Digital Commons @ George Fox University Faculty Publications - College of Christian Studies College of Christian Studies 2017 Anti-Semitism and Religious Violence as Flawed Interpretations of the Gospel of John Paul N. Anderson George Fox University,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ccs Part of the Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Anderson, Paul N., "Anti-Semitism and Religious Violence as Flawed Interpretations of the Gospel of John" (2017). Faculty Publications - College of Christian Studies. 289. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ccs/289 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Christian Studies at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications - College of Christian Studies by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. ANTI-SEMITISM AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE AS FLAWED INTERPRETATIONS OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN1 Paul N. Anderson Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies, George Fox University Extraordinary Professor of Religion, North West University, Potchefstroom, SA While it is a tragic fact that the Gospel of John has contributed to anti-Semitism and religious violence during some chapters of Christian history, John is not anti-Semitic. It was written by a Jewish writer, about a Jewish messianic figure, targeted first toward convincing Jewish audiences that Jesus was indeed the Jewish Messiah. Salvation is “of the Jews,” according to the Johannine Jesus, and each of the “I-am” sayings embodies a classic representation of Israel. John is no more “anti-Semitic” than the Essene community or the prophetic work of John the Baptist.