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hpj0828
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| Joined: | Sun Apr 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Henry | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Messianic Jewish believer, Hebrew Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 02:51 am |
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It seems that the Messianic Jewish community is opening its eyes to the validity of Hebrew Catholics:
http://www.jewsforjesus.org/
Their news magazine Issues is devoted entirely to Hebrew Catholics!
A worship leader from a prominent Messianic synagogue, and a personal friend is coming to lead worship at the weekly charismatic prayer group in our parish! Please pray!
Henry
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BillK
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| Joined: | Sun Jan 6th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 39 |
| First Name: | Bill | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Revert to Catholicism (dabled in Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Evangelical, Messianic ... |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 09:18 am |
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| Henry - it's good to hear from you again. I will pray for your meeting. This article in JFJ is very promising! I have been trying to explain the Jewish foundations of our faith from a Catholic perspective in their forums. I'm finding that most who reply are not really Jewish at all and are not open to the true roots of our faith. I've tried explaining the Eucharist, the "al-bayit", the "Semicha", oral tradition and so on. My posts seem to fall on mostly deaf, protestant, hostile ears but hopefully some seeds of truth are being planted. I sure could use your help there!!!
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hpj0828
Member
| Joined: | Sun Apr 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Henry | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Messianic Jewish believer, Hebrew Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 01:27 pm |
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Dear Bill,
I also encountered a particular individual who was very hostile to RC on the JFJ forum. I complained about it, so that now, at least, the RC forum is supposed to be moderated.
Apparently, the squeaky wheels that make the most noise do not represent the leadership of JFJ.
Times are changing!
Shalom!
Henry
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2522 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 01:50 pm |
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I'm finding that most who reply are not really Jewish at all and are not open to the true roots of our faith. I've tried explaining the Eucharist, the "al-bayit", the "Semicha", oral tradition and so on. My posts seem to fall on mostly deaf, protestant, hostile ears but hopefully some seeds of truth are being planted.
This is not unexpected, is it, Bill? I’ve long contended that much of what passes for Messianic Judaism is in fact constructed by non-Jewish Evangelicals who, through their “back to the source” (bible only) mentality, have taken a fancy to the trappings of Judaism without really entering into its essence.
Last year I had an opportunity to spend several days with a practicing Jew who supports Rabbi Tovia Singer’s apologetics ministry. He and I were able to agree on dozens of close parallels between Judaism and Catholicism, whereas Evangelicalism diverges significantly on most of those points. He concluded that if he were ever to believe in Jesus, it would have to be as a Catholic, because that is the only path that makes any sense.
David
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hpj0828
Member
| Joined: | Sun Apr 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Henry | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Messianic Jewish believer, Hebrew Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 07:14 pm |
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Dave,
Messianic Jews have a history of evangelical theology, because they were spawned by an evangelical revival. Find below a synopsis of the history.
However, the UMJC--Union of Messianic Congregations, an alliance formed in the last decade, is rejecting their evangelical heritage. Unfortunately, the UMJC is putting out a theology reminiscent of the liberal theologies I encountered at Princeton Seminary. In an endeavor to be viewed as "truly Jewish" by the larger Jewish, especially the Orthodox, community, they are slowly, but surely, deemphasizing and abandoning the "Messianic" part of their heritage. In the long run, short of a revival from God, they will become ordinary Conservative or Orthodox synagogues that don't teach or believe in the Messiahship of Jesus.
In contrast the MJAA--Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, of which Beth Yeshua is the HQ, retains its evangelistic fervor and devotion to the Messiah. Every service I attend there, I see several Jewish people coming to faith in the Messiahship of Jesus. Beth Yeshua is a wonderful source of new Messianic worship music as a result of the spiritual life there.
Here's a recent synopsis from one of my emails:
On Messianic synagogues:
The late 1960s through early 1970s was marked by The Jesus Movement, a remarkable evangelistic revival among the Hippies. Many hippies came to believe in Jesus at this time. Among them were a significant number of disaffected Jewish youth.
As a result of this, there has been an explosive growth in the number of Jewish believers in Jesus, since that time.
A movement began to bring these Jewish believers into a new type of Jewish worship community: The Messianic Synagogue. A Messianic synagogue is filled with Jewish, and many non-Jewish believers in Jesus as the Messiah. It's format is very much like a traditional Conservative synagogue service. There is liturgy in Hebrew and English. There is a rabbi. Attendees wear yarmulkes and prayer shawls to services. The Torah scroll is kept in the recess of the Ark behind the curtain in the sanctuary. Torah readings are in Hebrew with English translation displayed on an overhead or in a bulletin. Then, there is a reading from the Prophets. Finally, a reading from the B'rit Hadassah--the "New Covenant" or New Testament. Messianic Jews believe that the New Testament is just as much inspired Scripture as the Tanakh (OT).
Many older Jewish people feel very alienated from a traditional Protestant or Catholic church. The environment reminds them of centuries of persecution of Jews by Christians. Such people feel more comfortable worshipping in a synagogue setting. The younger generation is less alienated to Christianity and the Catholic Church. Witness my friend who is coming to lead worship in our parish.
