Hebrew Roots Movement (Hrm)

[Michael Sanders]

I’d like to start a thread concerning the Hebrew Roots Movement (HRM) also referred to as Hebraic or Jewish Roots - which is a very diverse group of primarily “Messianic Christians” who believe that they have been called to live out a torah-observant lifestyle to one degree or another – a brief introduction can be read here:  http://www.apologeticsindex.org/3633-hebrew-roots-movement

 

In a nutshell, adherents believe that most Christians have departed from their Jewish roots in significant ways (e.g. through adopting greek or gentile ways of thinking, syncretism with pagan practices in the culture, removing original understandings through poor translation/transmission of the Hebrew cannon, or outright anti-Semitism, etc…) and this has led to an erroneous scriptural-historical interpretation of the scriptures and many false traditions among the various Christian sects and to a distrust and even hatred of the Jews promulgated in the early church and the writings of the church fathers in particular.  The advocate a “learning of the manner of the jews” to provide a correct sitz-em-liben for which to understand the Hebrew roots of the church.

 

Some of the major areas of reform desired by HRM proponents include a proper reverence, return, and use of the “sacred-name” with various theories expounded over how true-believers should refer to deity.  A return to Saturday Sabbath-keeping instead of Sunday observance.  A rejection of gentile/pagan feast days (Easter, Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day, etc…) which have replaced biblical holy days on the calendar and restoring Israelite feast day observances.  A belief that the gentile churches have embraced an antinomian or lawless lifestyle thus a return to the observance of torah is required – adhering to the law of moses that was not “fulfilled” but “restored” through messiah in their view.  A rejection of “replacement theology” or “supersessionalism” as its called which posits that the church has replaced Israel in the kingdom economy and that all the old covenants with the Jews are of no force today having passed to the Christian Church or ended altogether.  Observance of the mosaic dietary laws and in some circles a desire to return to the outward appearance proscribed in torah by wearing of tzitzit, tallit, growing beards (not shaving), headcoverings for women, etc…  

 

Many of the ideas promoted would be viewed sympathetically from a restoration paradigm – for our scriptural cannon not only hints as some of these same problems but outright warns concerning the latter day gentile program.  Joseph Smith and the restored church explains the continuity of the Abrahamic covenant, the restoration of the House of Israel, the mission and work of the various branches of the House of Israel, the form and function of the gentiles in preserving but ultimately rejecting the covenants – the great scattering and grafting program to preserve the mother tree and her branches, the growing together of the records to confound false doctrine, etc…The latter-day church certainly couldn’t be accused of replacement theology (see Steven Epperson, “Mormons and Jews:  Early Mormon Theologies of Israel” http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=8138 ), although many HRM advocates lump the “Mormons” in as an apostate expression of the gentiles with other theological baggage to boot!  The Book of Mormon and Latter Day Revelation brings clarity and meaning (healing the breech, correcting false doctrines) to many of these divisions that seem to divide HRM advocates from the Christian Church at large.  In addition, the revealment of a latter-day dietary code (word of wisdom), priesthood restoration, temple theology on and on are all convergences along themes of mutual concern.

 

An explosion over the last 40 years of so in Pauline Studies – the so-called “The New Perspective on Paul”(various views located at http://www.thepaulpage.com/ for those interested) seems to inform many in the HRM.  I am very sympathetic to many of the NPP viewpoints as advanced by N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, James Dunn, Krister Stendahl, etc…their covenantal vs individualistic views, not viewing Paul and his doctrines through the eyes of Luther, correct exegesis of Paul’s letters, etc… - they represent a significant leap forward in many respects.  However, there are some other views that I find more disconcerting from a restoration paradigm – i.e. renewal of mosaic provisions as if the “glory of Moses” never faded.  The misguided zeal of some of their adherents – and labeling others as apostate who don’t necessarily hold to their views.  The rejection of the Book of Mormon, Latter Day Revelation, and the mission of the church within God’s redemptive economy concerning Israel, the Jews, the Gentiles, etc…

 

In this thread I’d like to discuss some of the NPP – particularly those that have arisen from what I call – second generation advocates like Mark Nanos (http://www.marknanos.com/) who believes (in my reading) that Paul advances the notion in his letters that Jews should be required to continue as torah-observant, but that the gentiles are under no such prescription (primarly circumcision, dietary laws, etc…).  This view is then taken by certain HRM proponents that all must faithfully adhere to a torah-observant lifestyle and if you don’t you are not walking in truth.

 

I’d also like to hear about your personal experiences with HRM advocates – because some have articulated a program for infiltrating Mormon circles and weaning them off of restoration beliefs by showing the “true” HRM perspective.  I’d like to compare and contrast some of these ideas with our restoration mission and scripture – like what does the Book of Mormon say about some of these theories?  What does the BOM and Latter Day revelation bring to bear on some of these subjects?  Does the “midrash” found in the Joseph Smith Translation add anything to the table of interpretation on the Pauline texts?  How does the restoration paradigm bridge the gap of understanding between competing schools of thought in the HRM/NPP and the other Christian Churches?  What HRM views are heretical from a restoration perspective?  Is there any discrepancy between some of their readings on Paul with restoration perspectives?  Was Paul torah-observant?  How so and to what degree?  How does latter-day revelation impact the circumcision controversy in Acts 15?  How does the development of the biblical cannon impact certain views among the HRM (i.e. the god-breathed view of torah vs the documentary hypothesis - abridgements and redactions over time for various reasons)?

 

Anyway that ought to be broad enough to begin discussing these issues.  Any thoughts?

