The Jews, Modern Israel and the New Supercessionism: Resources for Christians

by Calvin L. Smith

THIS IS A BOOK THAT HAS NEVER BEEN READ. IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION

Paperback

First published May 18, 2013

Reviews

[Olanma Ogbuehi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a valuable collection of essays, exploring various perspectives for why supersesionism (the idea that the church has taken the place of ethnic people of Israel and their promised land) can be disputed Biblically, and how Christians have historically (and presently) shown contempt towards the Jewish people through adoption of supersessionist belief. This is a controversial matter and the authors mean to argue the case against supersessionism and in support of God's continued covenant with Jewish people. The essays contained are of varying quality, some arguments are more fixedly polemical and leading the reader to one conclusion. Other essays are very interesting, engaging and argued in a more thoughtful, logical and balanced way.

I do appreciate that the different authors have taken a range of perspectives from looking at a history of Christian antisemitism, to looking at how to define the word 'Israel' when it is used in the New Testament, to looking at how a Reformed Calvinistic perspective can be used to support Israel's right to the land. Others look at the the arguments against the state of Israel which are often used to demonstrate extreme indignation at the existence of the modern nation. Calvin Smith carefully argues against the frequent accusation that Israel is not extending hospitality towards her Arab/Palestinian neighbours and aliens within the land and shows that this was never carte blanche to permit hostile enemies, to overthrow the nation from within. Jacob Prasch's essay on apostolic-Jewish hermeneutics explains well how some of the hermeneutical stand off between different groups of Christians which culminate in fixed eschatology and understanding of Israel's place in the present and future of God's plans, is really useful in showing that the apostles did not use an either or approach when it came to grammatical historical/preterist, historicist/futurist perspectives and also argues well against the spiritualising away of prophecies for Israel. He shows that each of these perspectives are useful in context, and can be worked out by looking at how the the Lord Jesus and the Jewish apostles interpreted these kinds of Scriptures.

Overall, I thought this was a very good read, but the reader should be aware that some essays will be more useful, more engaging and more persuasive than others, because they are better developed and articulated.