Messianic Judaism: The First Study of Messianic Judaism by a Non-Adherent [Paperback]

Dan Cohn Sherbok (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2000

Who are the Messianic Jews? What do they believe and practice? What is the Jewish community's reaction to this movement? This study traces the development of the movement from its origins in the early part of the 19th century and its transformation in the post-World War years. Focusing on the nature of Hebrew Christianity today, the volume continues with a sociological analysis of its adherents and theological exploration of its central tenets. It also pays attention to the tensions within Messianic Judaism and the central dilemmas it faces in the future.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rabbi Professor Dan Cohn-Sherbok has a Ph.D. in theology from Cambridge University, UK, and an honorary doctorate in divinity from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, USA. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Judaism, University of Wales: Honorary Professor, University of Aberstwyth: Visiting Professor at St Mary's University College and York St John University; and Visiting Research Fellow at Heythrop College, University of London. He has written numerous books, including The Paradox of Anti-Semitism, Dictionary of Jewish Biography, Atlas of Jewish History, Modern Judaism and Judaism Today. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Continuum Intl Pub Group; First Edition edition (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304707309
• ISBN-13: 978-0304707300
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,554,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Model and Mitzvah - (review by Rabbi Bruce Cohen), July 13, 2000

By 

Bruce Cohen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Messianic Judaism: The First Study of Messianic Judaism by a Non-Adherent (Paperback)

In the summer of 1962, the late American President John F. Kennedy said "If we cannot come to agreement, at least we can make the world safe for diversity." Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok's recent book has taken an important step in that direction within the Jewish world. Dan invited me to write a review of "Messianic Judaism," and because of the book's character, I am very glad he did. In the past year alone, two books on Messianic Judaism have been published by rabbis from within mainstream Jewish denominations. This is an extraordinary shift in theologic climate in and of itself. Mere years ago, it was nearly impossible to find a rabbi outside Messianic Judaism who would call Messianic Judaism any kind of "Judaism." Cohn-Sherbok's book has a particularly poiginant opening, because he describes its catalyst as having been Messianic Judaism's current ubiquity in the Jewish world. He asserts that wherever you go among Jewry today, at least one member of most extended Jewish families has been touched in some way by Messianic Judaism: a sister, a brother, a cousin - someone. This is an astonishing and courageous an approach. Cohn-Sherbok states unequivocally that Messianic Judaism is "on the map" in the Jewish world, and he invites all to learn to navigate in relation to its existence. Like an explorer having come upon a new island in the common routes of commerce, he dares to step onto the landscape, travel it, study it, and bring back a useful map to the world still unfamiliar with the territory. The amount of objectivity Cohn-Sherbok was able to summon to a highly controversial topic for his sphere was admirable. His book is a remarkably even-handed examination. He begins with Messianic Judaism's roots in antiquity; then, he examines its more recent history and the arc of its modern development. He also scrutinizes and describes current practices of the Movement, and does so without the slightest hint of "tongue in cheek" undertones. He writes as a sincere academician within the gates of Judaism, treating a topic of value to the Jewish world he serves. The book will be of great use to Messianic Jews, because Cohn-Sherbok is an outsider to the eddies and currents within Modern Messianism; he therefore writes about somewhat partisan issues with a clarity many will find refreshing. Further, his examinations of Messianic practice will be quite valuable for Messianic laity and clergy alike. For non-Messianic Jews, the book will serve two valuable purposes. Firstly, it will provide a "window" into Messianism opened by a trusted hand; thus, many of our people who would never darken the door of a Messianic synagogue will be given a virtual tour they otherwise would not have obtained. Secondly, Cohn-Sherbok's book models an approach to differences within the gates of Judaism I daresay we all hope will be more common in the future: putting aside knee-jerk invalidation reflexes in order to give strongly differing views a fair and dispassionate hearing on their merits. With several varieties of mainstream Judaism currently warring with one another to the extent that some are calling others "not Judaism at all" - it is quite refreshing to see Messianic Judaism on the table as a Jewish "in-house" issue for reasoning Jewish discussion. Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok has set a precedent for fostering intra-Judaic toleration, and has at the same time modeled dispassionate theological exploration for his colleagues. Thus, with his book, Rabbi Cohn-Sherbok as done a double "mitzvah" (good deed).

