections, on the MJ discussion page, as I think they should be debated over in the discussion area for relevancy to mostly all MJs. inigmatus 22:04, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Look at the other sites of the various Jewish denominations. Nowhere do you see a list comparable to what is in theology section. Arguably, we should use one of these pages as a template. That's all I can handle right now.

NathanZook 03:56, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Messianic Judaism

Hello NathanZook,

I've seen some of your comments arguing strongly for more historical background being (re)added to the Messianic Judaism article. And, I'd say I must agree. Because the events of history and the persons involved in such events are inseperable, it really is a good idea (from my POV) to add a short list of major Jewish Belivers in Jesus (whatever title they called themselves by) to the larticle. I know that a list of Messianic Jews and Hebrew-Christians exists on Wikipedia as an article. In any event, we should surely link to it. However, I was wondering if you could help me come up with a list of ancient and modern Jewish belivers in Jesus. I can come-up with some names from antiquity Yeshua's own talmudim, Sh'aul, etc.; and from the Haskalah period in Europe Lichtenstien, Ginsburg, etc.; and from the modern era Rosen, Roth, Ramsel, etc. However, I draw the biggest blank between antiquity and the Haskalah period in Europe. Any suggestions?

Also, yes, it is nice to see the counter-missionaries not owning the article anymore.

—Wikijeff 02:19, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

Uggh

I thought that my life was settling down enough to start putting a major effort into this again. I'm not going away, but cannot guarantee that I can carry through on any major edits, including the theology rewrite. I have a deep disagreement with Inigmatus on how this should be done, and I lack the energy to be sufficiently persuasive to manage a debate to concensus at this point.

NathanZook 03:54, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

Messianic Judaism Project has been created

You are invited to join the Wikipedia:WikiProject Messianic Judaism group. Feel free to sign your name the list and keep developing Messianic Judaism articles! inigmatus 19:42, 26 October 2006 (UTC)