From my experience and I'm not saying this is a good thing or bad thing, is that MJAA is pretty much in line with Christian doctrine. But my experience is that MJAA is a movement not a denomination with it's main focus on Yeshua as the 'One who Moses in the Law and the prophets did write' and this movement helping in the 'ushering in of the Messiah' in a rivival type focus. In other words Jewish revival. .
Jewish Revival is indeed one of the best descriptions of it...especially considering others apart of the movement and the era that the event occurred in (if recalling the
60s/70s era movement called the Jesus People movement and the many prophetic declarations done by others within it like Jewish musician Keith Green...especially in regards to Jewish believers coming in/becoming saved).
My experience has been and again I'm not putting any insight of whether it's good or bad is the focus isn't on Torah observance or no Torah observance as there isn't much teaching in regards to this.
Indeed, they were never focused on Torah Observance exclusively. Didn't mean that not focusing extensively on it was a bad thing to not be exclusively focused on it...for their goal was simply about seeing Jewish believers become saved/connected to Yeshua. Torah Observance was never their ultimate goal.
Doesn't mean that there isn't traditional Jewish liturgy and the like.
I agree..
From talking to a fellow believer who was involved in the UMJC congregation it seems that the focus between the 2 organizations are somewhat different. From experience MJAA is totally committed to the restoration of Israel, focused on end times. Yes Jewish liturgy is part of worship but it's not the main focus. It's focused on Yeshua establishing His reign and the New Covenant in it's completeness.
In closing I would say similar to Christianity in a lot of ways in their focus and again I'm not here to input if it's good or bad just relating my experience. MJAA also is very church friendly.
As they never saw the Church as something Jewish believers could not be apart of nor did they see it as something counter to the culture of the Bible and remiscient of what Jewish believers experienced in Acts, they were naturally not against all things deemed "CHRISTIAN" or "Church." For many Churches were already places of refuge for Jews who were either harrassed by the unsaved in Jewish communities for believing in Messiah...or they were harrassed simply for being Jewish in other places. That other churches sadly were anti-semitic does not mean that all of them were against Jews having significant influence/leadership, just as it's not the case that all MJish fellowships today that literally despise anything Gentile (reverse racism) and feel that you have to treat Gentiles as inferior in order to love Jews does not mean that all MJish fellowships are automatically meant to be like that.
The topic has come up about one law. I'm pretty sure MJAA isn't really concerned about this because it's not their focus to begin with. This is my opinion based on experience. I've read some stuff in UMJC conferences and such concerning this but I'm almost pretty sure this wouldn't be an issue with MJAA because it's not the focus to begin with. It seems you have those from UMJC that are more outspoken about one law? A lot of Dr Brown material in real messiah was to UMJC conferances addressing rabbinical traditions in Messianic Judaism. I'm not here to pit one organization from another(UMJC/MJAA).
Love Dr.Michael Brown...but on the One Law aspect, there has been alot of discussion on that in the camp and there are variations of it. The variations they support (to my knowledge) are the ones that are focused upon how Jew/Gentile are united together under the Lord and yet within that the Torah did have distinctions and so did the early church. For myself, I'm of the mindset that not all versions of ONE Law (just as it is with Two House) are to automatically be resisted as a negative. In example, with One Law, Dr.Michael Brown once came to Atlanta and visited the ministry of Ryan Lambert who is the leader of a Messianic Jewish fellowship--and he shared many wonderful points in regards to his own variation/view of One Law which Dr.Brown agreed with. For more, one can
go here to the main page of Lambert's fellowship and look
here, if looking up the sermon entitled "
Should Christians Keep the Torah? (Delivered at The Vineyard – Senoia, GA.)" One can also go to Dr.Brown's organization and look up the interview between the two of them entitled
Interview with Ryan Lambert on Jewish Ministry in Israel and America
Any aspect of One Law that demands Gentiles observe the TOrah at all points like Jews is what MJAA is vehemently against.
The following is an excerpt from the MJAA/UMJC article by Dan Juster and Rus Resnik on the challenge of "One Law" theology to Messianic Judaism:
“One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you” (Exodus 12:49). In context, it is clear that this “one law” does not apply to every stranger within Israel. Torah instructs that the native born must eat the Passover, but the stranger must not eat it, unless he is circumcised. Only
through circumcision can he be incorporated into the people of Israel and their Torah. Without it, he remains an outsider and is banned from the Passover (Ex. 12:38, 43-48).
In Leviticus 24:22, both the alien and the native Israelite are under the same prohibition against murder and both are to suffer the same penalty. Numbers 15:16 instructs an alien who decides to bring a free will offering to offer it in the same way as the native born. However, there is no requirement for him to bring a free will offering. Other mandated offerings are not assigned to the alien.
