Is the Gospel of John Antisemitic?

Centre Place February 12, 2025
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We explore Christianity and the Bible from an academic perspective. Our lectures cover history, theology, philosophy, mythology, archaeology, and biblical studies. John Hamer, map maker, historian, and pastor, makes complex subjects accessible and engaging with graphic models, charts, and timelines. Our channel also features the online church service Beyond the Walls and the musical recordings of the Beyond the Walls Choir.

Video Description

The historical Jesus and his disciples were all Jewish. In his lifetime and for decades after, the followers of Jesus did not see themselves as part of a religion separate from Judaism, at most they were a sect within Judaism, like other contemporary sects including the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots. That changed in the second half of the 1st century, as individuals and communities who continued to testify of Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, were expelled from synagogues. The groups, now calling themselves “Christians,” began to emerge as a new religion, which sought to separate itself from their former co-religionists. The New Testament’s gospels, written toward the end of the 1st century reflect this historical context (and not the context of Jesus’ lifetime). This is especially true in the Gospel of John where Jesus speaks of “the Jews” as if they were a separate group that he is not a part of. Unfortunately, the negative portrayal of Jews in the Gospel of John has informed attitudes among some Christians to this day, serving as a precedent for and a cause of Antisemitism. John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place will review the portrayal of Jews in the Gospel of John and its unfortunate legacies. Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions to our lecturer during the Q&A. 📚 Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider a making donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada): ❤️ https://www.centreplace.ca/donate ️ #lecture #christianity #judaism #bible #biblestudy