Opening the Covenant: A Jewish Theology of Christianity
"InOpening the Covenant, Michael Kogan faces the people, confronts them with a theological challenge in an honest and upright way, and does it with a purity of language, as the tradition demands." --Rabbi David Lincoln, Park Avenue Synagogue"Michael Kogan's book,Opening the Covenant: A Jewish Theology of Christianity, is a major contribution toward a thoughtful understanding of what Christianity might mean for us as Jews.  The product of his extensive experience in talking with Christians about faith, his philosophical training, and his deep knowledge of Jewish thought, this book maps out some critically important features of Jewish belief that can help Jews be fully committed to Judaism and, as a result of those convictions (and definitely not in spite of them) come to understand Christians as people of a different but an intelligent and sincere faith.  Indeed, only in comparison to such a conception of Christianity can Jews understand the values and concepts that their own tradition affirms." --Rabbi Elliot Dorff, American Jewish University"Michael Kogan does what Jews must do if they are to engage in a true dialogue with Christianity, namely, take Christianity seriously as an object of God's communication and affection. Dialogue is mutuality.  Until now, one could claim that the Jewish-Christian conversation was only a prolegomenon to dialogue. Now it enters into an authentic dialogue." --Leonard Swidler, Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue, Temple University"Are Jews anonymous Christians? Are Christians anonymous Jews, co-witnesses of the God of Israel among the Gentiles? With an intimate knowledge of both of these communities, Michael Kogan answers Yes and No to both ideas. He represents these two religions as standing on the edge of grasping the implications of encountering the absolute and incomprehensible Holy Mystery revealed to each. Each community has been addressed by, has responded to, and thus is constituted by the same faithful presence, or Word, or love of God. This book cuts through the phony complexity of theological mystification and opens up the exhilarating simplicity of the choice offered to each community: to recognize the other as kin, to appreciate the intimate partnership of responding to the transcendent God of power and love, and  to witness together to the values of God's kingdom in this world. This is essential reading for all Jews and Christians."  --Roger Haight, S. J., Union Theological Seminary"Michael Kogan, an observant Jewish scholar with extensive knowledge of Christianity, responds to the changes with a courageous Jewish theology of Christianity." --Journal of Religion