Replacement Theology "anti-semitic"?

[LittleLambofJesus]

Since another thread on this topic was closed by the OP, I thought I would start another one.

What are other's view on this? I have heard it is an "anti-Semitic" view.

Please try and keep this a civil discussion, and also try to stay on the topic of the thread
[at least as much as possible ]
Thanks

http://www.christianforums.com/t7745438-9/#post63063372
Replacement Theology?

Originally Posted by motherprayer

What IS it? I've seen this term a few times, and have no idea. Help me out, please, learned theologians?
​

Replacement theology along with supersessionism, fulfillment theology is essentially the doctrine that the church replaced Israel and became the spiritual Israel based upon the new covenant replacing the old covenant and changing hands so to speak. This theology along with others has been one of the biggest sources of persecution of the Jewish people.

Quite a lot of theologians held this view a century ago. After the nation of Israel was reestablished a lot of theologians started to rethink their theology after realizing that God had not forsaken his ancient people and prophecy was again being literaly fulfilled. The Apostle Paul said that God would again graft back the natural olive branch and that the church would be one new man.

Replacement theology in my opinion is not biblical.

 

[Habakk]

I don’t think theology on its own is necessarily anti Semitic unless it specifically targets the Jewish people. However bad or incorrect theology can do much damage when in the wrong hands.

History has proved that replacement theology has directly caused terrible, horrific and inhuman persecution of the Jewish people. Probably we are more aware of this in Europe. I don’t think anti Semitism has been an issue in the US to any ware near this extent.

A combination of replacement theology and further theology on interracial marriage led to a very bitter propaganda campaign against the Jewish people in Germany and Europe. This culminated in the holocaust. Hitler definitely used church theology for his own purpose but he also exercised successful propaganda on the populous to achieve his ends. Hatred of the Jews was rife and that sentiment remained for a very long time. Unfortunately anti Semitism is on the rise again and guess what people are saying.

Theology differs with Christians but it seems that wherever there has been replacement theology it has to some degree resulted in real damage to the Jewish people.

Also I do find it rather alarming and disturbing the level of anti-Semitism on CF in the various different forums.

 

[Zeek]

Again I am in total agreement with Habakk.

If one understands RT to be the teaching that the Church has replaced Israel and even transmogrified into Israel then it is historically accurate to say this teaching has on many occasions been a pre-cursor or spring-board for anti-Semitism. This is usually perceived by such comments (that are rife on these Boards) as Israel no longer figures in G-ds plans, Jerusalem is irrelevant, and the only Jew G-d is interested in is the one who becomes a Christian or joins the Church.

There are many decent people who sit under RT teaching and are generally oblivious to the repercussions, and it largely by-passes them and has no effect, and certainly doesn't influence them in being anti-Semitic...but there are many others who are vehement in their opposition to those of us that support the State of Israel, love the Jewish people and seek to demonstate that the Church has had a beastly record in the past towards the Jews, and in these days we have the opportunity to readdress the balance and seek G-ds heart.

Sadly many that hold these views are fairly inflexible, and prefer to tilt at windmills by wrongly labelling all supporters of Israel as Dispensationalists, or believers in Dual Covenant Theology...when the truth is we see in the Scriptures clear passages that refer to Israel and the Jews, and we see with our eyes the outworking of G-ds plans and promises through so many things that cannot be buried under pithy rhetoric or traditional theology, such as the re-emergence of Israel as a nation, the return to the land of the Jewish people, the restoration of Hebrew as a spoken language, the flourishing of the land, and the re-building of the old cities and towns.

My opinion is that some people are more concerned with defending their theology, or their traditional understanding in these matters, even when the evidence cries out against them on a daily basis...you can't get a louder wake up call than seeing Israel exists again as a nation.

So in summing up I would say that Replacement Theology in itself is not overtly anti-Semitic, but I believe it is the foundation for various aspects of Christian anti-Semitism, and is probably one of the most pernicious teachings to have ever crept in amongst us.

 

[Cappadocious]

History has proved that replacement theology has directly caused terrible, horrific and inhuman persecution of the Jewish people.

I don't think you can pin that on "replacement theology".

 

[MoreCoffee]

Teaching that the Church is the Israel of God is just plain old simple and direct Christian theology. It isn't about replacements. It is about identity.

The Church is the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) because Jesus is God's Son, Israel, whom he called out of Egypt (Matt 2:15) and because the Church is Christ's body (1Cor 12:27). United with him in death & resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-4).

