A Ritual Initiation

1
A Ritual Initiation

• Bar Mitzvah for 13 year old boys The age of
  moral and ritual responsibility (sometimes Bat
  Mitzvah ceremony for 12 year old girls).
• Presence may be counted upon to form a minyan
  (quorum of 10), recite blessings over reading of
  scripture and to read publicly from the Torah
  scroll chanting traditionally melodies
• Read and study tradition throughout life

2
Diversity Among Modern Jews

• Various positions with respect to certain
  rituals, roles for men and women, use of Hebrew,
  etc.
• A religion to which one may convert, but more
  commonly inherited.
• Some Jews view their status more as ethnic rather
  than religious identity
• Diverse populations share culture but not
  necessarily biological heredity.

3
Religion of Abraham

• Judaism, Christianity and Islam trace lineage to
  biblical figure, Abraham
• Jewish people introduce the idea of One God
• 14 million Jews in world today (Reform,
  Conservative and Orthodox) down by 1/3 in
  comparison to 1939.
• Six million Jews put to death by the Nazis
  1939-45.

4
Gods chosen people

• 1800BCE Period of the Patriarchs (Abraham,
  Isaac, Jacob).
• Genesis 127 descendants of Abraham promised a
  land as part of covenant.
• Genesis 22 story of sacrifice of Isaac
  emphasizes Abrahams obedience and rejection of
  human sacrifice that was part of ancient
  Canaanite religion
• Faith, circumcision sign of covenant

5
The Exodus

• Redemption from slavery Gods gracious act -
  assurance of Gods power and faithfulness
• Central to Israels Experience of God
• Gods call of Moses to be a liberator of Israel
  from bondage in Egypt
• Theme of God as liberator frequently taken up
  in later OT writings

6
The Passover

• households to sacrifice a perfect lamb or goat,
  and daub blood across sides and tops of their
  door frames.
• Originally marks an act of divine judgement
  against Egypt see Exodus 111-1230
• Commemorative meal - a lasting ordinance (Exodus
  121-14)
• Bitter herbs and unleavened bread
• Last supper of Jesus as Passover Meal

7
Aspects of the Jewish Law

• Ethical teaching The Ten Commandments (Exodus
  201-17)
• The Law as a way of life e.g. dietary laws
• Distinction between clean and unclean foods
  Leviticus 111-23
• Setting the Jews apart as holy nation and
  maintaining a distinct identity in the ancient
  world

8
Dietary Laws in the Early Church

• Diverse membership of Jews and Gentiles (Romans
  141-4)
• Dietary laws as a source of conflict between
  Peter and Paul (see Galatians 211-21)
• Table-fellowship in the early church