To see more of Rabbi Resnik's responses, one can
go here (PDF Format ) or
here/h
ere--in regards to the Relationship of Jew and Non-Jew in God's Covenant.
I'm aware of responses given to the issue of One-Law, such as those by Tim Hegg. But I do not agree with them. Groups that believed in "One Law" have always been around, appearing and disappearing all down through history. But they've never tried to lay claim to being Messianic Judaism until the MJ movement started really going somewhere. And it can seem odd that many wish to have all ofthe benefits of being part of a larger movement suddenly once there's prominence....and I have serious issue with those groups when/if they seek to denounce all others not agreeing with them as not being truly "Messianic Jewish" and then trying to kick others out, as the OP discussion intent was on.
More discussion on the matter has occurred before,
as seen here.
To my knowledge, the decisions of the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council ARE binding on all UMJC congregations. In Jewish thinking, things are not decided by individuals necessarily.... but by the community. The idea that "I'll define things whatever way I wish" may be common in some Gentile churches, but it is a foreign idea to Judaism.
According to an
Official Paper of the UMJC
The issue is not whether Gentiles should or must become Jews to attain full status in the Body of Messiah. All Messianic Jews agree this issue was settled by the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem in C.E. 49 (Acts 15). Believers from among the nations were not required to accept the yoke of the Torah, but only the basic biblical principles referred to as the Seven Laws of Noah in the rabbinic literature.
As apart of the MJAA statement of faith:
Gentiles who place their faith in Yeshua, are "grafted into" the Jewish olive tree of faith (Rom. 11:17-25) becoming spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham (Gal. 3:28-29).
Galatians 3
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
As another
said best on the subject:
Not grafted into Yisrael, becasue we are other branches. Gentiles are Abraham's offspring, according to THE OATH, not the Torah given 430 yrs later.
Yisrael (Jews) and the Nations (Gentiles) are branches of the tree of life through faith. A gentile when they come to faith in Messiah is not changed into a Jewish branch. They are grafted along side of natural (Jewish) branches in the tree of life. The MJAA most assuradly identifies with this.
Simply because the MJAA have to deal with one law heresy does not mean they condone it. I think they are very sensitive not to do what FFOZ just did to their congregants in allowing the enemy to divide the sheep. One, I imagine they do not want to loose their money base, or following. So they kindly 'deal' with the issue instead of stand against it.
Russ Resnik is awesome! President of the UMJC and personal friends to the wandering Goy.
Both the UMJC and the MJAA clearly identify gentiles as included but NOT obligated to observe Torah as Jews. There is no organization outside of FFOZ that is promoting this theology. And it is driven by the gentiles being convinced they are part of (physical) Yisrael.
If you look and read the statement of faiths in both the MJAA and the UMJC, the established organizations of the movement you will see they were formed by Jews who found faith in Messiah. A Jewish movement for a Jewish revival.
I do think that there's validity in stating that MJAA is the group that COINED the phase "Messianic Judaism"....and because of that, it is rightly theirs, and those they recognize, such as the UMJC. There's a reason that others who adopt it who are not recognized by them are considered as basically hijacking the title.
Now the essence of the discussion could be non Jewish integration and/or non Jewish membership. Both organizations whether more outspoken or not have separate memberships per se. In MJAA, one being a Jewish member and one being an honored associate member. From my experience this is how far MJAA is outspoken about it. It seems like UMJC has been more outspoken in public such as FFOZ as an example. In my experience I would find it hard to believe that MJAA leadership would be outspoken about this because of the focus. But I will admit that having 2 different kinds of membership is detrimental to 'One New Man'.
Can definately understand where you're coming from..
I don't know the 'ins and outs'. A fellow believer has said the UMJC doesn't allow non Jewish leadership and/or is against it per se. In regards to MJAA I'd be curious as I said I don't know what goes on in the back door. I talked to the head of CTMOC who was head of MJAA in Canada I think. From talking to him it seemed like the split was do to non Jews in relation to leadership roles.
Leadership is generally what has been a primary battle from what I've also heard, in regards to Gentiles not being allowed to be leaders in many circles associated with MJAA.
If I remember correctly it was also said that CTMOC believes in Torah observance for both Jew and non Jew in the body. Now since he was most likely involved behind the scenes it's possible this was a conclusion among leadership, I don't know. But I also know from experience that MJAA isn't Torah focused as the likes of CTMOC from doing some research online etc. So since I'm a stickler for looking at both sides before I make a conclusion it's possible that the creation/s of groups is a result of being more Torah observant and to focus on that either as primary or finding their own balance between Torah observance and the Good News
All good possibilities...