traduccion de conceptos de identidad

 Messianic Judaism: A Case of Identity Denied





truism of contemporary interreligious dialogue is that representatives of the various faith
communities must
accept and in fact welcome religious diversity and religio-cul- tcral pluralism. If dialogue is to
have integrity, each participant must be allowed to speak for and to be himself or herself. In no
other sector has this point been more emphasized and modeled than in the Jewish-Christian dialogue.
All are agreed that bridges need to be built between the Jewish and Christian communities to
provide a better perspective on theological issues, to foster cooperation at socio-ethical levels,
and to bring about Christian repentance of anti-semitic attitudes and actions, all hopefully
leading to reconciliation and mutual respect.
However, one group that might serve as such a bridge-the
Messianic Jewish community—is in fact rejected by both Jews and Christians involved in
interreligiousdialogue. Many people refer to such groups of believers as “Jewish Christians” or
“Hebrew Christians.” These titles suggest a potential for bridge

Here are people who might be expected to have sympathetic understanding oS both Judaism and
Christianity.

building. Here are people who are both Jewish and Christian and who might be expected to have a
sympathetic understanding of both Judaism and Christianity.
Yet this is the very point of contention. The overwhelming response of those engaged in
interreligious dialogue is that Jewish Christians, and particularly Messianic Jews, are the least
able to act as bridge builders. They are disqualified altogether from participation in the
dialogue, let alone from any sort ol leading contribution. Participants in the dialogue
nevertheless do not remain from speaking about Jewish Christians in a preju- dicial way. Even as
the right of self-definition is denied to Messianic Jews, both Jewish and Christian dialogue
participants impose their own definitions upon them. Indeed, Messianic Jews are accused of
syncretism, deception, cultic attitudes, and aber- rant behavior, and their religious convictions
and intentions are routinely called into question.
Messianic Jewish Distinctives
Broadly speaking, there are two wings within the community of

Walter Biggana is a minister in the íPreslnjterianl Church of Scotland u›ho serued for nine years
in Isrnel before tubing up hit present posl as Tutor in Biblical end Jeu›ish Studies aí All
Nutioris Christian College in England. Hrs Pdt.D. dissertation on the contemporaiy Messianic Jnuish
mouemení was done through ihe Center for the Study of Judaism and Jnuish-Christian Relations, in
the Selly Oak Colleges at the University of Birmingham, England.
Jewish believers. All hold in common the testimony that they have come to believe and experience
Jesus of Nazareth not only as founder and head of the Christian church but also as Israel's
promised Messiah, Savior, and Lord. There are those who prefer the traditional title “Jewish
Christians” or “Hebrew Christians”; others insist upon the title “Messianic Jews.” While many
Jewish believers may accept both designations, a distinction exists that may be expressed in this
fashion:
Those who wish to be known as Jemish or Hebreo Christians are signaling that the most important
fact about their religious identity is that they are Christians; their Jewish origin is of
secondary importance. They have chosen this identity in spite of the problems associated with
Christians and Christianity in Jewish history. These believers will typically be members of
traditional churches (Baptist, Presbyterian, etc.).
Those who insist on being known as Messianic Jus  are making thestatement that they areJewish
people who, indistinc- tion from most Jewish people, and in conflict with the traditions of both
church and synagogue, remain Jewish, and indeed dis- cover a richer meaning in their Jewishness
since coming to faith in Jesus. Jewish customs such as the celebration of Passover play a central
role in the community and family life of Messianic Jews. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of
Messianic Jews is their commitment to planting Messianic Jewish congregations of believers.
Although these congregations are open to non-Jewish membership (and indeed leadership), the ethos,
ambience, and pattern of life and worship are in keeping with Jewish cultural traditions and
sensitivities. These congregations are the prime social unit for the nurture and education of
Jewish believers, and they provide a setting to which nonbelieving Jewish family members and
friends can be invited without fear of frightening
them off with offenses other than that of the Gospel itself.
Although there have been experiments with various forms of Messianic congregational life before
(notably in the late nine- teenth century in Bessarabia), the explosion of Messianic Jewish life in
this century, especially in Israel and North America, is new. Messianic Jewish spokesmen sometimes
use a metaphor taken from photography to describe their movement. They say that just as one must
not judge a photograph while it is still developing but must wait until it is fully developed, so
one must not make ultimate judgments about Messianic Judaism when it is yetinits infancy. Whilesuch
comments cannot be used to plead for a moratorium on evaluation and analysis, perhaps the most
important task at present is to become aware of the self-percep- tion, the presuppositions, and the
goals of the movement.
A History of Antagonism and Distrust
Both Christians and Jews fall back on historical and theological reasons for their distrust of
Jewish Christians. Christians are suspicious of the claim that Jewish people can find fulfillment
in Christ without first rejecting and discarding their Jewish tradi- tions and distinctions. The
church has insisted for so long on stereotyping all things Jewish as legalistic and based on works-
righteousness that Christians tend to make a priori judgments


