For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity [Paperback]

Irving (Yitz) Greenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2004

Rabbi Greenberg’s book makes an invaluable contribution to interfaith conversation. He calls for Christians and Jews to come together in their continuously evolving partnership with God—dual covenants that demand “openness to each other, learning from each other, and a respect for the distinctiveness of the ongoing validity of each other.” Now, when the resurgence of anti-Semitism poses a threat to Jews here and around the world, this powerful book presents a new opportunity to heed the call first put forward by Rabbi Greenberg nearly four decades ago: a call for people of all faiths and cultures to work together to create a world in which everyone can live with dignity and equality—the deserved inheritance of a humanity created in the image of God. In the first half of his book, Rabbi Greenberg takes us on his personal journey to a rethinking of Christianity, which ultimately gave rise to his belief that Christianity, Judaism (and every religion that works to repair the world and advance the triumph of life) are valid expressions of the pact between God and humankind. In Part 2 he brings together for the first time his seven most important essays on the new encounters between Judaism and Christianity. Ideal for study groups and course adoption, the book contains a study guide as well as endnotes, an index, and thought-provoking responsive essays by leading Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish commentators, including James Carroll, Krister Stendahl, and Michael Novak. Readers, students, and scholars of Judaism, Christianity, and comparative religions will find this to be one of the most important books of our time on the Christian—Jewish relationship.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A rabbi, theologian, scholar and teacher, Greenberg established CLAL, the national Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, in 1974. This think tank's staff is a mix of rabbis and scholars from all Jewish denominations, reflecting Greenberg's determination to cut across the lines that separate Jews. His new book goes beyond internal differences within the Jewish community to explore Jewish-Christian relationships, a subject that has long commanded Greenberg's attention. In nine essays, Greenberg recounts his thoughts and experiences on the association between Jews and Christians, especially in connection with the Holocaust. His mentor Joseph Soloveitchik, Orthodox Judaism's leading 20th-century sage, opposed theological discussions between Jews and Christians. When Greenberg asserted that this ban contradicted Soloveitchik's own view that "life is spiritually seamless," Soloveitchik surprisingly agreed, opening the door for the ideas presented here and for the interactions with Christian theologians that informed them. The book includes five short comments by theologians on Greenberg's thinking. Some religious knowledge is useful for grasping the complex ideas, but the effort required to understand Greenberg's theological conceptions will be richly rewarded, since he provides vital insights into the possibility of "two parallel covenantal communities working side by side to bring God's Kingdom."
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Review

"[A] spiritual and intellectual autobiography. . . . At an important moment like this not only in Jewish-Christian relations but also in confrontations among all world religions, his approach deserves to be widely read - and debated."—New York Times

(New York Times )

"Emotionally powerful and lyrically written."—Baltimore Jewish Times

(Baltimore Jewish Times )

"A dramatic intellectual autobiography and a deeply stimulating theological tour de force. But most of all, it is a work of religious intensity."—Eugene Korn for Jewish Week

(Eugene Korn Jewish Week )

"Some religious knowledge is useful for grasping the complex ideas, but the effort required to understand Greenberg''s theological conceptions will be richly rewarded, since he provides vital insights."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

(Publishers Weekly )

"Simply the most stimulating, thought-provoking, and theologically challenging book I have read."—Jewish Book World

(Jewish Book World )

"The author makes a significant contribution to authentic inter-religious dialogue... This book I place on the shelf in my library that is most easily accessible. I know I will consult it often, for God''s sake and my own."—Sh''ma

(Sh'ma )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: The Jewish Publication Society (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827608071
• ISBN-13: 978-0827608078
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rabbi Greenberg opens a path to God, February 2, 2005

By 

Kim Egger (Freeport, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity (Paperback)

Over the years Rabbi Greenberg has shared his love of the Jewish people and Torah with thousands of readers. His love for God and God's people may have driven a wedge between some in the Jewish community and himself, but Rabbi Greenberg stays true to God by reaching out to the Jewish community once again and the Christian community. Christians and Jews both worship and love the same God. Christianity has taken the Jewish God and made him known worldwide. While medieval Christianity was cruel to non-believers and especially Jews, the Christian community can join with Jews in the most important mission of all, repairing the creation and presenting it to God shining and restored. The Jewish people view the mitzvah (Jewish Law) as the way to "tikkun olam-repairing the broken creation" and this book shows Christians how they too can join with the Jewish people to accomplish God's work.