 

[Habakk]

I don't think you can pin that on "replacement theology".

Its known documented factual history, it happened and yes it was due to hatred provoked by church doctrine that allowed it to happen. People turned a blind eye, deluded by propaganda and fear and madmen tortured and murderd while misusing doctrine. It’s called evil.

 

[Habakk]

Teaching that the Church is the Israel of God is just plain old simple and direct Christian theology. It isn't about replacements. It is about identity.

The Church is the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) because Jesus is God's Son, Israel, whom he called out of Egypt (Matt 2:15) and because the Church is Christ's body (1Cor 12:27). United with him in death & resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-4).

That’s not a problem but unfortunately it doesn’t stop there it practice it goes on to blame the Jewish people and curse the land of Israel.

The church has inherited the promises of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ. However God has not forgotten his promises to his people or to the land. That is also scriptural. Replacement theology is unfortunately not just about the covenant to Christians it’s about denying God’s own word to his people. I’m not advocating a dual covenant, I’m simply acknowledging scripture and addressing how the theology has historicaly worked.

 

[Zeek]

Teaching that the Church is the Israel of God is just plain old simple and direct Christian theology. It isn't about replacements. It is about identity.

The Church is the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) because Jesus is God's Son, Israel, whom he called out of Egypt (Matt 2:15) and because the Church is Christ's body (1Cor 12:27). United with him in death & resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-4).

If Christians simply understood that in G-ds eyes a spiritual Israel consists of all blood-brought individuals, but that we have not replaced physical Israel or G-ds plans for the Jewish people in Israel, then there would be no real problem (although I don't hold with that exactly)...but the majority of RT that I have encountered, especially on these Boards fights tooth and claw to maintain an argument that physical Israel and the Jewish people mean nothing special in the heart of G-d, despite copious prophecies to the contrary....and they will insist that modern Israel has nothing to do with ancient Israel, the Jews are not really Jews, and the whole thing is a man-made attempt that is doomed to fail because they haven't believed in the Christianized Jesus, and when they say 'we are Israel'...they mean it quite literally, and not as in we are children of Abraham circumsized in our heart....thus children of Promise.

Besides as I understand things, plain old simple and direct Christian theology is not unanimous on their understanding concerning that one time phrase in Gal 6:6 which many believe talks of those who are Believing Jews, and not necessarily the Church per se.

Perhaps we might agree that both spiritual Israel and physical Israel are important to G-d for different reasons, and He is working His purposes out through both entities...not in some sort of dual Covenant program, but according to what He has revealed through the prophets...ultimately seeking that wild olive branches abide, and natural olives branches become re-grafted into their olive tree...if anything, that is a depiction of the Israel of G-d, and of all Israel being saved.

 

[MoreCoffee]

That’s not a problem but unfortunately it doesn’t stop there it practice it goes on to blame the Jewish people and curse the land of Israel.

The church has inherited the promises of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ. However God has not forgotten his promises to his people or to the land. That is also scriptural. Replacement theology is unfortunately not just about the covenant to Christians it’s about denying God’s own word to his people. I’m not advocating a dual covenant, I’m simply acknowledging scripture and addressing how the theology has historicaly worked.

Exactly how are you not advocating a dual covenant?

If, as I indicated, the Church is the Israel of God because she is Christ's body and because he is God's Son then where is there any room for another Israel of God under a covenant that excludes Jesus Christ?

 

[MoreCoffee]

If Christians simply understood that in G-ds eyes a spiritual Israel consists of all blood-brought individuals, but that we have not replaced physical Israel or G-ds plans for the Jewish people in Israel, then there would be no real problem (although I don't hold with that exactly)...but the majority of RT that I have encountered, especially on these Boards fights tooth and claw to maintain an argument that physical Israel and the Jewish people mean nothing special in the heart of G-d, despite copious prophecies to the contrary....and they will insist that modern Israel has nothing to do with ancient Israel, the Jews are not really Jews, and the whole thing is a man-made attempt that is doomed to fail because they haven't believed in the Christianized Jesus, and when they say 'we are Israel'...they mean it quite literally, and not as in we are children of Abraham circumsized in our heart....thus children of Promise.

Besides as I understand things, plain old simple and direct Christian theology is not unanimous on their understanding concerning that one time phrase in Gal 6:6 which many believe talks of those who are Believing Jews, and not necessarily the Church per se.

