Jewish-christian Dialogue: The Example of Gilbert Crispin

by Ole J. Thienhaus

Beginning with Justin Martyr, some 1,900 years ago, the discussion between protagonists of Judaism and Christian apologists has been going on for a long time. Even today, evangelical Christians are pursuing it, often with missionary undertones and with many of the same arguments as the proselytizers of the Middle Ages. Many times in history, such interactions were quite polemical and heavily censored. The example of Gilbert Crispin, an English abbot of the eleventh century, is generally considered to be one of the more reflective and even-handed exchanges. From Faith versus Law, through the messiahship of Jesus and the Trinity, to the virgin birth and original sin, this dialogue covers all the hot-button topics that inform Jewish-Christian dialogue to this day. Copious commentary provides a modern Jewish perspective on the arguments brought forth by the two discussants.

203 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2006