Time of influence

As Janet Jackson put it..."Control, control." The dominant control of Jewish heritage of religious ideas, which formed the ground pattern of Christian thought through all the centuries. became strangling. The concept of history as the unfolding of the plan of one supreme, personal God whose purposive will marshals all the events of time toward a perfect goal was a creation of the people of Israel. It stands in sharp contrast with the basic world-views of other great religions. Judaism was the mold from which was cast the foundation for; Christianity and Islam. The foundation was encultured and evolved uniquely in each state. When they made the foundations they broke they mold as they say, but in this case they should have first removed the foundations. God reveales his will to man is a revelation preserved in Scripture and elaborated by tradition. Human interpretationin light of Christianity, took the Old Testament, added the New, and developed on its own. The inherited Jewish concept of an authoritative divine revelation would color Christian thought through the centuries. As an integral phase of this sense of special relations with God came the attitude of intolerance natural to those who alone possess the divine truth necessary for salvation. Nothing that Jewish genius contributed to influence Christianity in later ages could compare in importance with this original heritage which has dominated Christian history form the beginning until modern times.

Ah, but the real question begs to be asked. "Can a power greater that ourselves restore us to sanity?"

(Italic text above taken from Enviromental Factors in Christian History)

(13th Century German Knight and family)