Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage: How Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity Can Transform Your Faith

by Curt Landry

Sid Roth, Host of "It's Supernatural," says...
"Is it possible to take New Testament and denude the Jewish culture and get a full revelation? Of course not. But many Christians go their whole lives without all the pieces of the puzzle. My friend, Curt Landry, shows how the identity theft took place and fills in the missing pieces. Fall in love with Jesus all over again."

Perry Stone, Founder of Voice of Evangelism, International School of the Word, Omega International, and Manna Fest says... "Curt Landry's Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage serves as a timely and groundbreaking take on the roots of the Christian Church and its place in the entirety of God's Kingdom. As Landry uncovers and unwraps the discovery of his own Jewish heritage and history, he also seeks to do the same for the body of Christ. This book attempts to answer the questions 'Who are we?' and 'Why are we here?' from the perspective of the whole body of believers. If we ignore some of the full story, we are missing some part of our identity-- and in identity, there is power, there is purpose, and there is covenant. 

Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage provides a valuable and unique take on this situation. As the body of Christ begins to reconnect with the olive tree onto which it has been grafted and as the fulfillment of Revelation draws nearer, there is no better time than now to learn about and become firmly grounded within your spiritual heritage."

Chuck Pierce, Author and President of Global Spheres and Glory of Zion International Ministries, says...
" Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage is a journey! This book was like reading a priceless painting in process. Curt Landry motivates each of us uncover our heritage. In process of reading you will 'see' how we each are grafted into Abraham's covenant. My faith soared from page to page. Landry is a major artist painting our roots and causing us to see our fruitful tree blossom! I do not know of a modern book that better displays One New Man. This book will be used by the Spirit of God to tear down the wall between Jew and Gentile. This is a must read!"

Rabbi Curt Landry, founding pastor of House of David Ministries, reveals how understanding the Jewish roots of Christianity leads to a more vibrant, secure, and powerful Christian walk.

The church was created by Jesus, who was born Jewish yet primarily rejected by his family and his people. His early followers were both Jewish and gentile, and the church's early culture was rooted in Judaism and a Jewish understanding of God's relationship to his people. Over time, however, Christianity became increasingly more Roman than Jewish, and the church lost its identity.

Rabbi Curt Landry's personal story is remarkably similar. Born out of wedlock to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Landry was put up for adoption. For over thirty years, he had no understanding of his heritage, his roots, or who his parents were. But when he discovered the truth of his story, his life changed completely.

The key to a life of power and purpose is understanding who you are. In this revelatory new book, Curt Landry helps Christians discover their roots in Judaism, empowering them to walk in the revelation of who they really are and who they are born to be. Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage reveals the mysteries of the church, letting Christians grasp the power that comes from connecting with their identity.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Christian Non Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 2019

Reviews

[Casey | Essentially Novel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this one on Netgalley and eventually bought a copy. The title itself is what drew me in. This book, in my opinion, is almost split into two parts. The author himself is adopted and he likened Christianity and the Jewish faith as adoption. Christianity has Jewish roots, but years after Christ's ascension, it was adopted by the Greco-Roman empire, and in it's distinct ways has become Westernized, drifting from it's Jewish roots. Curtis shares his own story of adoption and how understanding his roots, where he truly came from biologically, had a massive part in understanding his own identity and purpose. For Christianity, he stressed that it is vitally important we understand the Jewish faith in order to truly understand what it means to be a Christian, to understand our identity as adopted children of God, and even Scripture. The second part of the book is where Curtis focuses more on the different aspects of our heritage as believers: knowing what it means to be Jewish, God's covenants from the Old Testament, the New Testament church, the grafting of Gentiles (non-Jews) into the faith, etc.
I really enjoyed this one. I felt there was a ton of apologetics and theology in this that was made more clear, and I certainly loved that he specifically pointed out the importance and still relevance of the Old Testament law. This is definitely a book I plan on keeping on hand and going back to over and over again. The Scriptural foundation to this book is completely solid, and I love that he uses the original words used (the Hebrew of the OT, Greek or Aramaic of NT), explaining some of the verses in their truest context. I highly recommend this for all believers, especially those who really want to know the foundations of the Christian faith as well as our connection to Judaism.

[Jason Baskerville · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty good - some good info on how our Jewish roots can inform our faith and reading of Scripture in today's cultural context. There were some ideas that didn't jive with me and some things were presented in a very evangelical "tone" of writing; there were a few times that I wondered if I was going to finish it. I think this is a case of take what is useful and leave the rest. It was not a transformative book on its own, but can have value if other readings were explored to compliment its content and fill in the gaps.

[Create With Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in learning more about the historical and cultural aspects of Judaism so that you can gain a richer understanding of the Bible and Christianity, you might be surprised to learn that this really isn’t the focal point of Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage: How Understanding The Jewish Roots Of Christianity Can Transform Your Faith!

