Judeo-Christian

The term Judeo-Christian is used to group Christianity and Judaism together. This can refer to their shared history before Christianity split from Judaism, Christianity's recognition of Jewish scripture which makes up the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, or values thought to be common between them.

The word Judæo Christian first showed up in the 1800s to describe Jewish converts to Christianity. In the United States, many people used this term during the Cold War to create a feeling of one shared American identity that was different from communism.

Some people, especially Jewish thinkers, have criticized this term. They say it can oversimplify big differences between Jewish and Christian beliefs, traditions, and practices. Even using a broader term like "Abrahamic religions" to include faiths like Islam, the Baháʼí Faith, Samaritanism, and Druzism, along with Judaism and Christianity, can also be tricky and not fully accurate.

History

The term "Judæo Christian" first showed up in a letter from Alexander McCaul on October 17, 1821. At that time, it described people who were Jewish converts to Christianity. Later, Joseph Wolff used the term in 1829 to talk about churches that kept some Jewish traditions to help convert Jewish people.

During the 1930s, the idea of Judeo-Christian values started to describe a shared moral outlook between Judaism and Christianity. This idea became very important in the United States during the Cold War, especially as a way to stand against communism. It was used to help create a sense of unity and shared beliefs among Americans.

Christian-Judeo

Some people use the term "Christian-Judeo" to talk about the same idea as "Judeo-Christian." A language expert named William Safire pointed out that this way of saying it is not quite right, because it puts "Judeo" at the end instead of using "Judaic."

Inter-group relations

Further information: Covenant (biblical) § Abrahamic covenant, and Jerusalem in Christianity

In the United States

Main article: Israel lobby in the United States

In the 1930s, as unfair treatments of Jewish people grew, leaders from Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish communities worked together to build better understanding and reduce unfair treatment. They created teams with a priest, a rabbi, and a minister to lead programs across the country. This helped create a more welcoming America, valued by many traditions including Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaism. The idea of "Judeo-Christian" became a common way to describe shared values between these groups.

After World War II and the Holocaust, Christian views toward Jewish people changed greatly. Many Christians, especially those with strong religious beliefs, began to support the country of Israel and learned more about Jewish teachings. This support continued strongly among many Christian groups in the United States until recent years. Some Christian groups still see Jewish people as special in biblical stories, though they also believe Jewish people should learn about Christianity. Other groups have also helped support Jewish communities.

In Europe

Main article: philosemitism

Jewish responses

Jewish people have had different feelings about the idea of grouping Judaism and Christianity together. In the 1930s, during a time when many people were treating Jewish people unfairly, important Jewish and Christian leaders in America worked together to support Judaism and bring it more into public life.

During World War II, Jewish leaders, called chaplains, worked with Christian priests to support soldiers. In one famous story, when a ship called the Dorchester was sinking, the chaplains gave up their life-saving seats to help others and stood together in prayer as the ship went down. A stamp in 1948 honored their brave act with the words: "interfaith in action".

Later, in the 1950s, Jewish people in America felt stronger about being proud of their faith, especially after the sad events of the Holocaust. Some Jewish writers wrote books to explain how Judaism is different from Christianity, because they felt the idea of a "Judeo-Christian" tradition made these differences less clear. They believed that Judaism and Christianity are two distinct faiths with important differences.