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars messianic judaism, August 15, 2000

By 

bruce schloss (Crawley, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Messianic Judaism (Hardcover)

This is a profoundly interesting book. There is no doubt the Jewish community detests Messianic Judaism and puts it about on a par with holocaust denial. Sadly, this is a knee-jerk reaction. Rabbi Cohn-Sherbok who is himself a Reform Jew and, from the evidence of his other books shares none of the beliefs of the Messianic community, has done an excellent job in presenting the history, beliefs and practices of the group objectively. It is an important piece of research and he has talked to critics of the movement as well as adherents. From his account, it is hard to imagine why any rational person would want to join the movement, but nonetheless it does appeart to be growing. If this is the case then it is important that the mainstream Jewish community voices its objections from the basis of secure knowledge. This book is an informed and fascinating piece of work and as such should be part of the library of every yeshiva, rabbinical college and synagogue. If the mainstream community were only secure enough to learn from fringe movements and make some attempt to understand their appeal to the more vulnerable members of our community, our synagogues might be fuller and our young people less turned off. Instead, the community prefers blanket condemnation and unreasoned abuse. No wonder the educated youth of today are disaffected. Rabbi Cohn-Sherbok is to be congratulated on his single-handed attempt to redress the balance; it is splendid to find someone in this day and age who takes Milton's defence of a free press seriously; as the great seventeenth century poet put it in his 'Areopagitica', 'Whoever knew Truth put to the worst in free and open discussion.' The Jewish community has nothing to fear from the Messianics; we simply need to be more confident in what we ourselves have to offer.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Model and Mitzvah, July 9, 2000

By 

Bruce Cohen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Messianic Judaism: The First Study of Messianic Judaism by a Non-Adherent (Paperback)

In the summer of 1962, the late American President John F. Kennedy said "If we cannot come to agreement, at least we can make the world safe for diversity." Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok's recent book has taken an important step in that direction within the Jewish world. Dan invited me to write a review of "Messianic Judaism," and because of the book's character, I am very glad he did. In the past year alone, two books on Messianic Judaism have been published by rabbis from within mainstream Jewish denominations. This is an extraordinary shift in theologic climate in and of itself. Mere years ago, it was nearly impossible to find a rabbi outside Messianic Judaism who would call Messianic Judaism any kind of "Judaism." Cohn-Sherbok's book has a particularly poiginant opening, because he describes its catalyst as having been Messianic Judaism's current ubiquity in the Jewish world. He asserts that wherever you go among Jewry today, at least one member of most extended Jewish families has been touched in some way by Messianic Judaism: a sister, a brother, a cousin - someone. This is an astonishing and courageous an approach. Cohn-Sherbok states unequivocally that Messianic Judaism is "on the map" in the Jewish world, and he invites all to learn to navigate in relation to its existence. Like an explorer having come upon a new island in the common routes of commerce, he dares to step onto the landscape, travel it, study it, and bring back a useful map to the world still unfamiliar with the territory. The amount of objectivity Cohn-Sherbok was able to summon to a highly controversial topic for his sphere was admirable. His book is a remarkably even-handed examination. He begins with Messianic Judaism's roots in antiquity; then, he examines its more recent history and the arc of its modern development. He also scrutinizes and describes current practices of the Movement, and does so without the slightest hint of "tongue in cheek" undertones. He writes as a sincere academician within the gates of Judaism, treating a topic of value to the Jewish world he serves. The book will be of great use to Messianic Jews, because Cohn-Sherbok is an outsider to the eddies and currents within Modern Messianism; he therefore writes about somewhat partisan issues with a clarity many will find refreshing. Further, his examinations of Messianic practice will be quite valuable for Messianic laity and clergy alike. For non-Messianic Jews, the book will serve two valuable purposes. Firstly, it will provide a "window" into Messianism opened by a trusted hand; thus, many of our people who would never darken the door of a Messianic synagogue will be given a virtual tour they otherwise would not have obtained. Secondly, Cohn-Sherbok's book models an approach to differences within the gates of Judaism I daresay we all hope will be more common in the future: putting aside knee-jerk invalidation reflexes in order to give strongly differing views a fair and dispassionate hearing on their merits. With several varieties of mainstream Judaism currently warring with one another to the extent that some are calling others "not Judaism at all" - it is quite refreshing to see Messianic Judaism on the table as a Jewish "in-house" issue for reasoning Jewish discussion. Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok has set a precedent for fostering intra-Judaic toleration, and has at the same time modeled dispassionate theological exploration for his colleagues. Thus, with his book, Rabbi Cohn-Sherbok as done a double "mitzvah" (good deed).