Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Restoring Abrahamic Faith, a “must read” for all Christians, see the latest review by United Israel Vice-President Ralph Buntyn:
http://genesis2000.org/endorsements-links/
Become a Fan of Restoring Abrahamic Faith on Facebook, join discussions, post comments and hear from other readers:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Restoring-Abrahamic-Faith/270825473323?ref=ts
There is a fascinating article on Lincoln and the Jews in Jewish World Review today:
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/herb/geduld_lincoln.php3
This entire topic is most interesting in the light of Ross Nichol’s message yesterday at Temple Sinai, which I hope you will all download and listen to if you missed it:
http://rootsoffaith.org/2010/02/13/mishpatim-exodus-211-2418-2.htm
Also, our theme this year at the April 16-18 UIWU meeting here in Charlotte is the Torah/Hebrew Heritage of our American Founders and Culture. United Israel Senior VP Ralph Buntyn has lectured on George Washington in several of our past meetings but there is much more to come, from him and other speakers. Details will be posted at our main Web site here:
In the early 1990′s, Dr. James D. Tabor presented a lecture on the Five Fundamental Flaws of Evangelical Christianity. This lecture has been very popular and widely distributed for well over a decade.
Recently, at a conference held in the historic Temple Sinai, Dr. Tabor presented a revised version of this lecture. Dr. Tabor seeks to show the 5 main points that he feels Christianity has veered from it’s original and thoroughly Hebraic path in this lecture. The lecture is sure to challenge those who claim to follow the teachings of Christianity.
Is standard, evangelical Christianity the same faith that emerged in the first century, or has it developed into something entirely different? You will not want to miss this exciting and challenging lecture by James D. Tabor.
The lecture is available on iTunes and for download now on the Roots of Faith web site.
Here is the link:
http://rootsoffaith.org/2009/10/24/the-five-fundamental-flaws-of-evangelical-christianity.htm
On Sunday July 26th, Keith Johnson and Nehemia Gordon, authors of A Prayer to our Father, will talk about their book at a special event sponsored by United Israel and hosted by Dr. James D. Tabor at the Doubletree Inn & Suites located in South Park (6300 Morrison Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28211 Tel: 704-364-2400). This meeting will be from 4-6pm in the Barringer room. The public is invited and there is no admission charge. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Two billion Christians worldwide consider the Lord’s Prayer the ultimate expression of their faith—but few know the stunning story of its Hebrew origins. A Prayer to Our Father (175 pp., tpb, $19.95) is the true story of an exciting journey of faith of a Jewish Bible scholar and an African American pastor who join forces to uncover the truth about the most beloved prayer in the Christian world.
Their provocative new book reads like a detective novel. Written by two most unlikely collaborators, the charismatic personalities of the authors are as riveting as the story. Former chaplain to the Minnesota Vikings, Keith Johnson has ministered to some of the top names in the NFL and NBA. Jerusalem-based Jewish scholar and author, Nehemia Gordon, has spent his career translating the Dead Sea Scrolls and studying the deep mysteries of the Jewish religion.
Johnson and Gordon’s gripping adventure begins in the ancient city of Jerusalem and takes them to the very spot in Galilee where Jesus taught the multitudes to pray. Along the way they discover a Hebrew version of the Lord’s Prayer, preserved in secret by Jewish rabbis for over a thousand years. Their riveting journey and extraordinary relationship are chronicled in A Prayer to Our Father.
See the Website: http://www.aprayertoourfather.com/ for further details on the book and the background of the authors.
Nehemia Gordon holds a Masters Degree in Biblical Studies and a Bachelors Degree in Archaeology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Gordon has worked as a translator on the Dead Sea Scrolls and as a researcher deciphering ancient Hebrew manuscripts. He has been invited to speak in synagogues and churches around the world and has led groups of pilgrims and visitors on tours of biblical sites. A native of Chicago, Nehemia has made his home in Jerusalem, Israel for the last fifteen years.
Keith Johnson earned his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has spent nearly two decades in Christian ministry. As an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Johnson has served as pastor of Park Avenue Church in Minneapolis and as chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson was also chosen as one of only 40 chaplains from around the world to serve the athletes of the 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta. Keith lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and sons.
James Tabor’s second interview with Tovia Singer is now on-line and can be listened to or downloaded. Here is the description and the link:
Professor James Tabor, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina and author of “Restoring Abrahamic Faith” (available through http://genesis2000.org) explores Christianity’s foundational break with Judaism and Paul’s role in this monumental schism. Tabor emphasizes the apocalyptic and thus “temporary” nature of the original Jesus movement and how it quickly sought to replace Judaism.
For more information, you can find the schedule and location info on this page
http://universaltorah.com/programming/speaking-schedules/
James Tabor’s interview with Tovia Singer on May 7th over Israel National Radio is now archived on the Web site for one week. You can download or listen over the Internet.
Tabor discusses the Pope’s visit to Israel next week, the Vatican claim on the holy places on Mt Zion, as well as his work on the historical Jesus and his latest book, Restoring Abrahamic Faith.
Here is the Internet link:
Ross Nichols, founder and director of Roots of Faith introduces something new to his podcast audience this week. Nichols, having just completed an intensive 11 week series of studies on Dr. Tabor’s latest book, Restoring Abrahamic Faith, conducted a half-hour interview with Dr. Tabor about the book, how he came to write it, its essential message, and what how he envisions it contributing to an understanding of biblical truths. Toward the end of the interview Nichols also has Dr. Tabor talk a bit about his forthcoming book on the apostle Paul, scheduled to appear in Spring, 2010 with Simon & Schuster.
