No 20

(Judaism, part 2)

As in last week’s supplemental study of Islam, this one is similar but to Judaism and the definition of the various groups that adhere to Jewish culture. Judaism is a religion with many traditions and sects. As we know, the Jewish people began with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as outlined in Genesis 12 to 50. Through the centuries however, the clear-cut definition of the Jew has changed and maybe the proper word now is that is has diversified.

Here are some of the main groups of Judaism: 1) Conservative - Its philosophy combines commitment to Jewish tradition and the law with an open and positive approach to the modern world, to democratic culture and to Zionism. 2) Hasidic - The Hebrew word Hasid means "pious" and represents the East European Orthodox Jewish religious movement 3) Humanistic - offers a nontheistic alternative in contemporary Jewish life. 4) Messianic – This orthodox group believes that the Messiah will open the land of Israel once again to the Jewish people when he comes and they are opposed to the presence of Jews in modern-day Israel. 5) Reconstructionist – Defines Judaism as the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people indicating that Judaism has changed over the centuries. 6) Reformist – Began in North America in the mid-1800’s and is in recognition that reform is part of their way of life, as it has been for Jews throughout the centuries 7) Sephardic/Ashkenazi – Both groups originate in Europe, Sephardic Jews were located in countries on the Mediterranean Sea and Ashkenazi were located primarily in Poland and Lithuania.

Then there are Jews who have converted to Christianity and by doing so, became outcasts in their families; they are called Hebrew Christians. There is a verse in Isaiah and is repeated in the book of Romans in chapter 10 verse 15 and it says “…how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.” Although this verse can apply to any evangelism effort, it is in the middle of a Jewish context of Scripture – Romans 9 to 11 where Paul begins by saying “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” (Rom 9:3) May we pray for the Jewish people.