Paul Luckraft reviews 'The Jews: Why Have Christians Hated Them?' by Gordon Pettie (2010, Everlasting Books and Music Ltd, 172 pages, £5. Available on request from the UK office of Revelation TV)
I would recommend this book for two reasons. First, if you have never read anything before on this topic, then it will open your eyes to a very important aspect of Christian history and the relationship between the Church and Israel today.
Second, if you are familiar with the failings of the Church regarding the Jewish people, then this book will fill in any gaps in your knowledge and provide a very good summary in concise form, though it is sufficiently complete to act as a thorough reference to the prolonged Christian mistreatment of the Jews.
The author is honest enough to admit that his work may not ultimately provide a satisfactory answer to the question in the title. 'Why?' is always a complex question. But he has recorded as much evidence as he can fit reasonably into one book to demonstrate that, whatever the reason or reasons, "layer upon layer of hatred by Christians to Jews has taken place" (ppvii-viii).
This book provides a concise but thorough reference that will open your eyes to the topic of Christian-Jewish relations through history.
Impetus for the Book
The initial impetus for the book arose from two visits Pettie made to Israel, the first in 2000 when he was asked to administrate a 10-day conference in Jerusalem. A few months later he travelled back to fulfil a similar role for a Repentance Conference, where Protestants repented for what had been done in their name against the Jewish people through the centuries. A new journey of discovery had begun through which the author not only gathered information, but also found his love increasing for Israel and God's people.
The desire to commit to print what he was learning became a devotion and a full commitment. Not having written a book before this was a challenging prospect, but after a year and a half of research in which he studied little else, the book was ready. Its content is clearly disturbing but, as the author states, "For Christians to receive a wake-up call and start loving the Jews, they need to see what happened in the past. The evidence has to be examined, and some of it is not very nice!" (p8).
Denouncing Replacement Theology
The overall aim of the book is the denouncement of Replacement Theology and chapter two provides a very good discussion of this and how the early Church separated itself from its Jewish roots, amply illustrated by quotes from the early Church fathers.
The overall aim of the book is to denounce Replacement Theology, which it does through a very good discussion and with ample illustration.
It seems there is an unfortunate printing error on page 29 where the statement that "God is calling His Church to renounce the teaching of Repentance Theology" should presumably read "Replacement Theology". His next comment clarifies this as we are exhorted to "repent for the false doctrine that has arisen from it and re-establish the Jewish people to the right place that God has for them" (p29).
Chapter three focusses on Jerusalem and is followed by more details on how we have lost our Jewish heritage, including a helpful summary of the feasts and festivals. However, the heart of the book (nearly half the total number of pages) is devoted to a comprehensive chronological survey of Christian antagonism towards the Jews from Constantine to our own day. There is a special focus on Luther as one of the key moments in this immense catalogue of horrors, and a separate chapter entitled 'Christian support for Hitler's Holocaust'.
Practical Advice
However, this is not just a fact-finding book. The final chapter, entitled 'So what can be done?', contains practical advice on how to use what you have learnt in a meaningful way. The list of 14 suggestions include praying, study, offering practical help and speaking out – something for everyone!
This is more than just a fact-finding book. The final chapter contains practical advice on how to use what you have learnt in a meaningful way.
Here is a book that provides useful information but also stirs the heart. It is an excellent potted history and if readers want to find more details elsewhere there is a helpful list of recommended further reading. But there is enough here to help counter any remaining hostile attitudes and persuade us to show the Jewish people that we do not hate them. It goes some way to encouraging us to fulfil Paul's aim of showing Christ in such a way as to arouse the Jews to jealousy, so that they find in Jesus the Messiah they are longing for.