130           INTERNATIONAL Buscaría or MiSSlONARY RESEARCH

about the spiritual value of Jewish insights and traditional ways. For instance, when a Messianic
Jew reports that he and his family celebrate the Passover, this is seen as a compromise of the
crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. My Messianic Jewishfriends would answer that it is only when
we appreciate the founda- tional context of the Passover that we can understand the full
significance of the Last Supper, Jesus’ inauguration of the new covenant, and the creation of a
community of believers under God. The Passover is just one example of Messianic Jewish values and
practices that Christians stumble over.
Messianic Jews are often ridiculed on the grounds of plain nalveté in the face of history and the
historical development of theology, both Jewish and Christian. It is certainly true that sometimes
there can be a rather simplistic assumption that the Messianic Jewish movement will recover the
pristine worship, theology, and life-style of the first generation of Christian believ- ers. Talk
of restoring the church to its former glory is bound to create a less than enthusiastic response
from church leaders who are trying to apply their faith to today's circumstances. Through- out
history, however, many non-Jewish Christian movements have arisen (I am not referring simply to
sectarian movements) making the same point about the need for a return to first- and second-century
Christianity.
The other major issue is the fact that both the church and the synagogue have developed a great
deal in their self-definitions, especially vis-á-vis one another, since the days of the early
church. After centuries of horrific treatment of Jewish people by Christian churches and
communities, it is little wonder that Jews distrust Christians in general and Jewish Christians in
particular. Of course, Judaism defines itself in such a way that it excludes the possibility of
Jesus being the Messiah. Given this background, Messianic Jews are seen as hindering rather than
helping Jewish- Christian rapprochement.
Clearly, this is a highly emotive issue. This is due in part to the malaise caused when persons
from one faith community join another. A Hindu becoming a Muslim in the region of Kashmir would
probably be seen as exacerbating tensions rather than helping to restore mutual respect and good
relations between neighbors. Likewise, it is no surprise to find a conspicuous lack of tolerance
from the Jewish community toward Jewish people who convert to the camp of the traditional enemy,
and by so doing become “traitors” and “apostates.”
From the Christian perspective, the supercessionist triumphalism that has dominated the church's
attitude to, and treatment of, both Jewish people and Judaism over the centuries has led to a
willful refusal to see any good in the Jetrishness of Jewish persons who become followers of Jesus
and join local congregations of Christians. Jewish believers were made to discard their heritage
altogether and submit to a process of Gentilization. The story is told of the pastor who waited
until after the baptism of a Jewish person and then produced a bacon sandwich in front of the
congregation, insisting that the indi- vidual eat it to prove the sincerity of his conversion. This
is cultural insensitivity, personal insensitivity, and theological ig- norance and arrogance of the
highest order.
Throughout Christian history Jewish believers have been suspected of holding to a deficient
Christology. lt is difficult for Western Christians to imagine the harmful effect, cumulative over
the generations, that this pressure has had on Jewish people who find themselves attracted by Jesus
and the power of the Gospel. They experience a crisis of identity as they attempt to live out their
faith in Jesus in a community of Gentile believers.
A Quest for Self-Identity
Although Messianic Jews may be an anomaly in both the Jewish and Christian traditions, there is no
getting away from the fact that there has been a stream of convinced Jewish believers from the days
of the apostles to our own. At various times and places this stream has been strong and
fast-moving.
Since the late 1960s a new self-confidence has emerged with the rise of the Messianic Jewish
movement, which has resulted in a growing assertiveness of their right to be who they are, to speak
about who they are, and to expect to be accepted as they are by others. Is the reality of their
life in Jesus to be denied because it does not suit the presuppositions of some Christians and Jews
involved in interfaith dialogue? Are we Christians to reject these brothers and sisters in Christ
because their existence raises questions for another religious tradition?
One of my most poignant personal experiences occurred during a conversation in Jerusalem between a
Messianic Jewish friend of mine and a small group of non-Jewish Christians, of whom I was the only
one supportive of my friend's position. At one point a minister from Europe declared in no
uncertain terms that the Jewish people have no need whatsoever for Jesus, that he was not Israel's
Messiah, and that fulfillment would come to the Jewish people simply from their on-going covenant
relationship with God. My friend, for whom even the other antagonists were embarrassed, stood up,
walked over to the minister, and said quietly to him, “Are you saying that I would be better off if
I had not come to know Jesus as my Messiah, my Savior, and my Lord?” Suddenly everyone wasaware of
the reality of this Jewish believer's relationship with Christ; he had to be listened to.
Agenda for Making a Way Forward
Both sociological and theological considerations must be ad- dressed if a way is to be found to
open the channels of commu- nication with the Messianic Jewish community. By and large, studies of
Messianic Jews have focused on sociological concerns: are these people simply marginalized
individuals who in no way represent a significant tradition or community? Are they simply yet
another cultic manifestation of deep psycho-religious neuro- ses within Jewish people? Are they
motivated, consciously or subconsciously, by self-interest and the need for attention? All of these
criticisms have been leveled by Jewish sociologists and historians.
My experience with Messianic Jews leads me to conclude that Messianic Judaism is not some cult or
lunatic fringe. Jewish believers in Christ are in every way typical members of society: teachers,
nurses, engineers, homemakers, students, unemployed; good parents and children, loyal friends and
family members; stamp collectors, scout leaders, classical or rock music lovers, and so on. They
are not people who are psychologically damaged or deficient, nor are they victims of coercion and
manipulation at the hands of unscrupulous and mercenary missionaries. Yet this stereotype surfaces
repeatedly in the media and from various religious platforms.
From the theological perspective, the central questions are, Where do Messianic Jews belong as a
religious group? and, Do they have a distinctive role to play in interreligious dialogue?
Traditionally, Jewish believers have simply joined local churches and blended in with the Gentile
majority. If they have been involved in evangelism, it has been in general parish outreach. Most
theological studies have dealt with Jewish believ-



