From the Editor – Issue 24
By Andrew Sparks
As a journal, Kesher continues to distinguish itself as a platform for some of the best of Messianic Jewish scholarship and theological reflection. This issue is no exception and explores a wide range of topics ranging from theology to halakha. It is a privilege to edit such a journal alongside a talented team of editors.…
Israel, Torah, and the Knowledge of God: Engaging the Jewish Conversation
By Carl Kinbar
In his paper “Finding our Way Through nicaea,”2 Mark Kinzer sharpens his previous thoughts about the connection between community and the interpretation of scripture.3 Because Messianic Jews are involved in two communities, that connection affects us in unique ways. Kinzer writes, I am proposing a theological and hermeneutical approach in which we as Messianic Jews…
Finding Our Way Through Nicaea: The Deity of Yeshua, Bilateral Ecclesiology, and Redemptive Encounter with the Living God
By Mark S. Kinzer
The Question and its importance A few years ago a controversy erupted in the Israeli Messianic Jewish movement over the question, “Is Yeshua God?” some leaders had publicly answered the ques- tion with a definitive “no!” Their refusal to call Yeshua “God” ignited a firestorm. In the eyes of many, these dissenting leaders had denied…
The Life of the First Jewish U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis: Exploring “Privacy Issues” and Ancestral Cultic Connections
By Elliot Klayman
Introduction: The Scope In 1890 the Harvard Law Review published an article by samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis, entitled, The Right to Privacy.1 The article was precipitated by the observation and concern that “what is whispered in the closet shall be proclaimed from the housetops.”2 Brandeis and Warren were outraged by the press overstepping its…
Halakic Authority in the Life of the Messianic Community
By Tsvi Sadan
First of all, I would like to express my thanks to those who have not refrained from making their voice heard in public. I would also like to thank those who refused to allow gossip and rumors to determine their agenda. I am also grateful to all those who were unwilling to let provocations sway…
Book Review
Sparks, Kenton L. God’s Word in Human Words: An Evangelical Appropriation of Critical Biblical Scholarship. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008.
By Derek Leman
Setting the stage for his own stance toward Scripture, Kenton Sparks begins by noting three approaches to navigating faith and Bible: secular, traditionalist, and constructive. Secular approaches do not regard the text as Divine at all. Traditionalist approaches de-emphasize the human element and tend toward harmonization and acceptance of early authorship. Constructive approaches integrate critical…
