Religious pluralism

Question 1

Which 3 disasters have befallen the Jewish people?

Answer 1

1} Destruction of the Temple and defeat of Judea.
2} The fall of Jersulalem to the Romans in 70CE.
3} The Holocaust.

Question 2

What did these incidents force?

Answer 2

All of these forced a great migration and the need to engage with other cultures and religious practices.

Question 3

Religious pluralism and Jewish identity.

Answer 3

• Due to the atrocities mentioned and the consequences of these, such as the Diaspora and further conflicts, Jews have always looked to preserve their identity and religion as a whole.

Question 4

What are some of the ways they have done this?

Answer 4

• Fulfilling the covenants with God and the mitzvots.
• Practising the Tikkun Olam.
• Bringing light upon other nations.

Question 5

What doesn’t the Torah discuss?

Answer 5

• However, the Torah does not discuss the preservation of God having a relationship with the peoples, and that non-Jews also have a relationship with God.
• Therefore, each nation had its own unique relationship with God.

Question 6

What is the traditional Jewish view on this issue?

Answer 6

• A traditional Jewish view is that other nations adhere to the Noahide laws, which were never required of the children of Noah.

Question 7

What conclusion did the Jews therefore come to?

Answer 7

Jews therefore came to the conclusion that God is for everyone.

Question 8

What did this mean?

Answer 8

This meant that Jews should be able to work in harmony with other religious beliefs and law systems.

Question 9

What does interfaith dialogue refer to?

Answer 9

Interfaith dialogue refers to a co-operative, constructive and positive relationship between people of different religions.

Question 10

What denominations of Judaism engage in interfaith dialogue?

Answer 10

• Conservativ, reform, reconstructionist and a few modern orthodox rabbis engage in interfaith dialogue while most orthodox rabbis do not.

Question 11

Jewish attitudes to other faiths - Maimonides.

Answer 11

• Maimonides’ work was both respected and valued by both Judaism and Islam.
• Maimonides explained in detail why Jesus was wrong to create Christianity and why Muhammad was wrong to create Islam.
• He laments the pains Jews have suffered in rejection from followers of these new faiths as they attempted to supplant.
• However, Maimonides then goes on to say that both faiths can be considered a positive part of God’s plan to redeem the world.