From the Editor – Issue 26

Kesher 26 treats a number of controversial issues and contexts and reflects many voices. As stated in a previous Kesher editorial, “our journal functions as a forum … to periodically explore our identity as a Messianic Jewish community. Although a diversity of voices express Messianic Jewish identity, our story is still developing and continues to reveal who we are (or will be). As a pluriform movement that values and recognizes a concert of traditions, the Messianic Movement is seeking a shared vision and common trajectory.”

What is true of our exploration of Messianic Jewish identity is also true of our study of social and moral issues facing the Messianic Jewish community. The analysis of these issues provides an opportunity to raise our moral awareness and fidelity to truth. Kesher’s authors speak into challenging issues with spiritual depth and intellectual breadth, while leading to common ground in our Messiah and Jewish heritage.

Kesher’s contributors continue to represent various facets of the Messianic Jewish community in America, Israel, Europe, and England. In fact, the next issue, Kesher 27, will further demonstrate the extent of our community’s development by means of Israeli scholarship. Israeli Messianic scholars will be featured as a testimony to Israel’s own spiritual and intellectual progress and their contribution to the maturity of the international Messianic community. I have personally witnessed the growing impact of Israeli scholars while in Israel a dozen times.

The current issue begins with Jon Olson’s “Paul within Messiah, Torah, and Judaism.” Olson makes a good case for setting the life and teachings of Paul within first-century Judaism. This issue has other excellent articles from Nessim, Pikman, Klayman, and Fronczak. Enjoy reading from start to finish.

 

R. Andrew Sparks

Editor in Chief, Kesher