28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heartrending., December 4, 2002
This book will break your heart. Written by Edward Flannery, a Roman Catholic Priest, it studies some twenty three centuries of worldwide anti-Semitism.
This considerable, well written revised & updated edition is all the more significant and encouraging due to it's Christian authorship. This itself is commendable due to the many aspects of historic anti-Semitism prevalent within some areas of the Church itself. Whilst many might see some of the writings as self incriminating, others might see a refreshing honesty and a wish to heal the relationship between Christian and Jew, both of whom share a common foundation in their faith.
At the outset, the author claims that the vast majority of even well educated Christians have been relatively ignorant of what has happened to the Jews throughout history and the culpable involvement of many facets of the Church. Apart from a few recent publications, little having been included about anti-Semitism in Christian history books or social studies.
The author states that, by comparison, the Jews themselves are largely & acutely aware of their painful history in such matters.
This excellent book covers anti-Semitism in all it's many forms, including persecution, torture, pogroms, massacres, social degradations, forced baptisms & conversions throughout the many periods of the Diaspora.
These including the Black Death (plague), the Spanish Inquisition, the Holocaust and the present day Middle East. Throughout all these eras in history, many peoples having found in the Jew the scapegoat needed to rationalise the evils of their social, political and natural calamities.
Writing about the `Black Death' (1347-50), the author describes how the Jews were directly blamed not only for the onset of the plague but also it's spread. This virulent myth leading to the untold massacres of whole Jewish communities. The population of one entire Jewish town in France being burned to death on just such a assertion.
Indeed the author painfully outlines that during this era, the extent of Jewish casualties was virtually impossible to determine. Over 200 Jewish communities, large & small, being destroyed in similar manners. These massacres of Jewish people being so widespread, with the greatest perhaps in Germany, where every sizeable city was affected. The scope of the slaughter being given some scale when the Polish casualties of some 10,000 being described as relatively light in comparison to other areas. The utter savagery of some incidents not being suitable to describe here.
In relation to the Holocaust, which is commendably covered in itself, the writer illustrates the sympathies for the Nazi regime & the `Final Solution' expressed by prominent Arab personages such as the close confident of Adolf Hitler, Haj Amir El Husseini, the Grant Mufti of Jerusalem. (The latter being an uncle to PLO leader, Yasser Arafat, whose family name is al-Husseini.).
With reference to the modern day Mid-East, the writer covers what he calls the overt expression and practice of Arab anti-Semitism. He proceeds to describe how Arab propaganda, already hostile to the existence of the State of Israel, has widened it's focus to further include the Jewish people and their religion.
The author describes how the horrendous myths of the `Blood Libel' and the `Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion' have been revived in the Mid-East often through state approved channels of some Arab countries.
Considered in the context of how these two myths have resulted in the historic massacres and slaughter of innocent Jews worldwide, the impact of their revival is analysed.
All in all this is an upsetting book. However, I really consider it to be required reading on this subject. There is not really any prejudice towards any one group as being responsible for the anti-Semitism so graphically illustrated and discussed here. This work just really shows how widespread the actual sources and origins of this virulent enmity actually are. It also shows the basic evil of this racial hatred that has seen one people suffer more than any other, just because of their religion, just because they are Jews.
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23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
standard and great intro, June 6, 2001
This book covers the facts of the history of antisemitism, but it does much much more than that as well. It tries to provide analysis, both big-picture and small-picture analysis. Big picture wise, especially in the last chapter, Flannery tries to figure out the why's of the history of antisemitism. Each chapter generally covers a certain period of antisemitism, and Flannery attempts to analyize these smaller periods as well. He does a fairly balanced and good job at that, but he is not dogmatic. He understands that many of these issues are complex.
One of the more interesting points that Flannery picked up on was that the relationship between church and synagogue was strained from the outset, when Christians were primarily Jewish. It should be mentioned at this point that this book is geared towards other Christians and that shows through. Flannery himself is a Catholic priest.
I do have a few critiques, but they are minor. I am just going to say right now that not many within this field agree with my views.
Flannery touches on the fact that Christianity is Jewish in origin. This is important because many in this field state that Christianity and the New Testament contain, inherently, antisemitism. However, if one places the faith in its original context, this view doesn't hold water. While antisemites have used the New Testament to support their views, they have also used the Old Testament Scriptures as well. This comes up a lot in this field. I wish Flannery drove the point home instead of dancing around it. Flannery does not ignore this issue though. It is pretty obvious when rabid atheists are rabid antisemites that the issue is complex. Here comes my controversial point. He seems to miss the forest for the trees. So many different antisemites in so many different contexts. It seems to have a demonic cause, in a literal sense.
The book does not address modern evangelism, the Messianic Jewish movement, etc. That's a big whole.
Flannery while understanding the role of replacement theology in Christian circles as a cause of antisemitism misses the mark when he deals with the Judaizing heresy. This heresy is mentioned in Acts and was dealt with by Paul in some of his letters. The gospel states that we are saved by faith in Jesus. The Judaizers added works, specifically adherence to the Mosaic Law, to faith. They said we are righteous before God by faith and adherence to Torah. Stick with me this is important. Gentiles come along add see "Judaizers." They assume it means anyone who practices Jewish stuff in the church commits this heresy. (Paul goes to synagogue, the Temple, etc. btw.) This is a wrong view. Flannery does not pick up on this. Catholics, from my perspective, do this as well, just not with the Mosaic Law. Because of this, I feel Flannery missed this issue. This is a very complex issue. I suggest reading Faith Alone by R.C. Sproul for a Protestant but balanced perspective on it.
All in all, the book is wonderful and a must read.
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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great introduction to understanding anti-semitism, January 17, 2006
Being an avid history reader I've always been interested in understanding how and why certain tedencies in anti-semitism had come about. For example, the blood libel, which has plagued the Jews into the twentieth century, or the idea that the Jews started the Black Plague, or simply why during the Crusades Jews were targeted. This book will explain that and so much more. It begins with how the Jews were treated under the Egyptians and later on moves into the Roman Empire, etc. Although anti-semitism wasn't coined until the 18th century the roots of 'Jewish hatred' started more or less a few centuries after the death of Christ. The reader will notice that the reasons for hatred against Jews change and are sometimes hypocritical and convuluted with the ideology they are representing. At first Christians hate Jews for not wanting to convert and absolve them if they do, eventually being Jewish is no longer about your religion but rather of the blood you were born with, something Hitler and the Nazis take to a new level with the 'final solution.' I think the author is somewhat incorrect in thinking there that the New Testament is not exactly 'anti-semitic', I personally think it is and it set some of the standards for later hatred against Jews and the Jewish religion. The Spanish Inquisition was an interesting period to read about, as were the Crusades during which thousands of Jews were massacred as the crusaders marched on to the Holy city to free it of 'infeidels.' Overall an excellent introduction into why and how anti-semitism began, spread, and took on a life of its own. Many will be surprised by the wholesale eviction of Jews from countries every few decades, only when money was needed were they allowed back only to be heavily taxed, ridiculed, abused, and evicted again until another King, Kaiser, Tsar, or Pope allowed them back. A truly sad history but one that must not be forgotten and understood if we want to keep up with the world today.
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