Christian Zionism: Navigating the Jewish-Christian Border

by Faydra L. Shapiro, Brad H. Young (Foreword by)

Overview

Christian Zionism has received no small amount of criticism from observers who take issue with the movement's pro-Israel politics or its theology. What if we listened seriously to what Christian Zionists and Jewish partners said about Jews, Judaism, and Israel? Christian Zionism is a vibrant contemporary movement that--agree or disagree--has more than just political implications. Christian Zionism has also brought an unprecedented number of Jews and Christians into contact and dialogue, in houses of worship, community centers, rallies, and, of course, in Israel. As such, Christian Zionism is a useful case that allows us to think about contemporary Jewish-Christian relations in new ways. While some would argue that this is really "just" about pro-Israel alliance building, Christian Zionism: Navigating the Jewish-Christian Border shows how this movement significantly engages basic questions of identity and the borders between Judaism and Christianity. Christian Zionism serves as one chapter in the history of two religious communities--and the fraught relationships between them--facing together the globalized world of the twenty-first century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498280174
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	10/12/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	178
File size:	471 KB

About the Author

Faydra L. Shapiro is the director of the Galilee Center for Studies in Jewish-Christian Relations at Yezreel Valley College, Israel. She is the author of Building Jewish Roots (2006), which won a National Jewish Book Award.
Brad H. Young is a faculty member of the Graduate School of Theology and Missions at Oral Roberts University, serving as Associate Professor of Biblical Literature, as well as the founder and President of the Gospel Research Foundation, Inc. Dr. Young earned two degrees--an MA and a PhD from the Hebrew University--and is one of the founding scholars of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Studies. He has contributed to scholarly journals and spoken at many academic, church, interfaith, and civic gatherings. He regularly teaches classes on the parables of Jesus, the Jewish background to the Gospels, Rabbinic literature, and Paul, the Jewish apostle to the Gentiles. His most recent book is Meet the Rabbis: Rabbinic Thought and the Teachings of Jesus (Hendrickson; 2007)

Table of Contents

Foreword Brad H. Young ix

Preface: On Borders (a True Story) xxi

Acknowledgments xxiii

1 Introduction 1

2 Fieldwork in the Jewish-Christian Zone: Three Scenes 31

3 Standing with Israel: Religion and Politics 44

4 Ambivalent Love: Christian Zionists on Jews and Judaism 70

5 Jewish and Christian Responses to Christian Zionism 99

6 I Walk the Line: Navigating the Jewish-Christian Border 123

7 Mapping the No-Man's Zone 140

8 Conclusion: Riffing off Torah 154

Bibliography 159