The sun., 1919-08-17
By MORRIS JASTRow, JR.


Prof George Foot Moore takes up the
three great world religions, which by the
side Of Buddhism constitute tie most sig
nifcant movements in the unfolding of re-
hgious thought. The treatment through
out is from the critical poiat of view,
which involves in the case of all three re-
ligions the sitting Of reliable data from
the mass of unhistorieal tradition In which
the data have been imbedded The result
is in the case of Judaism a sharp differen-
tiation between the religion of ancient
Israel and the course taken by the religion
after the appearance Of the great proph-
cts In the eighth century before this era
Previous to the prophets the religious
beliefs and practices of the Hebrews did
not differ materially from those which we
find in kindred groups throughout Pales-
tine. The names of the deities worshipped
by these groups differed, but the traits
ascribed to them were much the same.
Yahweh, or the later designation Jehovah
(which Prof. Moore uses thrOughout),
bore the same relation to the Hebrew
tribes who formed themselves into a con-
federacy as Chcmosh did to the Moabites.
All this was changed when under the
influence of the prophets an entirely new
conception of Yahweh arose, which DIFF
ferentiated him sharply from other gods
by virtue of the ethical qualities superim-
posed upon the attributes of mere
strength. With the gradual establishment
of this doctrine, the Hebrews entered upon
a new course which finally eliminated,
though not until the post-eyilie period, in
the definite establishment of Monotheism,
that is, the magnificent conception of
Unity in the Universe, symbolized by the
creation and control of all nature and of
the fate of mankind through one Power.
As Prof. Moore aptly puts it, Jewish
monotheism is not the outcome of meta
physical speculations, but results from
the conception of history as a moral
order"
The authors survey of Judaism is
unique in that If does not close with the
rise Of Christianity-as discussions of
Judaism usually debut he continues the
rapid outline down to our own days. Nat
urally with a compass of less than 100
pages, only the high points in the history
Of the remarkable religion can be eonsid-
cred. Any one less learned than Prof.
Moore would have been unequal to this
task, but the very wealth Of his intellectual
resources enables him to give In succinct
form an eminently satisfactory and extra
ordinarily penetrating view of Judaism in
its various ramifcations. The chapter on
McdiaeuaI and Modern Judaism is to be
particularly commended, both because it
embodies material with which tie general
reader is not familiar, and because it is
indispensable to an understanding of the
present position of the Jews in the world
"a matter of interest to all, particularly
at the present juncture of human affairs
II.
Coming to the second theme, Christian
ity, the history of which covering half
the volume) is. likewise carried down to
modern times, the treatment OF the be-
ginnings of this religion IS naturally a
most delicate subject, particularly in a
work that aims TO be purely critical.
Readers will turn to Prof. Moore's view of
Jesus as the acid test of tbs part Of his
work. He entirely ignores the legendary
element that gathered about Jesus in the
Gospels and pseudo-Gospels, and aims to
give us a picture of the impression that
He made upon his surroundings by His
teachings in which He laid no claim to
being in any sense an innovator. There