Instead, Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage provides us with more of an autobiographical look at the life of Curt Landry – a man who was adopted from a Catholic orphanage in the 1950s when his unwed Catholic father and Jewish mother decide they are unable to raise him.

The book shows how his personal experiences and key encounters at pivotal moments in his life ultimately led him to God, his birth father, the discovery that he was half Jewish, and into ministry.

One of the overarching themes in this book, based on his personal experience, is how our family history and life experiences combine to impact our spiritual identity.

While the author provides theological insights towards the latter half of the book, the overall content did not quite match what I expected based on the title.

Nonetheless, from an autobiographical perspective, I enjoyed reading Curt’s story and his unique perspective on spiritual identity.

I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

This excerpt is taken from the original review that is published on my blog. To read my review in its entirety, please visit Create With Joy.

[Marissa Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book raises some excellent points and can serve as an introduction to the topic of Christianity's Jewish roots. But while Landry has an incredible and inspiring story, I wasn't expecting it to take up nearly half the book nor for him to fill the pages with antidotes of his success.

The emphasis of this book felt backwards. I'd expected to learn about the Jewish roots of Christianity with Landry's personal story used as an example. Not to read a memoir with Curt Landry as the main focus, but which also included information about our Jewish roots.

Much of the content surrounding those roots is good. I appreciated his analogy that the modern church is in the midst of an identity crisis because we don't understand the fullness of our faith. There are also a couple excellent chapters tracing the Romanization of the church and pin-pointing where and when it was cut off from its roots. I supposed I just expected more of that content.

Read my full review here: https://likeananchor.com/2019/12/09/b...

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first half of the book is about the author's life, and is interesting enough, telling the story of his upbringing and his coming into his Christian faith. I thought of giving the book two stars for this aspect, but did not. The second half of the book deals more with the author's understanding of what he says are things that have remained part of the Jewish faith, e.g. festivals, holy days, covenants, etc. which have not been maintained by the Christian church. The author was apparently a very driven and "successful" (he made a lot of money) businessman prior to and in his subsequent years after his faith conversion. The second half of the book deals more with his finding out his birth mother was Jewish, landing in with a group of Christians very committed to the nation of Israel, and his understanding of what the universal church has lost due to their non-adherence to Jewish rituals and his understanding and personal experience of the blessing that comes from following said rituals.

Beware the wealthy American businessman who has all the answers! As Tevia sings in Fiddler on the Roof about the rich man, "and it won't make one bit of difference, if I answer right or wrong, cause when you're rich, they think you really know". The last 50 pages of the book were alternately interspersed with prosperity gospel platitudes and numerous Old Testament references of how God will bless the obedient.

Throughout the book, there are many fine things said. It's always fun to read someone's faith journey, how their lives were changed, etc. I certainly don't mind having an understanding of traditions rooted in the OT which may enhance any person's life today, that's all well and good. It becomes more problematic when it turns from sharing one's experience towards harping on the truth which you have found, which has been missed by all for centuries. When the author talks about the universal church missing out through ignorance, disobedience, etc on the blessing and fulness God intended for them, it's always curious that a particular person, at this particular time, now understands what has eluded scholars, seekers, clerics, leaders, etc, for the last couple thousand years. Curt Landry will now teach us what no one else has seemed to get. Hmmm. If you are looking for humility in a book, you will not find it here.

More problematic is his frequent self-serving or opportunistic quotes of Scripture which he tries to fit with whatever point he may be trying to make at the time. There are dozens of these, I'll give a few. He mentions a Seder meal, celebrating Passover, which his church holds in Oklahoma, and which has had participants come from as far away as Singapore and Africa. He then asks why they come from so far away, and finds his answer in Psalm 23:5 'Thou has prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou has anointed my head with oil, my cup overflows.' Huh?? He then moves on to the nine blessings of Passover. Another silly example is when he talks of the story of the boy with loaves and fishes that Jesus blesses and feeds 5000 with. "Something interesting to note: five loaves plus two fish equals seven elements. In biblical numerology seven represents the number of perfection. Twelve, the number of baskets filled with leftovers, is the number of government. When we sow in perfection, in obedience to God's word, we reap dominion--favor and multiplication" He then quotes Proverbs 18:16 'A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men'. Huh again? And really, huh? Seriously, what are you talking about? The book may have a lot of true things said, but they are often strung together in ways that makes no sense, or intentionally (or ignorantly) try to lead to some conclusion that simply is not there. At another point he compares the promise to Abraham to bless him that he might bless others, to the widow who put in her last two coins. Unsurprisingly in a Prosperity Gospel tract, it is Abraham who is lauded as the example we are to strive towards, never minding that Jesus commended the widow. The reclamation of Jewish roots will lead to a wealth able to share, void of suffering, very American. (Not very NT).

