The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-09-10
TIE JEWS AND CHRISTIANITY
A Jew on the Possibility or tho Recon.
ciIlation or the Old and New Tcstament,,

To THE EDITOR OF THE sUN-Sir: Strange
AZ IL may seem. " 10 a fact that hardly one
out of hundred Jewish theoloeians. even Of
| the progressive school, takes the trouble to
! study the New Testament. Christian dog.
matics or Church history. ana probably
like proportion prevails among Christian
theoloeians with regard to Jewish Bible
| exeResis, Jewish religious philosophy or the
outer history OF tho synagogue. Far greater
yet, Of course. Is the ignorance concerning
| their respective Churches among Christian
and Jewish laymen. although their ancestors
lived together for about 800 years. and their
houses OF prayer elbow one the other Ia
the streets and avenues OF thousands of our
cities throughout the world.
Tho late Philadelphia lawyer. Moses A.
Dropsie In order to remedy this state OF things,
left about ssOo. 900 for the establishment Of
public college where the history. literature
| and religion Of the Jews should be taught TO
every one anxious to enlarge his knowledge
on these subjects, With few exceptions.
tho entire Jewish press OF this country re-
ceved the will Of the generous donor with
| GOODNESS, yea. apathy and contempt and the
future governors OF the institution them
selves seem to consider the honorable task
imposed upon them by the testator burden
and are deferring any action toward the
definite formation Of the college to the ut
most limit allowed by the law for executors
to settle up an estate.
When. a couple OF years ago. three Jewish
multi nilllonaires OF New York devoted
a.thodoS rahh,nicaI seminary ~ this citv
~ ~. ha,,ad with frantIc enthusiasm =.
III u Ior.., 4" .yon hv tho renreson,oo
es ~. n,ost rodica, wins ~ lmeriosr
Judaism, whereas the generous. blind law
yer Of the Quaker City. who. In spite Of his
mother having been Christian. was through
OUT MS ,lie e'ahon 'uppo ~ oonee,Ia-
tive Judaism ana leit almost ms ,t en,re ior-
tha nrsvaiInr nreiudices among jew and
C",.p. ,a "a ~ a sort NJ nhuonth-ont.
Gentie. Is ueatea as SUI. ot phn ,
tho American synagogue. wishing, for per.
eonal reasons, to keep I'D the separating
v.,Is hetwean .Judasm and Christianity
In spite. however. OF this oniciai resistance
to better understanding between the fol-
lovers Of the Two great mono. u, tsut, and
peace will in the end prevail, since happily.
p@ of tho Anslo.Jewi.h Assoeiatio ON.
predestined to become the first Jewish com.
mentator Of the New Testament and the
sosue.
Christian theologlans and Christian lay
tS. bers of h,
DOTS are .ho nC .h' oud =, -, ,, sno
t for whom tses
believed to be mainly responsible for the
death Of their Saviour. As a matter OF fact.
however: the theology s, Of I'll, the average
It. product. is az fsT rom the primitive i, ,!sal
essSnd 0' Pre- f the ' q ~.
| schduuno OF the Spanish monk OF the twelfth
century: . ,, ... ... -.
been Jewish religious development parallel
with that OF christianity though ndepstn,aent
although later a Than the me Gospes are BY no
the best religious conceptions Of the then
rabbinic parallel to the sayings and teachine s
Of Jesus is intensely and specifically Jewish
therefore that many any Of the synGpo
Of the jealous, Christian apolosist and mis-;
Sas! sh ss ths Hesfe% a.
self up" says Monteti9re. TO TO the beauty o.
70 pick holes in them. Or 70 az parallels t.
e or the Ta bbinloai iiteTstuTe. orisinsIlty
and novelty being claimed ioT TOO much, they
are olten uenieu OF uhperceiNeo ~here tney
| really exist.
- Thus the jewish reader OF the svnoptlo
Gospels Rreets the conception OF the Father
hood Of Goo. IN rclati9n not merely 70 ths
| race. but also 70 the inoivloGai. as AZ OLD
acquaintance. ne mas caileo Go1 our rather
| as long as the Chrisuan: while ne strongly
| resente the lmputatlon OF q certain category
| OF missionary trncIs as ms Goo were the
| severe. yea. pitness ana revengelui JanTeh
OF certain paris OF the oln Iestament. The
truth" says Montehore, is that the synop;
uc H G9nGep ,in 81 uhe ratneshooo OF Hoo ana a
OF ms loving kihhness was SO novel 70 ths
t nsf b o, me heen fas waen tney
must nave Pc 9een sh h,siay novel 70 ths jew
ern jew y was ana Is the c Of his religion.
to several other ethical teachings OF ne
| synnptlc gospels: ihat reconcllement WIN
one neienpor must precede reconcllement
with Goo that the best aims are those given
| IN secret, mat impure thoughts are evil as
| we!i as impure oeeds; tnat there ls peculiar
| 10Y ~ heaven over Ine repentant lhese
ooett,hes anu several others are not only
Tapnlhic commohpiaces, but also familiar
oeSlsn maNtms. o,-,-..
| NOW: VIVA. are. apaIt from az Christ9logy.
| Ghe principal nplectlons made or ielt by
| Jews 70 tne rcuglous ana moral teachings
o. tne Sospels. iney oeleye the later 10
pc IN many cases lar 700 ioealistic ana there
lore incapable OF realization, yea. mt II liter
| Any oDeveu 70 pronuce unlversai CONFUSION
| IN our human society. But the stronTest
3ppostion Is SHOWN by the matter-of- TACT
| ne9reW 70 tne SnTlsuah advocacy OF ascetlsln