Let's Talk about Christian Antisemitism
Christianity has a long history of antisemitism and of fostering a climate where violence against Jewish people is treated as normal. Christianity also has a tendency to downplay the way it continues to reinforce and support antisemitism. Don’t get me wrong antisemitism in any context needs to be condemned, but too many American Christians view antisemitism as a “Muslim” problem while refusing to acknowledge that Christian violence against Jewish people continues to be widespread. American Christians also tend to say the right things in regard to condemning antisemitism and claiming to stand in solidarity while also espousing theological ideas that reinforce antisemitism.
Christians, in order to advocate for a society that protects all vulnerable populations and where Jewish people are able to live and worship freely, need to critically examine the ways in which our theological beliefs have undergirded antisemitism and we need to discard those beliefs, repentant, and do better. American Christians have created an environment where violence against Jewish people is normalized and yet we are so quick to dismiss our complicity in allowing this violence to continue.
Christians need to stop equating the Pharisees with religious hypocrisy. Not only is blanket condemnation of Pharisees an example of bad history and bad theology, (an argument has been made by some religious scholars that Jesus had a lot in common with the Pharisees) but hatred of Pharisees has often bled over into hatred for Jewish people in general. And blaming the Pharisees for Jesus’ death (although it was ultimately the Roman authorities who had the power to kill Jesus) has also led to blaming Jewish people for Jesus’ death.
Christians need to remember that Jesus was Jewish and so were many early Jesus followers. This is common sense but so many Christians seem to forget that Jesus was Jewish. Many of his most beloved teachings regarding the marginalized, God’s justice, welcoming of foreigners, taking care of the poor, etc were not created out of thin air. They are based on Jewish teachings. They are based on the Hebrew Bible. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus renounce his Jewishness.
Moreover, many early Jesus followers were Jewish and continued to observe the practices of their faith. Yes, there was tension, and we witness some of that tension in the New Testament. In fact, some of the Biblical verses that have been used by Christians to oppress Jewish people were probably the result of this intracommunal argument. Yes, eventually Christianity becomes its own separate religion, but that didn't occur until long after Jesus’ death.
Stop with the supersessionist bullshit. Christians haven’t replaced Jewish people in God’s eye or in any covenantal relationship with God. Christianity is not “better” than Judaism and Christians aren’t the fulfillment of God’s promise to the Jewish people. But…but what about Jesus? If your theology rests on having to view yourselves as superior to other people maybe rethink your theology? I see no problem with affirming Christian belief that Jesus is a unique expression of the divine, without denigrating other faith traditions and their unique understandings of God. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t have existed without Judaism.
Jewish people are not a monolithic entity-Jewish people have a variety of political and theological beliefs. They aren’t a singular entity. That diversity should be valued and respected. They have different opinions on the interpretation of Scripture, what Sabbath observance entails, whether or not they agree with the state policies of Israel, and a million other things relating to politics, religion, and every other topic under the sun. They fall all along the theological and political spectrum, and outside of it. Very rarely is there a singular Jewish view. Yet too many Christians like to treat Jewish people as a monolithic entity with no diversity.
Jewish people aren’t theological props for Jesus’ second coming- Some Christians consider themselves allies to the Jewish people because they support the policies of the state of Israel. Disregarding the fact that Jewish people themselves hold a variety of views regarding Israeli politics, when one digs deeper this support is often premised on the idea that the state of Israel has a unique role to play in the ushering in of the second coming of Christ, which some particularly more conservative Christians, depict as a time of pain and suffering.
Within this theological worldview, Jewish people become nothing more than a prop-necessary for Jesus to return. How does Jesus treat Jewish people (and the majority of humanity) according to this theology? Hint: not well. The majority of humanity are condemned to extreme suffering whether through the anti-Christ or in hell. This allyship on the part of some Christians is superficial and problematic.
There are other harmful Christian beliefs that contribute to antisemitism. But these are some of the common ones that I have heard over and over again from Christians across the theological and political spectrum. It is not enough for Christians to offer prayers and condolences after a tragedy occurs, but Christians need to be committed to creating a world where Jewish people are safe, and antisemitism is not tolerated.
Christians, especially, shouldn’t simply point the finger at other religious traditions. Antisemitism within other religious groups is very real and should be called out. But Christians need to be honest about how our theological beliefs often exacerbate and justify antisemitism.
