Evangelizing the Chosen People: Missions to the Jews in America, 1880 - 2000 (H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series)

With This Book, Yaakov Ariel Offers The First Comprehensive History Of Protestant Evangelization Of Jews In America To The Present Day. Based On Unprecedented Research In Missionary Archives As Well As Jewish Writings, The Book Analyzes The Theology And Activities Of Both The Missions And The Converts And Describes The Reactions Of The Jewish Community, Which In Turn Helped To Shape The Evangelical Activity Directed Toward It. Ariel Delineates Three Successive Waves Of Evangelism, The First Directed Toward Poor Jewish Immigrants, The Second Toward American-born Jews Trying To Assimilate, And The Third Toward Jewish Baby Boomers Influenced By The Counterculture Of The Vietnam War Era. After World War Ii, The Missionary Impulse Became Almost Exclusively The Realm Of Conservative Evangelicals, As The More Liberal Segments Of American Christianity Took The Path Of Interfaith Dialogue. As Ariel Shows, These Missionary Efforts Have Profoundly Influenced Christian-jewish Relations. Jews Have Seen The Missionary Movement As A Continuation Of Attempts To Delegitimize Judaism And To Do Away With Jews Through Assimilation Or Annihilation. But To Conservative Evangelical Christians, Who Support The State Of Israel, Evangelizing Jews Is A Manifestation Of Goodwill Toward Them. Part I: The Rise Of The Movement To Evangelize The Jews, 1880-1920 -- Eschatology And Mission -- The Missionary Work -- The Converts -- The Jewish Reaction -- The Reputation Of The Missions Part Ii: Years Of Quiet Growth, 1920-1965 -- Choosing Sides -- Getting Acquainted With The Jews -- The Yiddish Translation Of The New Testament -- The Moody Bible Institute And The Training Of Missionaries To The Jews -- The Rise Of The American Board Of Missions To The Jews -- Tension And Rivalry -- The Rise And Fall Of The Presbyterian Mission To The Jews -- The Chicago Hebrew Mission -- American Missionary Work In Israel -- The Converts' Community -- The Missionary Impulse -- A Less Heated Reaction Part Iii: The Coming Of Age, 1965-2000 -- The Changing Times -- Jews For Jesus And The Evangelization Of A New Generation -- The Rise Of Messianic Judaism -- The Missionaries Become Real -- The New Face Of The Missionary Movement -- Conclusion. Yaakov Ariel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 329-353) And Index. "This book is the first comprehensive account of Protestant evangelization of Jews in America. Yaakov Ariel analyzes the theology and activities of both the missions and the converts and describes the reactions of the Jewish community, which in turn helped to shape the evangelical activity directed toward it. The book is based on unprecedented research in missionary archives as well as Jewish writings.". "Motivated by a premillenialist view of the Jewish people and their role in the coming millenium, the missionary impulse persisted with great vigor from the 1880s until today, adapting to changes in the Jewish community and American culture in general. As Ariel shows, these missionary efforts have profoundly influenced Christian-Jewish relations. Jews have seen the missionary movement as a continuation of attempts to delegitimize Judaism and to do away with Jews through assimilation or annihilation. But to conservative evangelical Christians, who support the State of Israel, evangelizing Jews is a manifestation of goodwill toward them."--BOOK JACKET. In the 1890s, an unusual religious group convened on the Lower East Side of New York: immigrant Jews who had accepted the Christian faith yet continued to retain Jewish rites and customs.