The Relationship Between Judaism & Christianity
Religious Studies: KS3, topic 1.1.19
The Relationship Between Christianity and Judaism
Christianity and Judaism have a lot of shared religious history and practice.
Christianity and Jewish Practice
- Christians understand and accept that the religion of Christianity originates from Jewish practice.
- Christians accept that Jesus was born a Jew, the ‘King of the Jews'.
- Christianity also teaches that as descendants of Abraham, the Jews were the chosen people.
- But Christianity & Judaism diverge at Jesus' birth.
Jesus and the birth of Christianity
- Christianity was born when Jesus proclaimed the imminent kingdom of God in the Roman province of Judea.
- Christianity is separated from Judaism by accepting the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Jesus was accepted as a prophet, the final one.
The birth of the Church
- In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus said to Simon (Saint Peter):
- “Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
- Simon then changed his name to Peter (which means Rock) and the Christian Church began.
Test yourself on The Relationship Between Judaism & Christianity
At what point in history do Judaism and Christianity diverge?