C3/CCC Sermon Transcript for January 6, 2008
“'The Vastness and Richness of Judaism"
By Bob Kleinheksel

A couple weeks ago, I heard a joke about a Jewish Mother and it stayed with me into my preparations for today.  The joke was told by a devout Jew. He actually referenced his own mother and a mother of a close friend.  Here are a few famous Jewish mothers from across the ages.  Jokes:  Jewish Mother, original meal and land without oil!

Years ago I began identifying myself other than one coming exclusively from the Christian tradition.  While I described myself as a sort of Christian, I have long been intrigued with non-Christian insights and texts. The traditional doctrinal and theological understandings of Judaism have not had much appeal to me. Rather, the emphasis upon covenants, the enjoyment of rituals and traditions and the centuries- old prerogative of justice and hospitality drew me in.  I even think at one time I indicated to a few I was becoming more Jewish, more Unitarian and more non-theist.  Not sure if all that is possible, but that was running through my head at the time! And still does!  Faith Club

Karl Marx said, “From the outset, the Christian was the theorizing Jew, the Jew is therefore the practical Christian, and the practical Christian has become a Jew again.”  I believe many of us have become more practical and more fundamental in terms of what is more important in religion and in life:  Values over specific beliefs, life-giving attitudes over conformity to one moral code; universal engagement over ethnic/tribalism. 

While it is obvious to identify Jesus as a Jew, rooted in his tradition, this understanding was and is mostly lost in our tendency to assert the Christian tradition as superior to others and thus diminish Jesus’ heritage, ethnicity and religious framework.  Ironically, the more progressive this community has become, the more seriously I took the life, ministry, teaching, radicality and humanity of Jesus.  This in turn has led me to more fully appreciate and explore the revisionist Judaism of Jesus as well as Judaism in general with all its richness, commentary, quandaries and beauty. 

I am no expert of Judaism.  I have only opinions and scattered experiences with the tradition and it customs.  I am a white guy from Zeeland, MI.  I was raised in mainline, protestant thought and am rooted and liberated in the amazing ride and exploration of progressive Christianity. Like many of you, however, I have background in the tradition of Christianity. And this means we share with Judaism what are considered holy writings, fundamental values and similar understandings of God, humanity and the world. 

It is fascinating to be part of a tradition that grew out of Judaism.  Is it too strange to say that most of us are somehow a little Jewish – no matter where we come from? While most of us do not share in Judaism as ones having an ethnic, cultural, legalistic or religious background, we do come from a revisionist Judaism as lived out by Jesus, Paul and through an amazing and perhaps maddening interplay of power, politics, mistakes and interpretation.  Isn’t it amazing that when you get right down to core values and basic behaviors the traditions of Judaism and Christianity share in so much?  We will explore this briefly today as we kick off this five Sunday series on world religions. First, I’d like to briefly outline the major movements of Judaism leading to our shared journey as progressive people and traditions on the way. 
Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people and is based on the words, principles and ethics found in the Hebrew Bible.  It also declares authoritative the Talmud which is the record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, the Torah, found in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Judaism is unique to many other traditions in that it does not hinge on one person or group of people, but rather the writings of the Hebrew Bible, the written law and the commentaries on the law. The Talmud records differences of opinion between the two main schools of Judaism – the house of Hillel and the house of Shammai – based upon two scholars living at the same time just before the Common Era during the rule of Herod.  Hillel was known for his love for humanity and kindness, whereas Shammai was quick-tempered and impatient.  One of the famous anecdotes captured in the Talmud is that of a Gentile coming to Shammai saying he would convert to Judaism if he could teach him the whole Torah in the time that he could stand on one foot. Shammai drove him away with a stick.  Hillel on the other hand, converted the Gentile by telling him, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to another. That is the whole law or Torah; the rest is just commentary.  Go and study it.”  Talk about progressive!!  And this was two thousand years ago!