As a convert to Judaism, I grew-up in the Christian community. I have found the same God, just different emphasis. Perhaps it is time for the Christian community to rise-up to the challenge and see Judaism as their partner in the work of God. And perhaps, it is time for the Jewish community to attempt to do the work of God with their Christian partners.

This book is a challenge to both faith communities. Rabbi Greenberg will certainly create controversy, but he will also, if given the chance, make both Christians and Jews think about their roles in THIS world, how they can help repair the insanity of poverty, illness, and senseless violence.

Rabbi Greenberg is, as always, ahead of the times. His challenge to individual Christians and individual Jews is a much needed wake-up call. I highly recommend this book. My prayer is that all of God's people finally learn to do His work and bring their love, passion and hard work to task at hand. Thank you Rabbi Greenberg for a thought provoking book. I am certain that God is smiling.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A radical rethinking of Jewish- Christian relations, September 4, 2005

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity (Paperback)

Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg has been for close to half- a - century one of the most caring and courageous of Jewish thinkers. For many he is the Reform and Conservative Jews' Orthodox Rabbi. For some he is the person who has gone so far astray from traditional positions so as to be no longer part of Orthodoxy at all. Yet even his most fierce opponents would find it hard to deny that he has been a tireless worker for the Jewish community and world through these years. And that he has in his thought addressed important questions others dared not approach.

One area in which he has pioneered is in Jewish- Christian relations. In this present book he tells in a remarkable autobiographical first- chapter the story of his efforts in these directions. He in this chapter outlines positions he has been developing for over forty years, positions which involve a radical rethinking of the Jewish relationship to Christianity.

This rethinking comes out of his historical knowledge of Jewish- Christian relations, and his understanding of the Christian roots of the Holocaust. More than anything else Rabbi Greenberg seems to be working for a kind of `tikkun' in Jewish- Christian relations that will prevent disaster in the future.

What he proposes is a relationship which goes beyond mere tolerance. He proposes that both Judaism and Christianity each other as valid religious responses, as valid Covenant religions.. Both religions as he understands it have their task, and their chosen place. Both present visions of Divine Redemption which have and can help bring about tikkun olam, a better world, a world more filled with life and goodness. For him Judaism is the senior partner, with its own special niche and relation to God. And Christianity is the religion which has spread the vision of one moral God to a vast share of humanity.

Rabbi Greenberg understands the terrible asymmetry in Jewish - Christian relations historically, in terms of persecutor- persecuted. But his thought is directed toward creating of a better future. He in this stresses the value of the kind of dialogue that he himself has engaged in for so many years with his Christian counterparts. And in fact the work concludes with the responses of some of his distinguished Christian colleagues, James Carrol, Michael Novak, Mary C. Boys, and Krister Stendhal. And Rabbi Greenberg is especially grateful to the insights and help given him and wife Blu through the years by Roy and Alice Eckhardt.

Rabbi Greenberg has always been an optimistic and positive thinker. And so he believes that despite the fact that the Jewish people today are barely holding their own in number while Christianity is a growing faith of close to two billion believers that Judaism's special message will appeal to that portion of mankind who needs what it alone can give, the demanding Torah- inspired life.

As a master teacher of Torah who has educated many of the Jewish leaders of today Rabbi Greenberg believes that a more learned and educated Jewish people will strengthen its unique covenant relation with God, while being able to understand the unique relation of Christianity to God.

This position is one which I doubt many Jewish thinkers will adopt. However in espousing this position Rabbi Greenberg does show a way for religious believers Jewish and Christian alike to live in mutual respect and dignity.and work together toward the making of a better world for all mankind.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional, February 23, 2006

By 

David Zaslow "Shalomrav" (Ashland, Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter Between Judaism and Christianity (Paperback)

Rabbi Greenberg's book is exceptionally well written. Even more important, the Rabbi gives us new and insightful ways to frame the Jewish/Christian dialogue. He and Blu Greenberg are pioneers in so many aspects of Jewish thought, and this book is just one more example.