The worship space in a Messianic synagogue contains none of the usual fixtures of a Christian church. You will not find a cross, instead you will find a star of David displayed. (The cross has too often throughout history been the emblem carried by those who murdered the Jewish people in the name of God. It is profoundly offensive to many Jews, particularly of the older generation.) They have a rock worship band that plays worship songs like those in our prayer group book, as well as traditional synagogue hymns. There is usually a dance group that performs traditional Hebrew dances, such as the hora, during the service.
The original Messianic synagogues were very much evangelical and pentecostal in nature. Congregation Beth Yeshua (House of Jesus/Salvation) still retains this character. Unfortunately, some other Messianic synagogues have evolved over time to a position where they are more interested in being accepted as truly Jewish by the larger community, that they deemphasize Jesus as Messiah. This road will ultimately lead them after a generation or two away from Jesus.
A CBY service usually includes an altar call. Every time I go there, several Jewish people come to faith in Jesus as Messiah.
CBY is also the headquarters of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, a large association of Jewish believers, some of whom worship in traditional Christian churches, while others worship in Messianic synagogues. It has a statement of faith quite similar to that of Jews for Jesus, as well as other many evangelical Protestant churches.
As inheritors of an evangelical and pentecostal background, most Messianic Jews of my age that I know are very closed to the idea of the RCC. Others are closed to the RCC because of the tragic history of persecution which they associate with the RCC, even today. However, these attitudes are changing in the younger generation.
Congregation Beth Yeshua was one of the earliest Messianic synagogues founded. It is also the headquarters of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, an organization originally founded in 1915 and the oldest such organization of Jews who believe in Jesus in America.
Here are some links:
Congregation Beth Yeshua: http://www.cby.org
Messianic Jewish Alliance of America:
http://www.mjaa.org
Henry
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hpj0828
Member
| Joined: | Sun Apr 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Henry | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Messianic Jewish believer, Hebrew Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 09:34 pm |
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I am convinced that Dave is correct. That the only real option for Jewish believers in Jesus who understand their Jewishness is to join the RCC. That is why I became a Catholic.
There are profound theological problems/contradictions at the core of Messianic Judaism. To cite just a few: What do the synagogues do with Gentile believers in their midst? Can a Gentile become a synagogue elder? A rabbi? If so, doesn't the synagogue lose its Jewish identity? If not, doesn't this make Gentiles "second-class citizens" in the synagogue? How can this be reconciled with the equality of all believers taught by Paul? How do Messianic Jews in synagogues reconcile conflict between rabbinic tradition and the NT? Do MJs follow the Law of Moses only? (Which is not possible without the Temple.) Or Rabbinic Law? Orthodox? Reform? Conservative? Is following the Law an obligation? Or merely a preference?
Despite this, most Jewish believers in Jesus are not in the RCC. Why is this?
I think there are several reasons:
1. Most Jewish believers know little about their heritage. About 80% of Jews in America, and in Israel, are liberal secularists. So, they don't have enough understanding to see why the RCC fulfills Jewish heritage. They simply accept the theology of whoever evangelized them. Since RCs do not seem to be doing much evangelism, these Jewish believers become Protestants.
2. Some Jewish people are very assimilated. They don't view themselves as Jews and don't want to retain their identity. Sometimes, they are even in rejection of this identity altogether. A good Jewish friend of mine was never happier than when he discarded the whole synagogue thing and lived as a secular person. He is now married to a RC who doesn't go to church.
3. Some Jewish believers wish to retain their identity. There is only a nascent capacity to nurture this in the RCC. The Hebrew Catholics are trying to form a community within the RCC that would preserve Jewish identity and calling. While this is in evidence among a handful of national leaders, at the local level, it is really non-existent. There is no such option in my diocese, for example.
Neither can these believers retain their identity in Protestant churches. Many believers, evangelized by Protestant Gentiles are drawn out of Protestant churches into Messianic synagogues, because they have discovered the value of Jewish heritage, or experience anti-Semitism. They wish to pass a Jewish identity on to their children, which is very difficult to do in either Catholic or Protestant churches today.
Until the RCC can provide an environment which nurtures Jewish believers, I can't see how Catholics can criticize those who choose to go to Messianic synagogues. The privilege of criticism goes to those prepared to provide a real alternative that meets the divine call of Jews.
In any case, it is particularly offensive to Jewish believers to suggest that who choose to worship in Messianic synagogues are a figment of Protestant evangelical imagination. Such Jews are real. They are passionately Jewish. They have their own theology and liturgy. In fact, many within the fundamentalist camp vigorously denounce Messianic Judaism as being "unbiblical".
Henry
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 2445 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Evangelical (1977): Diverse Protestant Influences / Catholic in 1990 |
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Posted: Tue Jun 3rd, 2008 10:59 pm |
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| I'm greatly delighted to see that Jews for Jesus is recognizing Hebrew Catholics. That shows that they aren't tolerating anti-Catholicism (which one would hope is true for those who are so familiar with anti-Semitism).
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 2100+ papers & web pages (free) & 17 apologetic books (4 sale: 15 E-Books: $25)
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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