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Book Review: Surprised by Christ
How does a Hasidic Jew, the son, and grandson of rabbis, become an Orthodox Christian? The journey is a fascinating one, as A. James Bernstein relates in a book that is one part personal autobiography, and the other part his spiritual journey from the Judaism of his youth through what he describes as the return to the fulfillment of Judaism’s promise in the Orthodox Church. In his tale, Father Bernstein takes readers from his initial discovery of Christianity as a young man, through his years as an Evangelical street preacher in Berkley, and back to Israel both past and present as he seeks to re-find the ancient Jewish connection to Christianity.
Bernstein begins with a vivid recollection of when a drunk anti-semite threw a brick through his father’s storefront in the middle of the night in Queens, NY. Though James was born in the US during World War II, his parents had wed in the early 1930s, and had fled Jerusalem (where his father was from) for the US (his mother was from Pittsburgh) out of fear that the Muslim Mufti of the region would ally with the Nazis. The horrors of the war and the revelations of the Holocaust broke much of his father’s faith, and though trained as a Rabbi in his youth, in America he instead chose to run a candy store.
Bernstein describes much of growing up in New York City in the 1950s and ’60s as nearly idyllic, the brick-throwing aside, but he had a hunger for spiritual knowledge that led him into conversations with many of the other ethnic groups around him, and those conversations led him to read (in secret) the Christian Bible. What he found, and moreover whom he found he compared in detail to everything he had learned as a Jew, and in time, and at the cost of his relationship with his parents, he converted to Christianity. But of what sort?
To a convert, the variety of Christian denominations and their practices are bewildering, and Bernstein struggled at first to find an authentic expression, eventually finding his way into an Evangelical group in college in the late 1960s. From the time of his conversion, he was led to actively evangelize, whether by speaking, doing street theater performances, or distributing flyers. In that time he encountered other Jewish converts, including Moishe Rosen, who recruited him into what became Jews for Jesus (Bernstein takes some credit for coining the group’s name).
Bernstein narrates a rather active and enthusiastic life through this time as he and Rosen relocated to California and then began street preaching and theater on the Berkley campus, all against the backdrop of the other tumults of the time. At all times he followed where his faith pointed, but time and again his narrative returns to his fundamental concern: how does he maintain his Jewish identity as a Christian? As his preaching continued, and he found himself elevated to become a pastor at his church, he describes a related and growing concern too: if the early Christians were all Jews, where is Judaism within Christianity, and are there still Jewish Christians, living descendants of those early believers, to be found in the world (not just recent converts like himself)?
The story of his life is throughout intermingled with his unfolding of the Christian message itself. Each step in his discovery is described both in terms of his autobiography and in theological terms. Along the way, he narrates his own spiritual and familial struggles, his travels back to Israel, and movements and organizations he was involved in along the way. But his goal is always clear: to tell how he did, at last, find the living out of ancient Judaism within the Orthodox Christian Church, and how he, at last, became a priest therein.
As an adult convert to Christianity myself, I found his own struggles with modern expressions of Christianity rather familiar. Like him, I never really felt I fit in well with Evangelicalism, and I rather admired his persistence and intellectual curiosity to follow where history and his faith pointed. But the book is also fascinating in its explorations of the continuation of many Jewish beliefs, scriptural interpretations, and practices that are still alive within the Orthodox church. Rev. Bernstein gave up much by following Jesus but in the process, he also reconnected with the earliest followers, Jews all, whose descendants truly are still alive in the same lands they’ve always dwelt in.
The book was originally published in 2008 by what was then known as Conciliar Press, which is now known as Ancient Faith Publishing, and is available as a paperback, an e-book, and an audiobook. The unabridged audiobook, narrated by Father Bernstein himself, was just made available through Audible.com and runs about 16 hours.
The only criticism I would make of the audiobook format is that the author (likely at the behest of the audio producer) reads the book a bit slowly and with deliberation. This gives the impression of a less lively speaker than he is in real life. I’ve linked at the bottom of this post to a Youtube video of him giving a talk a few years ago, and he has been featured on a number of podcasts as well, so you can see that he is quite dynamic. But that is a minor quibble, and it is wonderful to hear Rev. Bernstein unfold his life and theology in his own voice and New York cadence.