Perhaps we might agree that both spiritual Israel and physical Israel are important to G-d for different reasons, and He is working His purposes out through both entities...not in some sort of dual Covenant program, but according to what He has revealed through the prophets...ultimately seeking that wild olive branches abide, and natural olives branches become re-grafted into their olive tree...if anything, that is a depiction of the Israel of G-d, and of all Israel being saved.

People who have Jewish ancestry can expect inclusion in the covenant in Christ's blood on exactly the same basis as people who do not have Jewish ancestry.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

The faith in question is faith in Jesus Christ as God's Christ and saviour.

People who have Jewish ancestry and who reject faith in Jesus Christ have exactly the same prospect of condemnation as people who do not have Jewish ancestry.

What matters is faith in Jesus Christ.

Ancestry without faith in Jesus Christ means nothing.

 

[Lovely Lane]

I don't believe that the 'new testament' is anti-Semitic, anti-Gay, anti-anything. The 'new testament' is pro-God.

btw, did the ADL coin that term, anti-Semitic?

 

[PaladinValer]

There is no such thing as replacement theology; it is a weasel term used against the historic and orthodox Christian theology by certain Evangelical Protestants. The vast majority of Protestants and all Apostolic/Catholic churches adhere to supersessionism or at least Covenant theology and rightly so. All else is contrary to the Gospel, unorthodox, and unhistorical.

The charge of antisemitism towards supersessionism and its adherents is nothing more than a pick-choose of carefully selected snippets of writings and occurrences along with old heretical beliefs mixed in. If they want to find real antisemitic theology, they need to target the conspiracy-theorist British/Anglo-Israelists and their heretical theology, not the only true and orthodox Christian theology right with God, supersessionism.

 

[Cappadocious]

Its known documented factual history

What is known history is that the persecution of the Jews was a combination of, in varying degrees:

1. Early sectarian animosity between Christian Jews and Rabbinic Jews
2. Imperial discrimination against Jews by non-Jews
3. Resentment toward the Jews for not having to follow medieval Christian economic teaching
4. Nationalism's treatment of the Jews as a "nationless people"
5. Quack race theories
6. Resentment toward Jews in prominent political/economic positions as a minority.

Plus several other factors.

To blame anti-Judaism on "replacement theology" (by which is usually meant continuation theology, that Israel now exists as the Church, but there is no new Israel) is silly.

 

[Zeek]

People who have Jewish ancestry can expect inclusion in the covenant in Christ's blood on exactly the same basis as people who do not have Jewish ancestry.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

The faith in question is faith in Jesus Christ as God's Christ and saviour.

People who have Jewish ancestry and who reject faith in Jesus Christ have exactly the same prospect of condemnation as people who do not have Jewish ancestry.

What matters is faith in Jesus Christ.

Ancestry without faith in Jesus Christ means nothing.

I do not understand the need to state that 'ancestry without faith in Jesus Christ means nothing'...no one has said or implied such a thing.

For clarification and in case I gave the wrong impression....I do not believe in the Church being the 'New Israel'...The only spiritual Israel concerns the Believing Jews not the Gentiles.

The confusion comes in when Christians try to make 'seed of Abraham' equate with 'Israel'...which it does not, that is why Gentiles can be of the 'seed of Abraham' in other words 'of faith'...but to be Israel or to have replaced physical Israel would necessitate us being descended from 'Jacob' which we are not, but all Jews are.

 

[Zeek]

There is no such thing as replacement theology; it is a weasel term used against the historic and orthodox Christian theology by certain Evangelical Protestants. The vast majority of Protestants and all Apostolic/Catholic churches adhere to supersessionism or at least Covenant theology and rightly so. All else is contrary to the Gospel, unorthodox, and unhistorical.

It's good to be positive in ones affirmation of anything, but in this instance I believe you are positively wrong.
RT is a term that generally hits the nail on the head and challenges some deeply held mis-understandings and poor teachings which have taken root over many centuries...a bit like the Reformation getting to grips with a few 'sacred cows' that had been reverred for 1,000 years. Believing something for 1,000 years does not give it legitimacy...if it is wrong it merely demonstrates man's capacity to cling to on to things, probably out of misplaced loyalty in submitting to mans words above G-ds words, and a sprinkling of pride and fear.

The charge of antisemitism towards supersessionism and its adherents is nothing more than a pick-choose of carefully selected snippets of writings and occurrences along with old heretical beliefs mixed in. If they want to find real antisemitic theology, they need to target the conspiracy-theorist British/Anglo-Israelists and their heretical theology, not the only true and orthodox Christian theology right with God, supersessionism.

