“This is the fundamental question at the center of Christian Christology: Is the Jewish No anti-Christian? Is the Christian Yes anti-Jewish? Are the No and the Yes final or provisional? Are they exclusive, or can they also acquire a dialectically positive meaning for the people who feel compelled to utter them?”
Author of The Crucified God and A Theology of Hope, Jürgen Moltmann was a German theologian notable for his incorporation of insights from liberation theology and ecology into mainstream trinitarian Christian theology. He was Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Tübingen in Germany.
Dr. Moltmann died this week at the age of 98, and Rabbi Joseph and I got together to discuss Moltmann’s importance to the Jewish-Christian dialogue.
Here is the excerpt we discussed:
Show Notes
Summary
The conversation between Jason Micheli and Rabbi Prof. Joseph Edelheit revolves around the theological ideas of Jürgen Moltmann and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. They discuss Moltmann's emphasis on the eschatological nature of faith and the importance of engaging with scripture. They also explore the concept of redemption and the role of Jews and Gentiles in God's plan. The conversation highlights the need for dialogue and understanding between different religious traditions. Overall, the conversation encourages a nuanced and inclusive approach to theology.
Takeaways
Jürgen Moltmann was an influential theologian who emphasized the eschatological nature of faith and the importance of engaging with scripture.
The conversation highlights the need for dialogue and understanding between Judaism and Christianity.
Moltmann's theology encourages a nuanced and inclusive approach, recognizing the different paths and vocations of Jews and Gentiles.
The concept of redemption is explored, with an emphasis on the unredeemedness of the world and the hope for a future transformation.
Sound Bites
"We can't talk about the idiot. We have to talk about something worthy of our dialogue."
"It's not our mission, it's God's mission."
"God taking an unexpected detour is like a major recurring plot device throughout the Hebrew Bible."
Remembering Jürgen Moltmann