Opening the Covenant: A Jewish Theology of Christianity

302 Pages·2007·3.35 MB·English

by  Michael S. Kogan

Opening the Covenant
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Opening the
Covenant
A Jewish Theology of Christianity
michael s. kogan
1
2008
1
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Kogan,MichaelS.
Openingthecovenant:aJewishtheologyofChristianity/MichaelS.Kogan.
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Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN-13:978-0-19-511259-7(cloth)
1. Judaism—Relations—Christianity. 2. Christianityandotherreligions—Judaism.
3. Judaism—Doctrines. 4. Judaism(Christiantheology) I. Title.
BM535.K6142007
296.3'96—dc22 2007014739
‘‘JewsandChristians:TakingtheNextStep,’’JournalofEcumenicalStudies26,no.4
(Fall,1989):703–713.#1990.
‘‘TowardaJewishTheologyofChristianity,’’JournalofEcumenicalStudies32,no.1
(Winter,1995):89–106,152.#1995.
‘‘IntoAnotherIntensity:Christian-JewishDialogueMovesForward,’’Journalof
EcumenicalStudies41,no.1(Winter,2004):1–17.#2006.
‘‘TowardaPluralistTheologyofJudaism,’’inTheMythofReligiousSuperiority,
ed.byPaulF.Knitter.Maryknoll,NY:Orbis.2005.
TheLittleIslandbyGoldenMacDonaldandLeonardWeisgard(illustrator)Margaret
WiseBrown,copyright1946byRandomHouseChildren’sBooks,adivisionofRandom
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For my mother,
who brought me to God,
for my father,
who brought me to synagogue,
for Barton,
who shared the journey...
and for 1185, 880, and 1120,
with loving memories
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Acknowledgments
Iamindebtedtomanyfortheirhelp,directorindirect,inthewriting
of this book. Professor GabrielVahanian hasbeen my teacher,men-
tor, and friend since we met in my sophomore year at Syracuse
University. I studiedwithhim as an undergraduate andreturned to
take my Ph.D. in the graduate program of religious studies he
founded. His creative, luminous thoughtand brilliant lectures set
me on my way in theology. Professor Fernando Molina oftheSyr-
acuse University Department of Philosophy introduced me to
the field throughKant,Husserl, andSartre andshowedme how
great classroomteaching can hone the mind and lift the soul.
So many friends and colleagues encouraged this work. The idea
for itcame from the Reverend Dr. John Pawlikowski, although he
willbesurprisedtolearnthis.MydearfriendsDr.JamesGorneyand
Dr. Beverly Gibbons gave me years of loving encouragement, as
did the Reverend Vincent Rigdon, faithfulfriend since my days at
Columbia University. ProfessorDavid Benfield, Professor Stephen
Johnson, Professor Eva Fleischner, ProfessorLisa Sargese, and the
late Professor Thomas Bridges, all friends and colleagues atthe De-
partment ofPhilosophy and Religion atMontclair State University,
steadilycheered me on. Sodid my wonderful students, particularly
Dr. Ervin Nieves, Dr. Mario Biera, and Mr.Matthew Dennis,and, of
course,the incomparablesecretary of the department, Ms. KimHar-
rison.
viii acknowledgments
Comrades in the Jewish-Christian dialogue supported and encouraged
me: Dr. Leonard Swidler and Ms. Nancy Krody of the Journal of Ecumenical
Studiesandthelate,belovedFrankBrennan,founderandeditoroftheNational
Dialogue Newsletter. I am grateful for the advice of Professor Paul Knitter,
leadingAmerican pluralist theologian.
IdeeplyappreciatethehelpfulsuggestionsofRabbiNormanPatz,Rabbi
David Lincoln, the Reverend David Williams, the Reverend Lynn Bailey, and
theReverendJohnPaulBoyerandtheprayerfulsupportoftheVeryReverend
Robert Baker, bishop ofSouth Carolina.
Special thanks are due to those who werekindenough to readthis man-
uscript, my friend Dr. David Bossman, Dr. Elliot Dorff, Dr. Eugene Fisher,
Dr.PeterZaas,Mr.MarshallSteinbaum,and,again,Dr.JohnPawlikowski—
and,ofcourse,toOxford’sindefatigablereligioneditor,CynthiaRead,forher
great skillsand evengreater patience.
Finally, my deepest appreciation to Ms. J. Rosemary Moss, a tireless la-
borer in the vineyard, without whose computer skills, good advice, and edito-
rial assistancethis book wouldnothave beenpossible.
BlessedartThou,LordourGod,RuleroftheUniverse,whohaskeptmein
life, sustained me andenabled me to reach this moment. Amen.
Montclair, New Jersey
January 19, 2007