Most of us have not concluded that RT makes people anti-Semitic, rather that it is a catalyst or a spring-board to anti-Semitism, adding a degree of legitimacy to direct bigotry. These Boards certainly confirm what many of us have experienced...all stemming from an unbiblical understanding of the nature of Israel, and G-ds heart towards His covenant people.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I do not understand the need to state that 'ancestry without faith in Jesus Christ means nothing'...no one has said or implied such a thing.

For clarification and in case I gave the wrong impression....I do not believe in the Church being the 'New Israel'...The only spiritual Israel concerns the Believing Jews not the Gentiles.

The confusion comes in when Christians try to make 'seed of Abraham' equate with 'Israel'...which it does not, that is why Gentiles can be of the 'seed of Abraham' in other words 'of faith'...but to be Israel or to have replaced physical Israel would necessitate us being descended from 'Jacob' which we are not, but all Jews are.

Teaching that the Church is the Israel of God is just plain old simple and direct Christian theology. It isn't about replacements. It is about identity.

The Church is the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) because Jesus is God's Son, Israel, whom he called out of Egypt (Matt 2:15) and because the Church is Christ's body (1Cor 12:27). United with him in death & resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-4).

For these reasons it is useless to appeal to Jewish ancestry as if such an appeal has any bearing on one's salvation unless one has faith in Jesus Christ.

If one has faith in Jesus Christ being a Jew or a Gentile, slave or free, male or female does not matter, only union with Jesus Christ through baptism and faith matters.

 

[Habakk]

Exactly how are you not advocating a dual covenant?

If, as I indicated, the Church is the Israel of God because she is Christ's body and because he is God's Son then where is there any room for another Israel of God under a covenant that excludes Jesus Christ?

Thank you for your reasoned question.

There is only one covenant where we must be saved and that is the covenant mediated by Jesus Christ in his own blood. The author and finisher of our faith. By that covenant we inherit the promises of Abraham by faith. That is the simple gospel message that we all know.

God blinded the eyes of the Jews for a season but later promised to graft them (the Jewish people) back in. Also a spiritual Israel is not a physical Israel and that is the essence of the error of replacement theology. It in effect denies God’s promises to the land of Israel. Promises that have not yet been fulfilled.

So first we have the simple gospel, then we have specific theology and maybe it would not be such a big problem if it ended there but in reality, history and fact it doesn’t.

The problem is it acts as a spring board for anti-Semitism, racism and hatred. Arguments are then tendered to the effect that the Jewish people, the nation of Israel are cursed and under God’s judgement. Sentiment and rhetoric abound even to the extent of calling Jewish people the antichrist. Such sentiment coupled with economic fear was the real catalyst that allowed Hitler’s final solution and the holocaust. It was common sentiment in Germany and Europe to accuse them of killing Christ and being cursed of God. Synagogues were burnt, Jews attacked in the street, horrific torture and inhuman suffering.

Let’s be reasonable If God has been on a 2000 year campaign of cursing and persecuting the Jewish people and the land then scripture tells us that in Judgement God remembers mercy. And woe to those persecutors and accusers when God chooses to act. They removed the promise of God’s people so God will remove their promise. So no I don’t accept that to be the case. The Jewish people have been persecuted wrongly by evil and misinformed men while Christians have stood by and done nothing deluded into believing that its God’s will. Unbelievable that anyone in this day should think such a thing, but they do. The underlying catalyst that allowed this to happen was replacement theology. There is little point denying this because it happened in Germany and Europe and the remnants remain.

There would be little problem if Christians would just get on with their own theology as the spiritual Israel of God. Unfortunately some see the need to apply God’s curses to the Jewish people and to the nation of Israel. That is anti symmetric use of replacement theology.

Most Christians are humbled by the fact that gentiles who were far from God have been adopted as sons of the living God. Some won’t leave it there they blatantly flaunt their blood bought salvation in the face of a Holy God and try to remove God’s mercy and providence to the Jewish people. That is what we are talking about not covenants of salvation but of the faithful promises of a merciful God.

 

[Zeek]

Teaching that the Church is the Israel of God is just plain old simple and direct Christian theology. It isn't about replacements. It is about identity.

The Church is the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) because Jesus is God's Son, Israel, whom he called out of Egypt (Matt 2:15) and because the Church is Christ's body (1Cor 12:27). United with him in death & resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-4).

