As a Messianic Believer, I was attracted to this book of essays. Very well done. Where does Paul's views on the Messiah fall in with the church's belief that it has replaced Israel. Compelling read.

I am grateful for this collection of short essays debating the concept of Supersessionism. For this review, it is helpful to quote Matthew Tapie’s definition of supersessionism as “the Christian claim that with the advent of Christ, Jewish law is fulfilled and obsolete, with the result that God replaces Israel with the Church.” This is no mere academic wrangling about vague ideas of little consequence. In fact, to say that is a “hot button” issue in many parts of the church is no understatement! At an extreme, the belief in supersessionism has been accused of being the root cause of acts and attitudes of racism and hatred against the Jewish people including the horror of the Holocaust. Alternatively, others such as Bird, Mcknight, and Witherington argue that some concept of supersessionism is unavoidable when we read Paul’s writings such as Romans 9-11. The “pro” essays are responded to vigorously from various perspectives, including that of a Messianic Jew.

The issue is complex and Bird, pertinently writes “The immediate problem with treating supersessionism as an intellectual opprobrium is that supersessionism is multifarious, not monolithic. Which supersessionism are we talking about and censuring?” I have found this book extremely helpful in understanding the nuances of supersessionism, why it is so hotly contested, and the arguments for and against it.

I highly recommend this book for church leaders, seminary students and all who care about ethnic Israel and its relationship to the church.