In full disclosure, I was given a free copy of the audiobook by Ancient Faith Publishing in return for reviewing it.
Published in Religion & Philosophy
My take: see @nandapanjandrum‘s last point. From my perspective, people can call themselves what they wish, but I’m very uncomfortable with the title Messianic Jews or the like. If a Jew is born a Jew, in one sense, he or she is always a Jew. If that person converts to Christianity, he or she is a Christian. If that person wishes to practice Jewish ritual as a Christian, no one will stop him or her, and it doesn’t bother me. I had the sense that the person of the book review was figuring that out; did he actually call himself a Christian Jew or Jewish Christian? The paradox is that if you are born a Jew, you are always a Jew, and you will still be a Jew if you convert to Christianity, but not a practicing Jew. To answer you, @cm, and to make it more complicated, there are Jews who believe all kinds of things or reject all kinds of things, including the idea of the messiah. We don’t kick them out for that, but it isn’t standard practice. There are disagreements about how the messiah will appear and who it will be, but that’s another discussion. Now that I’ve totally confused you . . . !
Can you tell me what similarities? A short list would be nice.
It doesn’t confuse me.
I think the debate about Jewish Christian/Messianic Jew/Just Plain Christian is being a bit nit picky.
However, I get the relevance of that distinction. I actually think Messianic Jew is more accurate as Christian is a greek term and is more relevant to gentile Christians. They don’t stop being Jews when they become Christians.
See Paul’s injunction on Timothy to be circumcised.
And Skip, what is it you disagree with on my last comment?
As a Jew who worries about the survival of the Jewish people, I don’t feel it’s nit picky, but I can understand that others might. I don’t take that survival for granted.
If it’s as a race/nation, them being Christian doesn’t change that. They are still Jewish. So extinction as a people isn’t relevant if you think Christians identifying as Jews is misguiding on who is actually a Jew.
If it’s about the traditions of Judaism being extinguished, it’s more relevant, however “Messianic Jews” are more likely to uphold Jewish traditions than atheist Jews or simply Christians.
If all the Catholics became Muslims tomorrow, none of us would be extinct as human beings. But it would certainly be accurate to say that “the Catholics are extinct”–as Catholics. Since Jews themselves don’t like the term Messianic Jew–and take my word on this, 99.999% really don’t–regard the term as a Christian attempt to make conversions seem natural.
There was an Episcopal bishop in Britain who became a Muslim and tries to claim that she’s still a Christian–“a better Christian”. I don’t buy that terminology.
So… it has absolutely nothing to do with how a Jewish convert considers his transition from Jew to Christian?
It’s almost unsurprising that some Jews allied with Muslims to persecute Christians in their midst.
I really wasn’t going for more than just the ones I’d mentioned.
The one I took issue with was one yesterday, where you said:
They really are at odds over a fundamental point. Even if we both agree on the first 2/3 of what is scriptural canon (which itself requires setting aside differences over translation and interpretation, which are themselves not to be underestimated but whose hashing out could take pages all its own), Judaism and Christianity diverge at the point of Jesus of Nazareth. That is fundamental because the Christian claims require a radical rethinking, and indeed a rejection of the last 2000 years of Rabbinical teaching and culture alone. Christians should be extremely wary of any attempt to downplay differences here, whatever the commonality of the roots. The jump from any one faith to another is (and I hate how overused the term is, but…) a paradigm shift, perhaps less so for Jews converting to Christianity than for a Muslim to convert to Hinduism, but such a conversion of belief is life altering and difficult. We should not be quick to claim Jews and Christians are not at odds, neither from the Jewish, nor from the Christian perspective.
And that doesn’t even get into 2000 years worth of historical interactions.
It’s like transsexualism, Stina. You can go ahead and call yourself whatever you want, you can identify with anything you want, but whatever you call yourself, when you convert to Christianity, you’re a Christian.
It’s almost unsurprising that some Jews allied with Muslims to persecute Christians in their midst.
What?? When? In my entire life I’ve never seen Jews persecute Christians.
Exactly.