JuLY 1992
131

erswho have shown little interest in developing uniquely Jewish expressions of their faith, in
terms of either drama, dance, art, or teaching about the Jewish roots of the church.
What is needed is a theological appraisal of the Messianic Jewish movement. From the very beginning
of the life of the church there have been doubts about the orthodoxy of Jewish believers.
Generally, however, scholarly attention has focused on the known and suspected aberrant groups,
like the well- publicized Ebionites. The question before us is whether there is something
inevitable about Messianic Jewish heterodoxy. Cer- tainly, an examination of various statements of
faith that have been produced by Messianic congregations and organizations fails to reveal any
heterodoxy. The vast majority of Messianic Jewish people today belong to what is generally known as
the conservative evangelical wing of the church. This will not suit all

If Jesus has nothing to say to Jewish people, then he has nothing to say to anyone!

Christians, but that does not diminish their right to be acknowl- edged as bona fide Christians.
A second concem is the nature of evangelism within the Jewish community and the methods used in
that evangelism. The commitment of the Messianic Jewish community to evange- lism is strong, one of
the watchwords being that if Jesus has nothing to say to Jewish people, then he has nothing to say
to anyone! A basic argument for establishing distinct Messianic



Selected Bibliography
Bell, John. Houi to Be Like the Messiah. Orangeburg, N.J.: Chosen People Publications, 1987.
Chernoff, David. Yeshua the Messiah. Havertown, Pa.: MMI Publishing, 1983.
Fischer, John. The Olive Tree Connection: Sharing Messiah north Israel. Downers
Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1983.
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. Hebreui Christianity: fts Theology, History, and Philosophy. Rev. ed. San
Antonio, Tex.: Ariel Ministries, 1983.
Goble, Phillip. Evenjthing Voz Need to Crow a Messianic Synagogue. Pasadena, Calif.: William Carey
Library, 1974.
Jocz, Jakob. The Jeuiisii People and Jesus Christ After Auschwitz. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book
House, 1981.
Juster, Daniel. Jeuiisii Roots: A Foundation of Biblical Theology for Messianic Judaism. Rockville,
Md.: Davar Publishing, 1986.
Jewish congregations is to have effective evangelistic bases for reaching out into the Jewish
community. According to Messianic Jewish leaders, only in such a community can one find adequate
knowledge and u.nderstanding of the Jewish agenda and the sensitive support necessary for the
nurture of inquirers and new believers.
Two factors that have played significant roles in the growing contemporary movement are the newly
found social and politi- cal freedoms of Western Jewry as a whole, and the importance given to the
missiological principle of contextualization. In the West, Messianic Jews have no cause to fear
civic or political authorities when they meet openly for worship and evangelism. (Social structures
and pressures are something else again, of course.) Moreover, there is now widespread sympathy
among missiologists for the development of Christian worship and life- styles that reflect the
traditions and serve the needs of local cultures and subcultures wherever the Gospel is known.
Another matter for investigation is the charge that the Mes- sianic Jewish movement is a deviant
cult founded on authoritar- ian leadership, oppositionto culture,ethnicexclusivity, religious
legalism, brainwashing, and so forth. In my experience there is no evidence for this, but it is a
handy stereotype for opponents of Messianic Judaism.
It is surely time that the Messianic Jewish community be acknowledged by both Jewish and Christian
communities as being motivated by conviction, living with integrity, and being socially as well as
theologically viable.
Those involved in interfaith dialoguewho persistindenying the integrity and relevance of the
Messianic Jewish movement are engaged in the most basic kind of betrayal of their own
presuppositions and goals. They must ask themselves whether they are not indulging in their own
kind of supercessionist triumphalism.




Kac, Arthur W. The Messiahship of fesus. Chicago: Moody Press, 1980. Levitt, Zola. Meshumed!
Chicago: Moody Press, 1979.
Maas, Eliezer. Stand Yirm: A Suruiual Guide for the Neu›Jettiish Belieuer. Lansing, 111.: American
Messianic Fellowship Publications, 1990.
Rausch, David A.Messianic Judoism: Its History, Theology, and Polity. Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen
Press, 1982.
Rosen, Moishe. Y'shiio: The Jnuish Way to Say Jesus. Chicago: Moody Press, 1982.
Stern, David H. Messianic Jeu›ishManifesto. Jerusalem: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1988.
Telchin, Stan. Betrayed. London: Marshalls, 1981.















132            INTEnNATION AL B LLETIN Or MISSIONARY RESEARCH