Christianity and Judaism: Difference between revisions

{{Christianity}}

{{Judaism}}

 

The relative importance of belief and practice constitute an important area of difference. Most forms of [[Protestantism|Protestant Christianity]] emphasize correct belief (or [[orthodoxy]]), focusing on the [[New Covenant]] as [[Mediator (Christ as Mediator)|mediated]] through [[Jesus in Christianity|Jesus]] [[Christ (title)|Christ]],<ref name="bibleverse||Hebrews|8:6|NIV">{{bibleverse||Hebrews|8:6|NIV}}</ref> as recorded in the [[New Testament]]. Judaism places emphasis on correct conduct (or [[Orthopraxy#Judaism|orthopraxy]]),<ref>{{cite book |last=Jackson |first=Elizabeth |title=The Illustrated Dictionary of Culture |publisher=Lotus Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-81-89093-26-6 |pages= 147}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Westley |first=Miles |title=The Bibliophile's Dictionary |publisher=Writer's Digest Books |year=2005 |pages=91 |isbn=978-1-58297-356-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=McKim |first=Donald K. |title=Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |year=1996 |pages=197 |isbn=978-0-664-25511-4}}</ref> focusing on the [[Mosaic covenant]], as recorded in the [[Torah]] and [[Talmud]]. Mainstream [[Roman Catholicism]] occupies a middle position, stating the both faith and works are factors in a person's salvation. Some schools of thought within Catholicism, such as [[Franciscanism]] and [[liberation theology]], explicitly favor orthopraxy over orthodoxy. [[Praxis (Byzantine Rite)|Praxis]] is of central importance to [[Eastern Christianity]] as well, with Saint [[Maximus the Confessor]] going as far as to say that "theology without action is the theology of demons."<ref>{{cite book|author=Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians. International Conference|editor=Virginia Fabella|editor2= Sergio Torres|title=Doing Theology in a Divided World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kF4cAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Theology+without+action+is+the+theology+of+demons%22|year=1985|publisher=Orbis Books|isbn=978-0-88344-197-8|page=15}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_7VKAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 Paul W. Chilcote, ''Wesley Speaks on Christian Vocation''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215172955/https://books.google.com/books?id=_7VKAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 |date=2017-02-15 }} (Wipf and Stock 2001 {{ISBN|978-1-57910812-0}}), p. 67</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburgh2010.org/fileadmin/files/edinburgh2010/files/docs/Mission%20among%20Other%20Faiths_Orthodox%20Perspective%20090820.doc|title=Mission among Other Faiths: An Orthodox Perspective|access-date=2010-12-03|archive-date=2010-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705205510/http://www.edinburgh2010.org/fileadmin/files/edinburgh2010/files/docs/Mission%20among%20Other%20Faiths_Orthodox%20Perspective%20090820.doc|url-status=live}}</ref> Christian conceptions of right practice vary (e.g., [[Catholic social teaching]] and its [[preferential option for the poor]]; the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]'s practices of [[fasting]], [[hesychasm]], and [[asceticism]]; the [[Protestant work ethic]] of [[Calvinism|Calvinists]] and others), but differ from Judaism in that they are not based on following halakha or any other interpretation of the Mosaic covanent. While more [[World Union for Progressive Judaism|liberal Jewish denominations]] may not require observance of halakha, Jewish life remains centred on individual and collective participation in an eternal dialogue with God through tradition, rituals, [[Jewish prayer|prayers]] and [[Jewish ethics|ethical actions]].