You are basing Gal 6:16 on an assumption that the one-time term 'Israel of G-d' means the Church is spiritually Israel, and you are categorically stating as if it is biblical fact 'The Church is the Israel of G-d'...I believe this is a fundamental mistake...the Israel of G-d are the Jewish Believers, and that passage in Gal 6:16 is at best not clear-cut, and certainly never repeated throughout Scripture.

You are also jumping to conclusions IMHO, when you try and make your sums add up by stating that Jesus is Israel...we are His body, ergo sum we are Israel, when if anything, Israel and Jesus are united in typology, in having come out of Egypt, not in identity.

For these reasons it is useless to appeal to Jewish ancestry as if such an appeal has any bearing on one's salvation unless one has faith in Jesus Christ.

No one has said or implied this, but you see fit to repeat it.

If one has faith in Jesus Christ being a Jew or a Gentile, slave or free, male or female does not matter, only union with Jesus Christ through baptism and faith matters.

Again no one disputes what is required for every individuals salvation as laid out all over the pages of the New Covenant..

 

[MoreCoffee]

Thank you for your reasoned question.

There is only one covenant where we must be saved and that is the covenant mediated by Jesus Christ in his own blood. The author and finisher of our faith. By that covenant we inherit the promises of Abraham by faith. That is the simple gospel message that we all know.

God blinded the eyes of the Jews for a season but later promised to graft them (the Jewish people) back in. Also a spiritual Israel is not a physical Israel and that is the essence of the error of replacement theology. It in effect denies God’s promises to the land of Israel. Promises that have not yet been fulfilled.

For in him every one of God's promises is a 'Yes.' For this reason it is through him that we say the 'Amen', to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20 NRSV)

There are no promises unfulfilled since Christ has come. He is God's AMEN to all the promises of all the covenants. The land, eternal life, resurrection from the dead, fidelity in life, all these are fulfilled in Christ. A new temple, a sacrifice that really washes sins away, an eternal home free from invasion and war are all fulfilled in Christ. I do not think there is room for any unfulfilled promises.​

In my Father's house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (John 14:2 NRSV)

The Father's house is the Christian's home. The land that God promised is fulfilled in what Christ's words quoted above signify.​

So first we have the simple gospel, then we have specific theology and maybe it would not be such a big problem if it ended there but in reality, history and fact it doesn’t.

The problem is it acts as a spring board for anti-Semitism, racism and hatred. Arguments are then tendered to the effect that the Jewish people, the nation of Israel are cursed and under God’s judgement. Sentiment and rhetoric abound even to the extent of calling Jewish people the antichrist. Such sentiment coupled with economic fear was the real catalyst that allowed Hitler’s final solution and the holocaust. It was common sentiment in Germany and Europe to accuse them of killing Christ and being cursed of God. Synagogues were burnt, Jews attacked in the street, horrific torture and inhuman suffering.

Let’s be reasonable If God has been on a 2000 year campaign of cursing and persecuting the Jewish people and the land then scripture tells us that in Judgement God remembers mercy. And woe to those persecutors and accusers when God chooses to act. They removed the promise of God’s people so God will remove their promise. So no I don’t accept that to be the case. The Jewish people have been persecuted wrongly by evil and misinformed men while Christians have stood by and done nothing deluded into believing that its God’s will. Unbelievable that anyone in this day should think such a thing, but they do. The underlying catalyst that allowed this to happen was replacement theology. There is little point denying this because it happened in Germany and Europe and the remnants remain.

There would be little problem if Christians would just get on with their own theology as the spiritual Israel of God. Unfortunately some see the need to apply God’s curses to the Jewish people and to the nation of Israel. That is anti symmetric use of replacement theology.

Most Christians are humbled by the fact that gentiles who were far from God have been adopted as sons of the living God. Some won’t leave it there they blatantly flaunt their blood bought salvation in the face of a Holy God and try to remove God’s mercy and providence to the Jewish people. That is what we are talking about not covenants of salvation but of the faithful promises of a merciful God.

 

[New_Wineskin]

Since another thread on this topic was closed by the OP, I thought I would start another one.

What are other's view on this? I have heard it is an "anti-Semitic" view.

Please try and keep this a civil discussion, and also try to stay on the topic of the thread
[at least as much as possible ]
Thanks

http://www.christianforums.com/t7745438-9/#post63063372
Replacement Theology?

Using a "technical" definition , it doesn't appear to be such . However , why the theology was created and how it is usually used by its proponents has led me to vote "yes" .