David Klinghoffer, a columnist for the Jewish Forward, is the author of in The Lord Will Gather Me In and The Discovery of God: Abraham and the Birth of Monotheism. He lives on Mercer Island, Washington, with his wife and children.
The provocative title of this unfocused book implies that it contains an answer to the question of why the Jews rejected Jesus. Indeed, Klinghoffer, whose memoir The Lord Will Gather Me In was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, buries several answers in this study's dense verbiage, but the reader has to struggle to locate them. After numerous citations, many from obscure sources, demonstrating erudite research, Klinghoffer reveals that the Jewish rejection of Jesus was "the founding act of Western civilization." It facilitated the development of Christianity and Islam as mass religions. Thus, according to Klinghoffer, the rejection of Christ was a "civilization-creating act." He arrives at this determination by examining "God's perspective," "God's intention," "God's purposes" and "God's plan." This remarkable display of chutzpah leads Klinghoffer to assert that the Jews are the "priesthood" and the Christians and Muslims are the "laity." Before making his pronouncement, Klinghoffer reviews Jewish history from the year A.D. 27 to modern times. At times, he criticizes Jewish liberals and secularists, and raises hard questions about the directions modern Judaism has taken. Some readers may find that the effort required to read this book is rewarded by its piquant conclusion: that the trajectory of Western history would have been entirely altered if the Jews had accepted Jesus. (Mar. 15) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
"A bold and provocative claim, made with sharp prose and brutal honesty." --D.C. Examiner"Klinghoffer's frank conviction lends his material urgency and narrative verve." --Washington Post -A bold and provocative claim, made with sharp prose and brutal honesty.- --D.C. Examiner-Klinghoffer's frank conviction lends his material urgency and narrative verve.- --Washington Post A bold and provocative claim, made with sharp prose and brutal honesty. "D.C. Examiner" Klinghoffer s frank conviction lends his material urgency and narrative verve. "Washington Post"" "A bold and provocative claim, made with sharp prose and brutal honesty." --"D.C. Examiner""Klinghoffer's frank conviction lends his material urgency and narrative verve." --"Washington Post" "A bold and provocative claim, made with sharp prose and brutal honesty." --"D.C. Examiner""Klinghoffer's frank conviction lends his material urgency and narrative verve." --"Washington Post" " A bold and provocative claim, made with sharp prose and brutal honesty." -- "D.C. Examiner"" Klinghoffer's frank conviction lends his material urgency and narrative verve." -- "Washington Post"
So why did the Jews reject Jesus? According to Klinghoffer, a contributor to the National Review, Jesus rejected the oral Torah-traditions the rabbis traced to God on Mount Sinai-and failed to fulfill scriptural predictions of the Messiah's accomplishments. Furthermore, St. Paul rejected the written Torah and thus moved the first-century Jesus Movement from a Jewish sect to a new religion. Klinghoffer concludes that "no authentic Messiah would inspire a religion that ended up calling upon the Jews to reject the manifest meaning of Sinai." However, he reasons that the Jewish rejection of Jesus resulted in a blessing for the world, as the new religion converted the pagan Roman Empire, which gave birth to Western civilization and ultimately to American democracy. Klinghoffer may be fairly faulted for denigrating Reform Judaism and for averting his eyes from the potential dangers of an alliance with Dispensationalist Evangelical theology, but in all other respects he has written an engaging, well-informed, and soundly reasoned book. Essential for every Christian and Jew who cares about the relations between the two faiths and highly recommended for all libraries.-Steve Young, McHenry Cty. Coll., Crystal Lake, IL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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