The Paradox Of Christian Anti-Semitism

Abstract

It is possible to interpret such blatant anti-Semitic sentiment through the presence of later Christian edits of the original text and reimagining of the actual events. It is the New Testament’s ability to separate Jesus and his followers from their Jewish identity, while at the same time have the New Testament as a literal sequel to the Old Testament, that later allowed for anti-Semitic sentiment to permeate Christian scholarship. This paradox of an anti-Semitic theology being based on a foundation of Jewish Literature may therefore not be referred to as a process of reconciliation, but in fact wilful literary and historical ignorance on the part of its
participants. Investigation of the possible elements of anti-Semitism and passages within the New Testament ultimately only further the argument that the New Testament is a text that has been rewritten and interpreted to support various later Christian theologies.