One New Man Workshop

International Review of Mission, 2019

As the contemporary discussion on the “Emerging Church” (ECC) conversation shows, there is a shift in the understanding of Christian religion. (In its historical context, this is strongly related to Evangelism.) On closer examination, the ECC actually boils down to a transformation of Christian religion – a version of an experienced‐based, postmodern religiosity. The engine of this transformation is the clarification of the religious identity. The ECC can be described as a movement that serves as a transition for the protagonists in order to shape their individual processes of resistance as well as the processes of disentanglement in regards to their own religious orientation. Therefore, the discussion represents an “alternative space,” which is best seen in five motifs: the change of religious alignment; the significance of community; specific theological themes and strategies; dealing with different “contexts” in the conversation; and the emphasis of values, attitudes, and practic...

The purpose of this paper is to provide one perspective on how a clearly identifiable and tradition-respecting Jewish community of Jewish Yeshua followers can help partially fulfill the Messianic Hope of G-d’s redemption of his creation through effective witness and discipleship within the Jewish Community. My proposition is that this kind of Jewish Yeshua faith community is uniquely relatable and naturally attractive to Jewish people for two reasons. Firstly, as communal space for members of the Jewish community expressing spiritual curiosity regarding the person of Messiah Yeshua, and secondly for Jewish believers in Messiah Yeshua who desire normative Jewish community to actively live out their lives as Jewish people according to tradition, to find and marry a Jewish spouse who shares their faith and to help them transmit Jewish life, values and culture for their children and grandchildren. This proposition is therefore consistent with G-d’s promise in the Messianic Hope of bringing redemption for the individual Jew, and the Messianic Hope of bringing redemption for collective Israel.

In search of unity: Concrete steps towards reconciling (Messianic) Jews and Gentiles: PART ONE: A SHARED HISTORY Over the centuries, the Christian Church has increasingly become disconnected from its Jewish roots. However, as a result of Yeshua’s work of reconciliation among mankind, Jews and Gentiles were clearly meant to walk together in unity. How can Gentile and Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus) rise to the challenge to practice unity? What concrete steps may lead to a renewed relationship between 21st century Judaism and Christianity? There is hope beyond the mere rhetoric of reconciliation.

Presented at the 2014 Conference of the Society of Biblical Literature in San Diego, as part of a panel reviewing the volume "Introduction to Messianic Judaism" (eds. David Rudolph and Joel Willitts).

Organised by TJC2 (Towards-Towards a Second Jerusalem Council) and the Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna, under the auspices of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna. The international symposium that took place in Vienna from 11 to 13 July 2022 could be called a unique event. Over eighty participants from the USA, Israel and numerous European countries had gathered in one of the lecture halls of the stately and renowned University of Vienna to reflect on the relationship between the Messianic Jewish movement and the Christian churches. They represented a range of faith traditions (Messianic Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Evangelical, Charismatic) and diverse theological backgrounds. There have been a number of meetings in recent decades between Messianic Jewish leaders and representatives of Christian churches, for example, but certainly not only, in the context of the movement TJC2 (Towards a Second Jerusalem Council). But never before has there been such a broad representation as now in Vienna, not only from church circles but also from the academic theological world, and all under the official patronage of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna. Now, I myself am quite used to colloquia and seminars over the years, but in retrospect I am still amazed at the pace, organisation, multiplicity and diversity of topics of this symposium: 25 lectures of a solid scientific level by top theologians, in pairs where one speaker reacted to the other, plus of course the question rounds and some plenary discussions, all condensed into more than two days. And then there was the heartwarming reception in the Archbishop's Palace, where the Cardinal surprised those present with an extremely fascinating retrospective on the role of the Church in Austria during the Shoah. No time in between to see anything of beautiful Vienna. Whoever wanted to do that had to do it before or after. We never got further than the restaurant on the other side of the university! (See the programme as an appendix to this article.) The heart of the matter-for Messianic Jews What was the essence of this series of studies? What was at stake? I asked that question not only to myself but also during a plenary discussion, if only to get things clear. The answer is not the same for Jewish or Gentile believers in Jesus Messiah/Christ. The former want to be the continuation of the Jewish early church. Their Jewish identity is not only essential but also existential. That is why they call themselves "Messianic" and not "Christian". Even though the two terms have the same etymological meaning-Christian comes from the Greek christianos meaning follower of Christ, and Christ is simply the Greek translation of the Hebrew Messiah-they have very different associations, especially in the Jewish world. They develop a consciously Jewish articulation of faith in Jesus Messiahthough Jesus-believing Jews are far from agreeing among themselves as to exactly how this should be done, and to what extent they should observe the commandments of Torah. Those who emphasise Torah observance sometimes speak of a movement alongside the other movements within Judaism, known simply as "Messianic Judaism").

Evangelical review of theology 47 (1), 2023

The Messianic Jewish movement presents unique theological and diplomatic challenges not just to the Jews whom they hope will come to honour Jesus Christ but to other Christian groups as well. This summary of a July 2022 conference clarifies the issues in a dispassionate, definitive way. The international symposium titled 'Jesus: Also the Messiah for Israel? Messianic Jewish Movement and Christianity in Dialogue', which took place in Vienna on 11-13 July 2022, could well be called a unique event. Over 80 participants from the USA, Israel and numerous European countries gathered in a lecture hall of the stately, renowned University of Vienna to reflect on the relationship between the Messianic Jewish movement and Christian churches. They represented a range of faith traditions and theological persuasions: Messianic Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Evangelical and Charismatic. In recent decades, there have been a number of meetings between Messianic Jewish leaders and representatives of Christian churches. Notable examples include the Helsinki Consultations of Messianic Jewish and Gentile Christian theologians between 2010 and 2018, 1 and the movement called Toward a Second Jerusalem Council (TJC2). The latter organizes national and regional meetings, aiming at 'repentance and reconciliation between the Jewish and Gentile segments of the Body of Messiah'. 2 But never before has such a broad spectrum of participants come together as at this symposium, held by TJC2 and the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna. It included key persons already involved in the Helsinki

Hebrew Studies, 2016

The 2013 volume of Introduction to Messianic Judaism, edited by David Rudolph and Joel Willitts, consists of two distinct sets of articles. 1 The first contains essays dealing with the contemporary Messianic Jewish movement and authored by leaders of that movement. The second set includes articles by Christian scholars on exegetical and theological topics related to Messianic Judaism. The pieces dealing with the twenty-first century reality of the Messianic Jewish movement are of special importance because they defy stereotypes which dominate not only popular opinion but also academic discourse. These essays reveal a diverse and dynamic movement whose relationship to traditional Judaism and evangelical Christianity is a matter of intense inner debate. While as a whole it continues to be shaped by evangelicalism, postevangelical trajectories which identify with Jewish history and tradition appear to be ascendant. In October 2012, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement approved (without a dissenting vote) a responsum on the halakic status of Messianic Jews. In its opening description of the Messianic Jewish movement, the document treats the missionary organization "Jews for Jesus" as the prototypical expression of Messianic Judaism and views the founder of that organization-Martin (Moishe) Rosen-as the seminal figure in the movement's emergence: This idea [i.e., Messianic Judaism] was originally promulgated by Martin Rosen in 1973. Rosen was born a Jew but converted to Christianity and became a Baptist minister. He led a mission to convert other Jews, but when he found that they were not responsive, he came up with the idea that the impediment to Jews accepting Jesus was their reluctance to give up their identity as Jews and become "Christians." Jews for Jesus was his new tactic for converting Jews. 2

Religious Studies Review, 2011

1999