“My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts,”
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY: JESUS CHRIST AND THE EARLY CHURCH
Christianity has origin in Judaism;
Christianity began as a movement within Judaism by Jesus of Nazareth in the 1st century AD. The religion originated among Jews in the Roman Province of Judea but spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean region. Abraham as an Ancestor of faith in Judaism had his name changed from Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:4-6). Jesus himself alluded that Abraham looked forward to his coming to perfect Judaism into Christianity (John 8:56; Matthew 5:17).
A SUMMARY ON JUDAISM
Judaism is one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, dating back over 3,000 years. It is centred around the belief in one God, Yahweh, and the teachings contained in the Hebrew Bible, especially the Torah, which is considered the most sacred text. Judaism emphasizes ethical conduct, social justice, and the importance of community.
Key practices include observing the Sabbath (Shabbat), keeping kosher dietary laws, and celebrating religious festivals such as Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Jewish life is guided by commandments (mitzvot) and a strong sense of tradition passed down through generations.
Jewish identity can be religious, ethnic, or cultural, with a diverse range of traditions and practices among Jewish communities worldwide. Throughout history, Jews have faced periods of persecution and diaspora, but they have also made significant contributions to culture, science, and arts globally.
A SUMMARY ON CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It originated in the 1st century CE in the Roman province of Judea and is the largest religion in the world today. Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour who was crucified, died, and was resurrected to offer salvation to humanity.
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the sacred scripture of Christianity. Central practices include prayer, worship, baptism, and communion. Christianity emphasizes love, forgiveness, and living according to Jesus’ teachings.
There are many Christian denominations, including Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodoxy, each with its own traditions and interpretations. Christianity has had a profound influence on Western civilization and has played a significant role in history, culture, and moral thought worldwide.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM
The relationship between Christianity and Judaism is complex and historically intertwined. Christianity emerged from Judaism in the 1st century CE, rooted in Jewish beliefs, scriptures, and practices. Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, was a Jewish preacher, and the early Christian movement was initially seen as a sect within Judaism.
Over time, theological differences developed—most notably, Christianity’s belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God contrasts with Jewish teachings, which do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. These differences led to a gradual separation between the two religions.
Despite this, Christianity has been influenced deeply by Jewish tradition, scripture (the Old Testament), and ethics. Historically, relationships have ranged from periods of cooperation and mutual respect to tension and conflict, often influenced by social and political factors.
“My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts,”
“My thoughts are not your thoughts,” the first reading warns us, “my ways not your ways – it is the Lord who speaks.” God, in other words, is completely different from what human beings imagine. From the time of the ancient Greeks up to the beginning of the twentieth century, much effort, and at times zealous fervour, went into formulating proofs for the existence of God. But such proofs seem to have lost their appeal for our generation, which seems more concerned with what we mean, when we speak of God.
Although most of us believe that God created us, there are others who go so far as to declare that God is no more than something of our own creation. At one stage those who did not subscribe to the existence of a divine being claimed that belief in such a one merely made human beings shy away from work, while expecting God to do it for them. But many psychiatrists, have become concerned that a lack of spirituality in turn can lead to its own mental upsets. Because when pressures become too great, and demands are impossible to meet, it is not the presence of a divine friend but rather the absence of one that can drive people to despair. The hope, in this world, of attaining a complete understanding of the nature of God is something, not only that can end up in many a blind alley, but, ultimately, is truly impossible to reach. For the finite human mind is incapable of encompassing the infinite.
The English writer, C. S. Lewis, famous for his insights into Christianity, after his wife had died from cancer, compared our idea of God with a house of cards. If one has a skilful and steady hand it is possible to build a quite elaborate structure, a kind of oriental temple, with playing cards. But because our limited image of the divine can easily become an idol, God occasionally shakes the table on which the cards are built up, and the whole thing collapses. Indeed we might well go so far as to say that this shattering is one of the marks of God’s presence. For Lewis, the death of his wife was a crushing experience, which caused his image of God to crumble. It was only after the lapse of time that he came to look on his experience as a grace from God, because his understanding of the divine had increased further. One can easily make the common mistake of trying to reduce God to one’s own level. St Thomas Aquinas, on his deathbed, begged that all his writings on the nature of God be destroyed, so convinced was he of their limitations. His request was never carried out, but this warning by him to his followers remains. If you believe you can comprehend God it is quite certain he is not God that comes to your mind. God indeed is infinitely greater than any concept of him the human mind can form, even though it be endowed with the genius of a Thomas Aquinas.
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