The orthodox camp is a strain of Judaism that adheres to a strict interpretation and application of laws and ethics:  The Torah and all its laws are divine, transmitted by God to Moses, the greatest of the prophets.  These laws are eternal and unalterable.  The oral law is the authoritative interpretation of the Torah and is also divine.  Orthodox Judaism, like traditional Christianity, is mono-theistic.  A supreme being transmitted this law to a chosen people and formed an exclusive, unbreakable covenant with the people of Israel – the people and descendants of Jacob – whose name was Israel.  Orthodox Judaism affirms the reward of good and retribution of evil, the coming of the Jewish Messiah and the resurrection of the dead.  Sound familiar to mainline, conservative Christianity?  Many of us know this language and these beliefs well.

Conservative Judaism has its roots in the responses to liberal Judaism. There were those who attempted to conserve Judaism rather than reform or abandon it.  Conservative Judaism includes a non-fundamentalist teaching of Jewish principles and a positive understanding toward culture.  Conservative Jews believe that movements toward the left, such as progressive Judaism, have erred by rejecting traditional authority of Jewish law and tradition.  They believe that the Orthodox movements, on the theological right, have erred by slowing down or stopping the development of Jewish law.  Conservatives maintain that both dynamic interpretation of the law and affirmation of the authority of tradition are necessary and that their middle ground best captures the essence of Judaism. 

You can think of a chess game to get a better picture of the Jewish movements.  The Orthodox, it is said, put a glass dome over the board. Conservative Jews merely took the dome off the board to begin moving the pieces once again according to the rules. Reform Judaism rejects the rules of the game and is now perhaps playing a game of checkers. 

Reform or progressive Judaism also makes its mark upon the Jewish scene and upon the world. The progressive movement believes in the continuous integration of Jewish tradition and non-Jewish insights.  And, like progressive Christianity, progressive Judaism commits to both personal and congregational autonomy meaning that standards, beliefs and practices can vary widely from region to region and from individual to individual.  The progressive movements in general, and not just progressive Judaism live with and embrace certain tensions – ones we continue to deal with here at CCC:  Continuity versus reform, authority versus autonomy, universalism and particularism. 

The progressive movement affirms plurality, modernity, democracy, equality, innovation and social justice.  Most believe that the tradition should be transmitted within the framework of modern thinking and morality – living with the prophetic ideals of doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly – as read in the prophet Micah, chapter 6.  By the way, Rabbi Rami Shapiro has written a book entitled, The Sacred Art of Loving-kindness – and I highly recommend it.  You will receive a beautiful mix of Jewish insights and inspiration as well as tools to live out universal values and practices.
 It brings faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship.  In other words, you never check your brain at the door when you come into church or into a synagogue.  Just engage with Rabbi Shapiro and you will be on your toes all the way! 

I want to mention Kabbalah as well.  Kabbalah is often confused with being a Jewish movement, but it is actually a practice to enhance any tradition.  Of course, the discipline and practice of Kabbalah has its roots in Jewish texts and law, but it far transcends these texts and laws.  Kabbalah is a way of life based upon universal values of patience, empathy and compassion.  It is more esoteric and mystical in nature and cannot be easily defined.  It cannot be owned by one particular religion or tradition. It is a discipline that transforms the domination of our egos and helps create an affinity with the essence of Life and God.  Kabbalah teaches that every human being is a work in progress. I like that.  We celebrate that here. 

This Kabbalistic work is transforming the ego and getting in touch with and affirming the unity of all things.  In the day to day, this transformation means letting go of anger, jealousy and other negative behaviors in favor of kindness, humility, gentleness.  It does not mean giving up all desire or heading to a mountaintop to escape.  It means a desire for the fulfillment humanity was meant to have.  Kabbalah includes an understanding that our humanity and divinity are one reality.  Check this out if you are curious. There is much more to say on Kabbalah…and it has been profiled by the likes of Madonna and others in the spotlight.  It is very useful for millions, Jewish and non-Jewish people alike.  

