Rev. Holmes Sees Three Points of Judaism’s Superiority to Christianity

Three points on which he believes Judaism is superior to Christianity were outlined by Rev. John Haynes Holmes in his sermon sunday morning at the Community Church.

“First, Judaism is superior to Christianity in its emphasis upon the moral law as the heart of spiritual experience.” said Dr. Holmes. “Christianity is inclined to concern itself primarily with matters of theological belief, whereas Judaism does not hesitate to concern itself primarily with matters of ethical precept and example.

“What the creed is supposed to mean to the Christian the moral law is supposed to mean to the Jew. If I were to sum up all that Judaism means to itself and has ever meant to the world, I would speak that one mighty word, ‘Righteousness.’

“A second point of superiority of Judaism over Christianity is the fact that Judaism is concerned with life upon this side of the grave, whereas, Christianity has been predominantly concerned with life upon the other side of the grave. Judaism emphasizes present need and responsibility; Christianity emphasizes future home and expectation. Judaism has a noble hope in immortality, but it has never allowed this hope to obscure and destroy the challenge of present life as Christianity has.

“Thirdly, Judaism is superior to Christianity in its emphasis upon society as contrasted with Christianity’s persistent and perpetual emphasis upon the individual. It is the tribal consciousness of the Jew which has saved him from the error of isolating the individual’s soul from the great body of humanity, and undertaking its single and exclusive salvation. It is with the Jew as a family or group, and with all men as members of God’s universal family, that Judaism has been concerned. Christianity, however, has in all ages, down to our own, forgotten the cause of humanty for the petty and picayune cause of saving the individual man.

“It may be answered that all the merits here emphasized are characteristic of Christianity as well as Judaism. This is true to a certain extent. To this same extent, however, Christianity is only another embodiment of the essential Jewish faith,” Dr. Holmes said.