This book is a view that the author has developed which has appealed to him as his life has unfolded, and he has enjoyed the life he has led. He lets us know he's made 40 trips to Israel, has met Benjamin Netanyahu and helped channel millions of dollars of 'support' to Israel. As I mentioned, the path of humility is not a well-trodden one here. As a call to appreciate the Old Testament, fine. As a call that everyone has all been wrong, and should do what he has done, well, maybe not.

[Jill H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Curt Landry's life and ministry and how finding biological roots in his life that he never knew about can compare to finding the lost Jewish roots of Christianity. He talks about how the ministries he's involved in came to be through God's intervention. He focuses a lot on how the roots of Christianity are Jewish and that we should embrace them and allow them to change us. Most of it read like a memoir to me but there were chapters that seemed to be just informational too. It is a book that can be helpful to someone just entering the Messianic Jewish movement because it explains about the Jewish Sabbath and Biblical feasts, and can also be helpful to people that want to pick up tidbits of information about the Jewish roots of Christianity that they may have not learned before or need a refresher about.

One of first the things that caught my attention in this book is that Curt explains that a lot of Jewish people view money differently than most non-Jewish people do. It sounded like they want to have enough money to bless others with, and they strive not to be in poverty. That helped me to be a little more sympathetic towards Jewish people for being focused on making a lot of money sometimes. It has also helped me to be grateful that maybe my current Messianic Jewish leader doesn't gain financially much or at all for the times when we need to give beyond tithe to participate.

I found it interesting that the author was led to read the Bible book of Jeremiah and that he found his calling there. I have been learning to read, write, and speak the book of Jeremiah in modern Hebrew for about two or more years now so it made me wonder if God led me to that book for a reason, also.

I had learned a little about being a Judeo-Christian in the past and I have been going through a time it has come back up; this book is one of the resources it was brought up to me again. So, coming across that subject briefly in this book has helped me to want to open up the subject again in my life. It was also interesting to learn that half-Jews were considered Samaritans. (Page 136)

Such a blessing to come across this book. To me, it was most encouraging to learn Curt's life started out very hard and got much better, and that God's hands were in it the whole time it sounded like.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Yvie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a really hard time getting into this book, and it wasn't what I had expected based on the description...therefore it wasn't a very positive reading experience. The author has written about his journey of faith, where he felt as though he was ungrounded and had no real foundation of faith. He comes to Christ on his own, but then also learns about his parents Catholic and Jewish religious backgrounds after the fact, and so begins to study Judaism as well. He founded a ministry that professes to bridge the gap between Christianity and Judaism. One of the places he loses me is where he makes suggestions for all Christians based solely upon what worked for his personal journey...which was pretty unique. He doesn't seem to be committed to either faith, but is content to straddle the line...which usually works okay until you fall.

[Bible Gateway · Rating 5 out of 5]

The church was created by Jesus, who was born Jewish. His early followers were both Jewish and Gentile, and the church’s early culture was rooted in Judaism and a Jewish understanding of God’s relationship to his people. Over time, Christianity became increasingly more Roman than Jewish. How did this transformation affect the church’s identity?

Bible Gateway interviewed Rabbi Curt Landry about his book, Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage: How Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity Can Transform Your Faith (Thomas Nelson, 2018). Read our interview with Curt Landry here: https://bit.ly/2QYbRNA

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We are also predisposed to be people of justice, righteousness, and shalom, made to inherit a kingdom that is 'righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Romans 14:17). This is why certain aspects of the world upset our moral compasses, why broken relationships are so painful, and why abuse and violence are so traumatic and their effects so lasting, though God is able to heal us from them if we ask Him."

This is the quote I appreciate the most from this book. I particularly liked several pages about covenants.

The book is primarily a memoir of the author's journey of finding his biological parents & the implications thereof. Solid book with a couple of takeaways for me.

[Cary Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very instructional. This book not only share the author’s personal story which includes his Jewish heritage, but also explains the heritage we are grafted into when we become true followers of Christ. The au5or further explains what that means and how we are to act it out in our daily lives. A great read for any believer—new or old.

[Michelle Korting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book clearly spells out our true Judaic roots! I will not spoil this book for you I just encourage everyone no matter what your Religion to pick up Curt Landry’s book and read every page and be fed through the word of God.

[Maris McKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really good content, but I felt like it was too much about Curt Landry and not enough about "How Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity Can Transform Your Faith."

[Richard Worden · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting personal spiritual story and a good summary of various periods of church history.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think all Christians today should read this book! Parts of Christianity have been so westernized but we don't even realize it. This is an important book for our time.

[Paul Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this book on Audible. Squeezed out every bit of time I had to finish it. Inspirational!

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

to be better

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What An amazing book! The prayers at the end! Wow, don't miss this one!

[Robert B. Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will change your life...Praise God

It is a book that will change your life. It has changed mine! I am blessed by Rabbis words. He has set me on a path to fulfill my true calling; to do Gods will. This book will Bless you too! Shalom