Uneasy Allies: Evangelical and Jewish Relations

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Uneasy Allies offers a careful study of the cultural distance between Jews and Evangelicals, two groups that have been largely estranged from one another. While in the past, American Jews have been wary of accepting the support of would-be Evangelical Christian allies, changes have occurred due to the critical situation in the Middle East. Over the past few years, leaders in mainstream Jewish organizations have been more open to accepting Evangelical support but have also encountered new tensions. Alan Mittleman, Byron R. Johnson, and Nancy Isserman bring together a collection of critical essays that investigate how each group perceives the other and the evolution of their relationship together. This book focuses on the history of Evangelical-Jewish relations from the level of communal agencies to grassroots groups. While the essays document differences in worldview, ethos, and politics, they also highlight shared values and problems. These commonalities have the potential to broaden the relationship between the two communities. Uneasy Allies is an illuminating book that will stimulate discussion among scholars of religion and politics and those interested in Jewish studies.

Reviews

Even though we do need the question mark, the title of this important book gets it right: Evangelicals and Jews are allies, but we have typically been uneasy in each other's presence. By sorting out the facts, clearing up the misunderstandings, and laying bare the real differences, the authors of these essays make a major contribution toward diminishing the uneasiness and thereby strengthening the alliance. -- Richard J. Mouw, PhD, President Emeritus, Fuller Theological Seminary
Recommended. * Choice Reviews *
The collection contains some particularly valuable chapters. . . . The contributors should be commended for their in-depth analysis of the differences between fundamentalists, evangelicals, and liberal mainline Protestants. . . . The volume's editors and contributors provide a balanced, nuanced analysis that in general avoids political advocacy. . . . This balance of perspectives, the lack of polemics, and the breadth of analysis make Uneasy Allies an extraordinary useful book. * American Jewish History *
At last! A collection of essays on Evangelical-Jewish relations that features sound scholarship from diverse viewpoints, while eschewing polemics and advocacy. An excellent starting point for anyone seeking to understand how Evangelical-Jewish relations have changed in recent years, and what those changes mean. -- Jonathan D. Sarna, University Professor and Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University

Author Bio

Alan Mittleman is director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies and professor of Jewish philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Byron R. Johnson is professor of sociology and codirector of the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. Nancy Isserman is the associate director of the Feinstein Center for American Jewish History at Temple University.