Judaism generally and progressive Judaism specifically are beautiful traditions in progress; they are grounded in 4000 years of history, tradition and ongoing development.  I commend it all to you. I believe the richness and beauty of Judaism are even more pronounced and enhanced with the integration of rich tradition with insights from non-Jewish sources.  Progressive Judaism affirms and combines unique and wonderful particular customs, rites, traditions with an emphasis upon universal values and morality.  It is a beautifully appealing combination. 
I believe it parallels much of what we experience here at CCC and what millions of others experience around the world:  Progressive religious principles within their unique customs and practices.  We celebrate progressive religion and Judaism. We celebrate progressive Christianity here at CCC.  And we explore the following tenants of progressive Christianity: (five points)

We share these five principles with progressive Judaism.  We celebrate our particulars while affirming and enjoying the commonality of universal goals and values. I find this so worthwhile and encouraging and I hope you do too.  We can share and abide side by side in our unique expressions and practices.  And yet, at the end of the day, we affirm our connections in a broader family of humanity and work toward common ends along a beautiful journey marked by growth, humility and mutual validation.

Let me introduce a four part acronym to help summarize what I’ve shared-  ARCH

The first letter stands for Affirmation:  Affirmation of covenants we make with people across the board– with mutual regard, loving-kindness. In the day to day we practice the art of affirmation with our kids, coworkers, friends. We affirm covenants of love and respect with the God of all our understandings.  We affirm the place of Judaism in this world.  Most of us within Christianity affirm and are grateful recipients of so much that has been experienced and developed and that continues to be developed within Judaism. 

The second is Reform. This is the ongoing reshaping of your lives, your belief systems, your stronger demonstrations of universal values.  This is to continue in the reformist, revisionist emphasis and tradition of the progressive movements. This is the invitation to be dynamic and to live in the ongoing development of your tradition.  It is to see the connections progressive Christianity shares with progressive Judaism.  We are one.

The third is Confrontation.  We confront the ego’s desire to separate and to assert oneself or one’s tradition as superior to others.  We confront anything that gets in the way of self-expression and an emerging co-flourishing of traditions and customs.  We confront negativity, superiority and pettiness, jealousy and pride as well.  We confront our attitudes in the day to day that get in the way of embracing and including others. 

The fourth letter stands for Humility. I draw upon Rami Shapiro’s language found in his book, The Sacred Art of Loving-kindness.  Humility is seeing yourself as an expression of the divine, of God’s infinite and timeless unfolding.  Humility is awareness of our impermanence and that we are brothers and sisters with everyone.  This humility is an awareness of our common fate and then a compassion that embraces all.  Humility is an understanding of the unity of all and that our desire is to heal the world through loving-kindness.  Humility is surrendering to the ebb and flow of life.  Imagine yourself tossed in the sea. There are waves and currents that pull and pound. You can fight them and drown, or you can surrender in humility and live, filled with power to be the change you want to see in the world. 

Two rabbis were on their way out of Jerusalem. Seeing the destroyed Temple, One exclaimed, “How awful for us, the place where the sins of Israel could be forgiven lies in ruins.”  The other replied, “My son, do not grieve. We have another, equally effective form of atonement.  What is it?  Acts of kindness, for it is written: ‘I desire kindness not sacrifice.’”

In the end, only kindness matters.  Kindness, peace and understanding.  Hans Kung, the provocative, Catholic priest and author said long ago that there would peace in the world between the nations only if there would be peace between religions.  I believe that and that is why we host and present here at CCC these kinds of sermons. Progressive Judaism ends up where progressive Christianity does.  We share in universal commitments to the healing of this world through loving-kindness and compassion. We affirm what is particularly meaningful for us. We celebrate the liberty and assurance these customs, rituals and beliefs give us.  Then, we share them with others with high regard, knowing that others around will do the same.  Together, then, we share in the common ground of ideals and goals that truly transform our egos and traditions from ruling this world to the lived-out, shared values that transform this world. Amen.

close window | ^ top | home