 

Mike Sanders

Book of Mormon Believer

Independence, MO

[DragonLancer]

I think that this new movement is a good framework for evangelization of Jews into Christianity in general, and as such, it is a great tool for the preparation of the Jews to eventually join the Church.  Many times, I think that the Lord uses other Christian movements as kind of a "preparatory gospel" to eventually prepare people for the Church, when they are not ready for it at the time they are first converted to Jesus.

Edited January 5, 2015 by DragonLancer

[boblloyd91]

From what I understand many Messianic Christians align themselves with Evangelical/Charismatic churches and are often hostile towards LDS beliefs

[Michael Sanders]

I think that this new movement is a good framework for evangelization of Jews into Christianity in general, and as such, it is a great tool for the preparation of the Jews to eventually join the Church.  Many times, I think that the Lord uses other Christian movements as kind of a "preparatory gospel" to eventually prepare people for the Church, when they are not ready for it at the time they are first converted to Jesus.

Hi DragonLancer,

 

While there may be Messianic Jews (Jews who have converted) that hold to similar views - the vast majority of these folks in the HRM were once Gentile Christians from what I can gather.  Of the ones I've interacted with, they for the most part attended various Christian denominations and then became converted to the HRM - abandoning their former beliefs and gathering with those of like mind.  Although I think that your point is well taken - i.e. that the net is cast pretty wide and catches all kinds who eventually find themselves in the kingdom.  In the parable of Zenos we see the principle of grafting in of wild branches (interpreted as the gentiles of various periods - Romans 11, Jacob 5) which initially bore good fruit.  Is also depicts a scene where the tree is cumbered with much fruit but it was all bad.  So is this a grafting that preserves or pollutes?  True grafting signifies coming to a knowledge of the redeemer and a knowledge of the covenants which I've understood as orthodox Jews who haven't recognized the messiah as opposed to those in the HRM.

 

Mike Sanders

Book of Mormon Believer

Independence, MO

[Michael Sanders]

From what I understand many Messianic Christians align themselves with Evangelical/Charismatic churches and are often hostile towards LDS beliefs

In my interactions with Messianic Jews and those of the HRM (I don't want to paint with a broad brush here) I would say this has been verified.  First, a more charismatic/pentecostal type of worship.  Second, definitely not open to restoration beliefs.  In my conversations with many of these folks they never even have taken the time to examine the latter-day church or its teachings.  We all just get lumped in with advocates of "replacement theology" and are summarily dismissed.

 

Now there are others who I've encountered who already possess a restoration paradigm who then have embraced the HRM and tried to show how the restored church correlates nicely with HRM.  In areas where it doesn't cognitive dissonance sets in and the restoration cannon usually suffers as a result.  For example, it kind of hard the uphold the mandate for circumcision utilizing torah-observant teachings when confronted with Mormon's words about circumcision being done away.  Or trying to elevate the torah (Law of Moses) to a "higher law" that we should obey in light of all the passages in the Book of Mormon which describe its true purpose and eventual realization/fulfillment in the life of Christ.

 

I've known individuals who have advanced HRM views to one degree or another - and even small congregational expressions who meet on Saturday.  I was just curious if any LDS wards have experienced anything similar to this?

 

Mike Sanders

Book of Mormon Believer

Independence, MO

[The Nehor]

So apostate Christians think they are called to emulate apostate Jews?

I find this deeply amusing.

[Hillel2]

Very interesting topic.

 

I live and work in an Hispanic neighborhood. There are large numbers of Hispanic Christians (mostly of them Protestant, more specifically of the Pentecostal brand) who interpret and try to follow what they believe to be the laws and decrees of what they call the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible). It's a pretty eclectic bunch and their modus operandi is highly individualistic. One woman with whom i have cause to work attends Church on Sunday but is a vegetarian (her understanding of the Kashrut laws) and will not engage in any kind of "worldly" labor  on the Jewish Sabbath.

 

Mind you, she identifies as Christian but believes that the decrees of her entire Bible are as binding on her as they would have been on Jesus in his millieu.

 

I have met many folks with this profile. I'm not sure why it seems so widespread in the Hispanic community. Of course, many Hispanics are "anusim", i.e. descendants of people who were forcibly converted from Judaism to Christianity in the bad old days of post 1492 Spain. Perhaps certain Judaic religious and cultural patterns have been preserved. Others seem to have just arrived at what they perceive as a need to follow Jesus' behavior in every sense. They arrive at the "rules" on their own.

 

I've also met a few of what are popularly called "Messianic Jews." This is largely a different crowd. I have not met any who would be considered "halakhically" (according to Orthodox Jewish Law) Jewish. Often there is some family connection but the upbringing was usually some nominal form of Christianity. The Mes. Jewish services themselves that i have viewed on the internet correspond very closely to mainline protestant services with a tendancy towards the evangelical mode. They adopt much Jewish folk music, some wear Tallesim (Prayer shawls) and Tefillin (Phylacteries). My sense is that they are grafting Jewish traditions onto their interpretation of Christianity. I actually prefer the term "Jewish Rite Christians" (Like Byzantine Rite) as opposed to Messianic Jews since Jews like myself would not consider them Jewish at all although there is something of a connection.

 

In my limitted experience of JRC they are not well disposed towards LDS people.

 

On the other hand, one of the things that i found interesting about LDS theology and practice is that it does have some very obvious connections to Judaism which are absent in other forms of Christianity, e.g. temple, garments, scripture  which echos many of the less well known Jewish texts that are known within the more observant communities.