Crucified Jew: Twenty Centuries of Christian Anti-Semitism, The

The Crucified Jew: Twenty Centuries of Christian Anti-Semitism. By Dan Cohn-Sherbok. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans; American Interfaith Institute and the World Alliance of Interfaith Organizations, 1997, xx + 258, $18.00 paper.

Rabbi Professor Dan Cohn-Sherbok, the author or editor of more than forty books, a number of which are devoted to Jewish-Christian dialogue, has produced a lucid and pointed summary of the painful history of "Christian" anti-Semitism. Presenting a devastating array of material, Cohn-Sherbok draws a straight line from the pages of the NT to the Holocaust and beyond, yet he does so with a uirenic tone, always willing to point to examples of Christian leaders (including medieval popes) who stood up for fair treatment of the Jews. Moreover, the purpose of his book is constructive and redemptive, believing that now is the time for Christians and Jews to come to a place of understanding and mutual affirmation. The fact that this unchanged reprint of the original 1992 edition (Harper Collins) is jointly published by Eerdmans, the American Interfaith Institute and the World Alliance of Interfaith Organizations makes it imperative that evangelicals assess the accuracy and implications of this book, as well as come to grips with the shameful legacy of anti-Semitism in the Church.

After a thorough introduction in which each of the book's 18 chapters are conveniently summarized, Cohn-Sherbok moves systematically from "anti-Judaism" in the NT to the Adversos Judaeos of the Church Fathers, the Inquisitions, blood libels, and Crusades of the Middle Ages, the demonization of the Jews in European culture, and 20th-century anti-Semitism, including, of course, the Holocaust. While there is virtually nothing new that is presented here (the author acknowledges his debt in particular to Leon Poliakov and Rosemary Radford Ruether on p. xi), the special contribution of Cohn-Sherbok's volume is the richness of the material presented, always with reference to Christianity as the thread that ties all these variant manifestations of Jew-hatred together. Thus, while he recognizes the existence of pre-Christian, pagan anti-Semitism, he claims that it is only with the writing of the NT that "Jews come to be viewed as contemptible and demonic" (p. 1). Moreover, his quotations from the Church Fathers (including illustrious names such as Chrysostom and Augustine) not only prove shocking reading for the uninitiated evangelical but seem to back his claim that it was influential leaders such as these who paved the way for subsequent Judeophobia.

Unfortunately, Cohn-Sherbok provides no documentation at all throughout his book, a fact that is especially bothersome in chapters when even a reference to a quoted primary source (such as a Church Father) would have been extremely helpful. In addition to this, while the author demonstrates an excellent knowledge of Christian theology and is thoroughly conversant with the NT, at times he overstates his case (cf. e.g. p. 21 on Gal 4:8-10 and p. 24 on John 8:44, 47), while at other times he fails to interact with recent scholarly discussion of the alleged anti-Semitism of the NT (cf. e.g. David P. Efroymson, Eugene J. Fischer and Leon Klenicki, eds., Within Context: Essays on Jews and Judaism in the New Testament [Michael Glazier, 1993]). Also, his contrast between early Christianity and the Jews does not adequately recognize the fact that the first "Christians" were themselves Jews (despite later discussion of the Jewishness of Jesus; see pp. 225-227).

It would be fair, however, to say that such points are mere quibbles in light of the highly indicting material garnered by Cohn-Sherbok, and there are issues of far greater importance with which evangelical Christians must grapple, since the solution to anti-Semitism articulated by the author follows the lead of the Second Vatican Council and recent pronouncements of the World Council of Churches, calling for the mutual affirmation of Judaism and Christianity as valid saving faiths (with reference to two-covenant theology) and the repudiation of Christian "mission" in favor of Christian "witness." For the evangelical believer, however, the options presented are not wholly acceptable, leaving us with a challenge: Can those who hold to the veracity of the NT witness and the fundamental correctness of a universal gospel mission demonstrate that "Christian" anti-Semitism is a horrible aberration rather than a natural consequence of the foundational documents? In my judgment, this can only be done by repudiating supercessionism (i.e. replacement theology) as unbiblical, acknowledging the Church's forsaking of her Jewish roots, and reaffirming God's eternal purpose for the Jewish people (as reflected by their return to the land).

We can thus be grateful to Cohn-Sherbok for his passionate and forceful book, which makes it impossible to avoid the painful issue of the Church and the Jews, and more importantly, underscores the utter inappropriateness of offering cheap answers to the historic problem of "Christian" anti-Semitism.