You can listen to or download this interview at the Roots of Faith Web site here.
http://rootsoffaith.org/blog-and-podcasts/2009/02/27/ross-nichols-interviews-dr-james-tabor.htm
More details about the book, Restoring Abrahamic Faith, including readers responses and reviews can be found at the publisher’s Web site: genesis2000.org.
You will not want to miss this exciting interview with Dr. James D. Tabor.
United Israel Staff
In a time when Web sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and hundreds of others with similar formats are drawing millions together for exchange and dialog, “meeting in Cyperspace” has become one of the main trends of our new globally oriented 21st century. In this regard, there is a new site hosted by Roots of Faith leader Ross Nichols called “The Synagogue without Walls.” You can take a look at A Synagogue Without Walls where you can browse and get an idea of what is offered.
Ross, who is an ordained teacher of United Israel, intends it to be a “meeting place” for those who are scattered by distance, many outside the United States, but who are connected by a common desire to connect with others involved in the quest for our Hebrew Roots of Faith. It is a new site, just beginning, but already quite lively with exchanges, photos, music, messages, and dialog. You are welcome to join if you think this is a group that might fit your needs. The atmosphere is open and friendly, with a spirit of commonality in the Quest.
You can also catch Ross Nichols each Sunday night live on the Web, via either audio or video, teaching from the Hebrew Bible. He is right now in a series titled “Restoring Abrahamic Faith.” If you can’t listen live you can download the lessons and play them later. Go to RootsofFaith Webcast to connect and learn more. Ross will be teaching tonight at 6pm CST/7pm EST on “Keeping the Commandments.” Tune in if you can. I have found him to be one of the most insightful and biblically learned teachers of our day.
Ross Nichols, leader of “Roots of Faith” in St Francisville, LA, offers his perspective on the Jewish Holiday known more commonly as Rosh HaShanah, and called in the Bible “Yom Teru’ah,” or literally “day of the blast,” as he explains here:
I wanted to take the time to send out a special note to my entire mailing list as we draw near to the beginning of the 7th month on the Biblical Calendar. This 7th month, is referred to by Josephus as the “Sacred Month”.
This is my favorite time of the year. The Bible refers to this season as the “turn of the year – Exodus 34:22″, and I always feel that this time leads us into a holy time – a time to reflect on our deeds and a time to “turn to our God” in repentance.
One thing that I constantly stress in my teachings is that people would do well to incorporate the “times and seasons” of the Bible into their personal faith. There is something incredible about being in sync with God’s appointed times (moedim). A careful study of Leviticus 23 is a good place to start. In the very first verse we learn that these are the “festivals of YHWH”.
Jews have kept these festivals since they were given and have developed their own rich traditions around each of these. Christians are beginning to see the great value in studying them and incorporating them into their walk often as a way to be more like Jesus (Yeshua). These moedim clearly have meaning for anyone that seeks to adopt the ways of the Creator.
Beginning tomorrow, according to the Jewish calendar, we enter this 7th month. This first day of the 7th month is known biblically as Yom Teruah, (a day of blasting, shouting), more commonly known as the Feast of Trumpets and traditionally as Rosh HaShana (or New Year’s day). Anciently, the new month was determined based upon the sighting of the new moon (a thin crescent), while the modern Jewish calendar is determined by calculation. The subject of the Hebrew Calendar is a very interesting and hotly debated subject – but one that is quite rewarding. So whether you follow the Jewish calendar or prefer to spot the thin crescent moon in the sky with your own eyes, the day is fast approaching!
An Ancient Sermon delivered on Yom Teruah
The 8th chapter of Nehemiah contains a sermon that was preached on this very day nearly 2,467 years ago! It is there referred to as “a day Holy to YHWH”. The Torah has two main references to this Festival (Leviticus 23:23-25 and Numbers 29:1-6). The key word for this particular holy day is the Hebrew word Teruah. It is from the root “rua’” which means to “raise a shout” and is often associated with a battle cry. It can be associated with “making a loud noise” and one musical instrument that is commonly found making such noise is the ram’s horn “trumpet”, or shofar.
The shofar blast (the cry) is considered a warning and a call to repentance. A few passages that illustrate the use of the verb “rua’” are as follows: Psalm 47, Psalm 66:1; Psalm 81:2; Psalm 100:1, and Joshua 6:5.
This coming Sabbath is called Shabbat Shuvah – the Sabbath of Repentance. From the 1st day of the 7th month, we enter a 10-day countdown towards Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. I would encourage all of you to examine yourself and seek to make mends. The gates of repentance are always open.
Sin is the transgression of the commandments. Yeshua said that all who do and teach the commandments will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:17-20). To begin to turn to the Creator and to His ways as laid forth in the Law and the Prophets is the beginning step on the path towards true repentance.
I pray that each of you will meditate on these things as we enter this Holy 7th month.
A Sunday Shul Lesson for Yom Teruah
This past Sunday in my weekly Sunday Shul class, I taught on this very subject of Yom Teruah. Beginning with a sermon that dates to approximately 458 B.C.E., I seek to illustrate the Biblical significance of the 1st day of the 7th month.
Weaving the upcoming Torah and Prophet reading for Sabbath Shuvah (The Sabbath of Repentance) with the ancient sermon, I attempt to point out a path for repentance found within the Torah.
This timely message should be “heard” and proclaimed as we enter into what Josephus calls the “Sacred Month”.
Go here to listen to my message on Yom Teruah.
Look for the new moon and realize that once it is spotted, we are in the “Day of the Awakening Blast.”
So as we enter this season – I pray that God will begin to open our eyes, ears and hearts to those incredible teachings that are to be lovingly inscribed upon the hearts of all who are part of what the prophet Jeremiah called the “New Covenant” – Jeremiah 31:31-34
Shalom as we anxiously await Yom Teruah – the Day of Shouting!
Ross Nichols