Modernity has been largely shaped for Jews by three momentous experiences: the acquisition of citizenship by individual Jews in secular nation-states, the destruction of one-third of Jewry in the Holocaust, and the founding of the State of Israel. David Novak acquisitioncitizenshipdestruction share on social
The theological contacts between Jews and Christians during much of the premodern period are best characterized as disputations. Even when not engaged in face-to-face argumentation, Jews and Christians spoke about each other in essentially disputational terms. David Novak argumentationcharacterizechristian share on social
Each person is responsible only for his or her own sins. Even the Christian doctrine of 'original sin' does not mean that humans are punished for the sin of the first human pair but, rather, that humans seem inevitably to copy the sin of the first human pair. David Novak christiancopydoctrine share on social
The community in which one hears the voice of God structures how one hears that voice and interprets what it says. David Novak communitygodhear Change image and share on social
Every individual is a person necessarily imbedded in a range of multiple relations, and therefore, no one is really independent in anything but a relative sense; no one is truly autonomous. David Novak autonomousimbedindependent Change image and share on social
If human language, with its logic, is the way God has given us to understand the world, then the Torah must be understood in that same language and with that same logic. David Novak godhumanlanguage Change image and share on social
A traditional rabbi is the man to whom the community and its members turn to rule on what Jewish law requires of them, particularly in cases of doubt. David Novak casecommunitydoubt Change image and share on social
There is no question that Israelis - indeed, all concerned Jews - have to continue to work out a Jewish public philosophy that truly justifies a Jewish state in the land of Israel. David Novak concerncontinueisrael Change image and share on social
In historical messianism, the reign of the Messiah is brought about by a Jewish ruler powerful enough to gather the Jewish exiles back to the land of Israel, reestablish a Torah government there, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. David Novak backbringexile share on social
The slogan 'Never Again!' that emerged after the Holocaust implies that the Holocaust has a universal moral meaning, which, if properly learned, can provide at least a theoretical prophylactic against its repetition against anyone. David Novak emergeholocaustimply share on social
