The Crucified Jew: Twenty Centuries of Christian Anti-Semitism [Paperback]

Dan Cohn-Sherbok (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1997

The author finds the roots of modern anti-Semitism in Christianity itself. The followers of Christ believed themselves to be the true heirs of the covenant with God that the Jews had rejected. Even their scriptures - the New Testament - express a deep distrust of the tradition into which Christ himself was born. As the centuries unfold in a grim and unrelenting chronicle, the Jewish people are vilified for their role in Jesus' death and for rejecting him as their saviour. They are caricatured as a dark force seeking to undermine Chritianity, whether by political or supernatural means. The book concludes with a study of anti-Semitism in post-war Europe, where the church has at last made some attempt to repent for past sins, and to open a meaningful exchange with its Jewish brothers and sisters. The author argues that this initiative is vital.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With such a piercing title, Cohn-Sherbok (theology, Univ. of Kent; Jewish Mysticism, LJ 4/1/96) emphatically frames his lengthy monolog, chiefly focusing on the Christian roots of historical and institutional anti-Semitism. Such bigotry is a constant in historical Christendom: "Anti-Jewish attitudes in the history of the Church were not accidental?rather they were the direct consequence of Christian teaching about Judaism and the Jewish nation." Cohn-Sherbok excels at describing the effects of anti-Semitism both on the Jewish community and the historical Judaic psyche. His grasp of history is far-ranging. However, depth and critical analysis are wanting, rendering many of his conclusions more mechanical and polemical than engaging. Imprecision of language weakens his text; he utilizes "Christian" where perhaps "New Testament" or "institutional Church" might be apropos. Issues of historical context are too often not raised. Scholars might first consider Gavin Langmuir's more thorough History, Religion and Anti-Semitism (Univ. of California. Pr., 1990).?Sandra Collins, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Lib.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Cohn-Sherbok's accessible account will introduce a general audience to the historical depth of Christian anti-Semitism as well as its geographic breadth. This is not groundbreaking work--the material assembled here is readily accessible in more scholarly accounts--but Cohn-Sherbok has rendered an important service by popularizing the material. Both his introduction and his conclusion emphasize the contemporary relevance of the account: that anti-Semitism is not a historical relic. Knowing its history may enable contemporary readers to confront it more effectively whenever and wherever it shows itself in the present. Steve Schroeder

Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802843115
• ISBN-13: 978-0802843111
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,537,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive History of Jewish-Christian Relations, January 6, 2005

By 

Lyone Fein "dr lyone" (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Crucified Jew: Twenty Centuries of Christian Anti-Semitism (Paperback)

This volume provides a general introduction to the troubling history of these two great world religions over the last 2,000 years (or so). Starting with a lucid explanation of pagan anti-Semitism in the Greco-Roman world, Cohn-Sherbok takes us through centuries of violence and antipathy that culminated in the Holocaust of the mid Twentieth Century. He also concludes with brief chapters on post-Holocaust anti-Semitism, and on the possibilities for Jewish-Christian reconciliation. The latter, especially, provides a crucial "uplift" for the reader.

This is a very readable text. It is NOT clogged with dense lists of demographic information or by obscure theological discussions. It provides, rather, a general overview of the demographic issues which contributed to Christian violence against Jews through the ages; as well as a digestable level of insight into the theological issues that contributed to and justified this violence.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the cultural causes of the Holocaust, the reasons for the existence of the state of Israel, or the theological differences between Judaism and Christianity. I use this book as my core text in the college course, "Jesus and Judaism," that I teach.

Along these lines, I would also recommend "Liberating the Gospels" by John Shelby Spong and "Why the Jews?" by Prager and Telushkin.

4 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Neither an objective or scholarly work, December 5, 2002

By 

Steve Adelman (Fort Wayne, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Crucified Jew: Twenty Centuries of Christian Anti-Semitism (Paperback)

Sherbok has written many books on Judaism. The Crucified Jew is written with emotion and bias, but not scholarship. It surpises me that it was published in its present form. The author cites references and quotes throughout the book but uses no footnotes or endnotes so nothing can be verified or reviewed. He exhibits a poor understanding of Christianity and the Bible. For example he says that according to the Church Fathers the Jews have been an apostate people. Yet, it is not the Church Fathers who determined that, the entire Old Testament (God himself) testifies to their apostasy. Sherbok views the New Testament as anti-Judaism and never considers the fact that criticism of the Jewish leaders may have been valid. He accuses the Christians of calling Jews demons when it was the Jewish leaders who first called Jesus himself a demon (something never mentioned in the book). He says elements of the New Testament were added later for "polemic" purposes, implying they are not true. However, he offers no support for this charge.

Sherbok advocates "Open Judaism" (See the book "Future of Judaism") in which Jews do not have to believe in God, or anything, to be Jewish. This explains his distrust of Scripture because the Word of God does not have to believed, either. This book has some good information, facts, etc. But it is very opinionated and devoid of scholarly support. Accusations are made as if they are truth when in fact they are his interpretation and opinion. Unfortunately the author does not convey this to the reader.