Sholem Asch, One Destiny: an Epistle to the Christians
(trans. by Milton Hindus; New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1945, 88 pp.) Sholem Asch was among the most beloved writers in Yiddish literature for the thirty or more years leading up to the Second World War. Encouraged by the great Yiddish writer I.L. Peretz and vigorously promoted by Abraham Cahan in the Forverts, Asch gained…
Read MorePeterson, Eugene H, The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways that Jesus is the Way
(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007.) I will start with a disclaimer – I’m biased toward Eugene Peterson. The first article I read by him was “The Unbusy Pastor,” back in 1981,[1] and it remains a favorite, even if I am still not as unbusy as Peterson would recommend. The article opens with a classic Peterson…
Read MoreDavid Berger, The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference
(Portland, Oregon: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2001.) Without a doubt, the central argument of David Berger’s The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference will strike a Messianic Jew differently than your average Orthodox rabbi or layperson, who are presumably Berger’s intended audience. For many of us, a particular line of…
Read MoreDavid Brondos, Fortress Introduction to Salvation and the Cross
(Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007.) In Fortress Introduction to Salvation and the Cross, David Brondos, Professor of Theology at the Theological Community of Mexico, surveys soteriological constructs ranging from the book of Isaiah to 21st century theologian Rosemary Radford Reuther. Brondos’ writing style is clear and readable, and while his treatment of biblical voices at times…
Read MoreThe Essential Need for Salvation through Messiah Yeshua
Written by Avram Aumick, Ralph Finley, Elliot Klayman and Howard Silverman* Sin separates humanity from God and the world to come. The mystery of salvation lies solely with God who has revealed only one way to enjoy right-relationship with God now and in the world to come. That way is personal, conscious faith (in this…
Read MoreThe Condition of Salvation – For Jews and Gentiles in this Age
The purpose of this article is to answer the question, “Exactly what must one do to be saved?” According to the Scriptures, what is it that a person must do to be saved? The key point as emphasized by the Brit Chadashah is that faith is the one and only condition for salvation. In more…
Read MoreSalvation and the People of Israel – Harmonizing a Soteriological Dilema
When we try to discuss the topic of soteriology and the people of Israel, we are faced with a problem. Soteriology is a Christian concept, discussed in Christian theology and is part of Christian dogma. The word “soteriology” is commonly defined as the study of the doctrine of salvation. It discusses how Messiah’s death provides…
Read MoreShavuot and its Impact upon a Messianic Soteriology
Recent discussions within Messianic Judaism have addressed various aspects of soteriology. Unfortunately, the relationship between Shavuot and the Messianic view of salvation is often missing from the dialogue. Yet, in Luke-Acts, the events on Shavuot are the culmination of Messiah’s redemptive work. Therefore, this paper will explore the significance in the arrival of the Spirit…
Read MoreFinal Destinies: Qualifications for Receiving an Eschatological Inheritance
In What Does It Mean To Be Saved?, Regent College professor John Stackhouse points to a misunderstanding of salvation that he sees as endemic in the evangelical world: In his gracious but penetrating response to the essays in this volume, Oxford professor John Webster wonders whether it is particularly North American evangelicals who need to…
Read MoreThose Who Do Not Obey the Good News of Our Lord Yeshua
Does the New Testament limit inclusion in the life to come to those who profess faith in the person and work of Yeshua? Those who would answer yes to this question might be termed restrictivists. Those who would answer no might be termed inclusivists.[1] The way I see the New Testament doctrine of salvation is…
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