Preaching without Contempt: Overcoming Unintended Anti-Judaism

by Marilyn J. Salmon

Marilyn Salmon's persuasive and practical work helps preachers to identify the ways that Christian preachers perpetuate the long tradition of Christian anti-Judaism. She situates the Gospels precisely as Jewish literature then addresses specific thorny issues that arise in preaching: supersessionism; portrayals of the Law; the Pharisees; the relationship between the Testaments; preaching the Passion; and misrepresentations of Judaism. Using examples from many sermons, she shows how to avoid the pitfalls of misportraying the people of Jesus.

Genres: Religion

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still mulling over this book but what I can say for sure is that it has helped changed the groundwork of my faith. I did not realize how much of my Christian belief has been propped up with unintentional anti-Semitic thought and influences. I took copious notes and am sure I will refer back to the book a lot.

[Nancy Korb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. When you have to look up every fifth sentence it doesn't endear me to the book. She might be an intelligent person but her writing isn't for the 2 year college degree student. This is the worst book I have ever had to read. I read the whole thing!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marilyn (one of my professors) presents her driving arguments for reading the Newer Testament without imposing Anti-Jewish sentiment. She argues that "Christianity" did not exist as a separate entity from Judaism in the first century, which is when the Newer Testament texts were written, which indicates that elements that seem "Anti-Jewish" in the NT are actually within inter-Jewish conflicts. She stresses the importance of recognizing the extreme diversity that existed within Judaism in the first century, not unlike most religious traditions today.

[Liddy Barlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salmon offers a scathing critique of the anti-Jewish sentiments that so often and so easily creep into well-meaning Christian sermons, and gives useful, specific strategies for proclaiming the gospel in ways that do not harm our Jewish brothers and sisters.

[Rich Kooyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book with a contemporary, postmodern, analytical look at the Gospels and New Testament as a piece of Jewish literature and how anti-semitism in western thought and practice have shaded our worldview.