The term is an offense to many Jews, and a blending of incompatible ethical and spiritual beliefs. Some would argue that this blending amounts to heresy against both Judaism and Christianity.
Here is a conservative Christian criticism of the myth of Judeo-Christianity.
Here’s a free online book that discusses the topic.
This essay succinctly notes:
- that, as with fundamentalism itself, the phrase “Judeo-Christian” has only existed since the late 1800s, and gained common usage only upon World War II;
- that, contrary to Christian assumptions, the two religions have very little in common;
- that those who use the phrase honor Christian beliefs and ethics while ignoring Jewish ones.
Comments submitted to XGW’s former blog location:
Judaism as I am familiar with it is a dialoge. It asks questions such as: is shrimp kosher in a Chinese restaurant? And recognizes an array of answers. You can take any of a number of positions and remain a Jew in good standing. But I do not see this as viable among evangelicals. To my mind, the issue of shrimp in Chinese restaurants is not all that different from same sex activity. But evangelicals are able to introduce distinctions and ignore other things. Theirs is one of the most selective readings of scripture imaginable.
—Dale • 5/16/03; 12:01:59 AM