Antisemitism in the New Testament [Paperback]

Lillian C. Freudmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 9, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0819192953 | ISBN-13: 978-0819192950

This is the first book since the canonization of the New Testament which studies its anti-Jewish contents on a thorough, systematic, verse-by-verse basis. The author identifies every misquotation and mistranslation from the Hebrew Bible and rebuts every antisemitic assertion in the Christian Scriptures. The book examines the historical background in which the Gospels and Epistles were written and how contemporary conditions affected their contents. The final chapter deals with the impact of the New Testament on Jews and Christians for the past two millennia and the possibilities of revising this trend through alternate interpretations. Contents: When and How it all Startted; The Tanakh According to the Gospel; On Reinventing Paul; The Letters that Started a Religion; The Law According to Paul; The View of the Jew in the Gospels and Acts; Where Do We Go From Here?; Bibliography; Indexes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mrs. Freudmann has written a very useful and well-researched book. While other authors have pointed out antisemitic aspects of the New Testament, she has substantiated the charge with a verse-by-verse examination of the texts and by adducing a wealth of comparative material from Jewish sources. She has many excellent points to make for the improvement of Christian teaching and the development of friendly Jewish-Christian relations.>>> (Hyam Maccoby )

...Her book makes a very substantial contribution to scholarly studies on this very important topic...>>>> (Norman A. Beck )

Lillian Freudmann's Antisemitism in the New Testament is an informed, candid, and lucid treatment of a most painful subject that has divided Jews and Christians for centuries...Freudmann's useful work should be read and pondered.>>>> (Berenbaum, Michael )

...remarkable. Antisemitism in the New Testament is easily the best work I have seen on this subject and deserves to be read in the Vatican and in all Christian religious colleges and institutions.>>>> (S. Levin )

The intended audience is the general public rather than scholars, and the tone is polemical...In a relatively irenic look forward, Freudmann offers suggestions about taking the necessary steps to de-antisemitize the NT, describes anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism, and urges that the Christian Scriptures be purged of their anti-Semitic elements.>>> (S. Levin Critical Review )

...Mrs. Freudmann has done with a high degree of competence what she sets out to do and her attention both to the anti-Jewish element in the NT and to the Jewish sources which stand over against these elements results in the most thoroughgoing and consistent treatment of this issue with which I am familiar. (Williamson, Clark )

Mrs. Freudmann has written a very useful and well-researched book. While other authors have pointed out antisemitic aspects of the New Testament, she has substantiated the charge with a verse-by-verse examination of the texts and by adducing a wealth of comparative material from Jewish sources. She has many excellent points to make for the improvement of Christian teaching and the development of friendly Jewish-Christian relations. (Hyam Maccoby )

...Her book makes a very substantial contribution to scholarly studies on this very important topic... (Norman A. Beck )

Lillian Freudmann's Antisemitism in the New Testament is an informed, candid, and lucid treatment of a most painful subject that has divided Jews and Christians for centuries...Freudmann's useful work should be read and pondered. (Berenbaum, Michael )

...remarkable. Antisemitism in the New Testament is easily the best work I have seen on this subject and deserves to be read in the Vatican and in all Christian religious colleges and institutions. (S. Levin )

The intended audience is the general public rather than scholars, and the tone is polemical...In a relatively irenic look forward, Freudmann offers suggestions about taking the necessary steps to "de-antisemitize" the NT, describes anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism, and urges that the Christian Scriptures be purged of their anti-Semitic elements. (S. Levin Critical Review )

About the Author

Lillian C. Freudmann, who holds an M.S.W. from Washington University, teaches courses in the Bible at the University of Connecticut, School of Continuing Education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: University Press Of America (December 9, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819192953
• ISBN-13: 978-0819192950
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,252,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anti Semitism in the New Testament, January 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Antisemitism in the New Testament (Paperback)

Anti Semitism in the New Testament is a book by Lillian Freudmann that traces the many anti-Semitic parts of the New Testament and in doing so gives an understanding as to why people have so hated Jews so much through the ages.

It starts by tracing pre New Testament Greek hostility of the Jews, to the letters of Paul, to the books of Luke, Matthew; etc. up to Acts, and ,finally, to the pornographic diatribes of Martin Luther and how many of Nazi Germany's persecutions of the Jews had precursors in christian persecutions against them; e.g. ghettos, yellow badges; etc.

Mrs. Fruedmann points out that Paul was not Jewish; he did not understand Judaism; he mistranslated several portions of the Old Testament; did not know Jesus and continued in his errors about Jesus even though Jesus's brother James tried to point out that he [Paul] was wrong.

Lillian Freudmann also points out that it is hardly likely that the Pharisees wanted Jesus dead and Paul and the other writers of the New Testament blamed the Jews, in part, because they were petrified of the power of Rome.

Mrs. Freudmann also points out that when Jesus was speaking of being the son of God he was just speaking in the vernacular of the day and was not viewing himself as some sort of co God at all.

I think this is a very good book that explains the many fables of Paul and the other New Testament writers and for those that wonder why the world hates the Jews so much, this book will provide the answer.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Antisemitism in the New Testament, January 7, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Antisemitism in the New Testament (Paperback)

The editorial review sums it up well. Lillian Freudmann points out many misrepresentations of jewish scriptures by the christian scriptures, and also explains what the jewish scriptures really say. One important point she makes is: "Anti-Judaism is a part of Christian exegesis. Anti-Christianity is not properly a part of Jewish exegesis." I have read a lot of books about antisemitism, but my impression is that this is the best. A woman trumps the men! I give it 5 Stars.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good historical background, July 23, 2011

By 

Michael_in_SC - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Antisemitism in the New Testament (Paperback)

I don't think the author is an academic historian, but she does a good job of laying out the historical background of antisemitism, and how it can be derived from some NT passages. I might question some of her interpretations, but the basic historical facts are well laid out and are undeniable. Read this book, then go on to more academic books on the same subject. Nowhere is the need for honest, historical-critical reading of the NT shown more clearly, than in this tragic subject.