Though Bernstein, I think about 10 minutes in on the video I linked above, does relate with no small amount of chagrin the odd encounters in he had in some “Messianic Jewish Fellowships” – he said they were largely populated by people with decidedly non-Jewish names, and they usually turned out to Christians who had tried to make themselves and their practices of faith more Jewish-like. He described them as theological cherry pickers, and very confused.
I really do not want to take this discussion down this path. This is dangerous territory.
If you are a Jew who believes the prophets point to a promised messiah, believing Jesus is that messiah is not so much at odds with their Jewish faith as a Jew believing Ishmael was the promised son of Abraham.
The friction comes in to the Jewish vs Christian problem on the pointing to a Messiah (see Susan’s comment… not all Jews think a messiah was promised) or who that messiah was/is/will be… which will cause severe problems, much like Arminian vs the council of Nicea or protestant vs catholic… as they view each other as heretics (a Christian term, but the sentiment is the same).
They see them as destroying the faith while the other thinks they are right. How do you make the choice to re-identify? I think Messianic Jews are more right than Jews who expect a Messiah are more right than Jews who don’t. Why don’t I get to decide what they are called? (Rhetorical question).
Messianic Jews believe they are upholding the traditions of Judaism by prophet and fulfillment. While the rest of Jews have a right to be frustrated by it, I do not think Christians should be deciding Messianic Jews should just call themselves “christian”. It sounds like shoving our brothers and sisters in Christ under the bus while pandering to orthodox Jews. Why?
This is indeed confusing. One sentence with bolding says that a person can be a Christian practicing Jewish ritual. The next one states that a Jewish Christian cannot be a practicing Jew.
Rhetorical answer: Because you’re not Jewish.
I’m not making any decisions for them. I’m just going by what the actual Jews say.
“Pandering”?
First and second century middle east.
Yes. It is. But it’s very frustrating that we can’t talk about things because we are afraid of who it will offend.
Yes. It was indeed thing in the early years.
But messianic Jews are actually Jews.
Edited to add: just like Catholics, orthodox, and protestants are all considered Christians (even though, deep down, they still consider each other heretics).
One rather important point has not been mentioned yet, if I’m not mistaken.
The Jewish Christian, unlike any number of very secular Jews, recognizes that the Torah, the Writings, and the Prophets are the very Word of G-d.
(Or at least the Jewish Christian is supposed to. Supreme Overlord @andrewklavan apparently does not. That makes him a somewhat confused Christian who rejects the settled doctrine of all orthodox churches–minus Karl Barth.)
No, they aren’t. They quit. They are still members of an ethnic group. Don’t believe me? Ask the Jews.
Here’s your actual quote:
It’s almost unsurprising that some Jews allied with Muslims to persecute Christians in their midst.
So they were allied with Muslims? Five hundred years before Mohammed?
Oh… my bad century is 100 years, not 1000. I meant 700 – 1300 whereabouts.
But Jews were doing it on their own in the first century. Or did you miss that part of Acts?
Sorry to be so snarky, but I don’t know many other ways to interact with you.
They did not quit. They see Jesus as the fulfillment of their prophecies. Gentile Christians see Jesus as the fulfillment of the Jews prophecies, as well. They also believe him to be the savior of everyone. That’s not quitting.
Along those lines, Zoroastrian Christian would also not be much of a conflict to me, either, as they would see Christ as fulfillment of Zoroastar’s prophecies (who believed in one God, creator of the world, and the future arrival to save all the world).
Rather inflammatory language, it seems…Doesn’t really add to the discussion, does it?
Hmm… perhaps not. But what other reason is it that some (christian) commentors are siding with orthodox Jews over messianic Jews over what they should be called?
Both are Jews. Who gets more of a right to decide?
Are Catholics Christian?
Catholics are, and Mormons aren’t. There are criteria for making these designations. One or two–like defining a religion by the authorities it recognizes–may suggest a different answer. I’m open to arguments that Catholics are a different religion from Reformation Christians.
What’s the criterion for what makes a practicing Jew?
Yeah. For the most part, it’s pretty universal that anyone who believes the Nicene Creed (or Apostles Creed) (or the statements contained therein as the necessary elements of faith) is a Christian, regardless of schism partition.
If Jewish atheists are still Jews, then belief is not the necessary element of belonging. How is it that a Christian jew can’t be Jewish, but an atheist jew can?