The roots of Christian faith are firmly grounded in Judaism, the religion from which Christianity emerged. Christianity emerged from Jewish sects in the 1st century AD and the two religions have a number of core beliefs and practices in common, including their view of God, worship and ethical values. However, over the centuries, Christianity has become separated from Judaism in both practice and dogma. The most significant event in this separation was the death of Jesus.
The death of Jesus is the pivotal event in Christian belief. Christians believe Jesus was the son of God and that he sacrificed himself for the sins of humanity. Jewish people do not accept this idea and do not regard Jesus as a divine being. This disagreement is fundamental to the religions’ separation and was the central issue in early Christianity.
When Jesus was crucified, his followers felt it their duty to spread his message and convert non-believers. Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, in turn leading to the Roman Empire adopting Christianity as its official religion in the 4th century AD. This saw Christianity become the majority religion throughout Western Europe and the Mediterranean, leading to a dramatic increase in Christian converts.
The spread of Christianity in turn led to an increasing sense of distinction between Judaism and Christianity. This distinction was due to the political and social changes the spread of Christianity brought about, such as laws favouring Christians over Jews. Officially sanctioned discrimination, such as the Spanish Inquisition, further hardened the divisions between the religions.
The spread of Christianity and the subsequent division from Judaism led to a greater emphasis being placed on the unique teachings of Jesus and his teachings rather than those of Jewish scripture. While Judaism and Christianity both believe in one God, Christianity believes Jesus was the human incarnation of God, a concept absent from Judaism, further deepening the schism between the two faiths.
The fact that Christianity and Judaism evolved separate social and political identities was a major factor in their division. Christianity imposed various laws and behaviours upon its followers, such as drinking and sexual behaviour that were seen as prohibited by Judaism, while Judaism sought to keep its faithful separate from non-Jewish society. These disparate identities created a significant barrier between the two religions that persists to this day.
Disputes Around Messianic Expectations
One of the main dividing points between Christianity and Judaism is their beliefs about a messiah. Messianic expectation, or the belief in a future messiah, is an important concept in both religions, although their accounts vary. Jews reject the idea that Jesus was a messiah and instead look forward to the arrival of a messiah figure. Christians view Jesus as the Messiah who arrived to save them from sin and death, a view that Jewish people do not accept. These conflicting beliefs are a major source of disagreement and has helped lead to the two religions becoming distinct.
The differing views of the Messiah figure meant that Jews and Christians interpreted Old Testament prophecies in different ways and developed different interpretations of the same scriptures. This ensured divergence of thought among the two religious groups and laid some of the foundations for the divide that has occurred over the centuries.
The dispute over this messianic expectation helped Christians and Jews develop separate traditions, beliefs and rituals. The furthering of religious differences in a time of growing antisemitic sentiment resulted in the two faiths becoming lesser siblings of the Abrahamic faith, ultimately leading to Christianity separating from Judaism.
Rituals and Their Impact
The rituals and practices of the two religions reflect their separation. Judaism rejects the traditional Christian rituals of Communion, Baptism, Confession, and Eucharist, highlighting the divide between the two religions. Additionally, as Christianity moved further away from Jewish roots, Christian leaders began to question or reject certain Jewish customs and laws, such as circumcision and the prohibition of eating pork, thus furthering the separation.
The most significant ritualistic difference between the two faiths is the weekly celebration of the Sabbath. Jews observe the Sabbath as a day of rest, while Christians do not. This is partly due to Jesus having argued with Jewish elders over their interpretation of the Sabbath and his suggestion that one should do good works on the Sabbath. This disagreement played an important role in the emergence of Christianity, although it also marked the beginning of the divide between the two faiths.
The religious festivals observed by each faith are also indicative of the divide. The Jewish holidays of Passover, Purim, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur are all based on the history of the Jewish people, while the Christian holidays of Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday are based on the supernatural events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Missions Of The Early Christians
The early Christians undertook missions throughout the world. These missions often clashed with traditional Jewish beliefs and practices, leading to tension and disagreement. For example, one early Christian mission was to convert the Gentiles, or non-Jews, to Christianity. This was seen as a challenge to Judaism, as the Jewish faith had traditionally excluded Gentiles from its religious practices.
The spread of Christianity beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire further fuelled tensions between the two religions. While the expansion of Christianity into new lands was seen by many early Christians as a way of fulfilling Jesus’ mandate to “go and make disciples of all nations”, the mission to spread Christianity was seen by many Jews as an imperialism of religious proselytism. This further strengthened the divide between the two faiths.
Different Views Of Salvation
The two faiths also vary significantly in their views of salvation. In Judaism, salvation comes with faith in God and living a life of holiness in obedience to God’s laws, while in Christianity, salvation is through faith in Jesus and accepting him as the Messianic saviour. This fundamental difference has been a core element in the division between Judaism and Christianity.
The Christian view of salvation places greater emphasis on Jesus and his teachings than on Jewish scripture, a view which is not shared by Jews. The belief that salvation can only be achieved through Jesus’ death and resurrection is a key feature of Christianity and one which is rejected by Jews, further highlighting the divide between the two religions.
Conclusion Of Jewish-Christian Dialogue
The differing views of God and salvation, coupled with the spread of Christianity, the importance placed in Jesus’ teachings, the emergence of Christian anti-Semitic sentiment and the mission to convert the non-believers, were all factors in the division between the faiths. Over the centuries, this division has developed into two distinct religions and resulted in the phenomenon which most directly led to Christianity separating from Judaism.
Today, the two faiths are attempting to bridge the divide through a process of interfaith dialogue. This dialogue has been focused on establishing mutual understanding and respect, based on a recognition that both faiths share a common origin and heritage. Although there is still division, the process of dialogue has helped foster an increased level of cooperation and understanding between Judaism and Christianity.
