During the early years of Christianity there were believing Jews and believing Gentiles who were followers of Yeshua (ie. “Jesus”) the Messiah. Luke’s Acts of the Apostles records some of this history but the second century of the Common Era (C.E./A.D.), the growth of Jewish Christianity declined in the aftermath of the Bar Kochba revolt of 132-136. This decline, coupled with rising antisemitism, set the stage for centuries of hate and the growth of “replacement theology” or “supersessionism” that misrepresented Jews, Christians, and the Church.
Drawing upon a lifetime of scholarship and study of the biblical text, Dr. Kaiser demonstrates the importance of “keeping your finger on the text” so that “our post-Holocaust theologies will reflect what Scripture promised Israel.”
About the author:
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. (Ph.D., Brandeis University) is distinguished professor emeritus of Old Testament and president emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, Dr. Kaiser has written over 40 books, including Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching; The Messiah in the Old Testament; and The Promise-Plan of God; and coauthored An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning. His website is www.WalterCKaiserJr.com.
