The Protestant-Jewish Conundrum

Volume XXIV of the distinguished annual Studies in Contemporary Jewry explores relations between Jews and Protestants in modern times. Far from monolithic, Protestantism has innumerable groupings within it, from the loosely organized Religious Society of Friends to the conservative Evangelicals of the Bible Belt, all of which hold a range of views on theology, social problems, and politics. These views are played out in differing attitudes and relationships between Protestant churches and Jews, Judaism, and the state of Israel.

In this volume, established scholars from a variety of disciplines investigate the "Protestant-Jewish conundrum." They provide analysis of the historical framework in which Protestant ideas toward Jews and Judaism were formed from the 16th century onward. Contributors also delve into diverse topics ranging from the attitudes of the Evangelical movement toward Jews and Israel, to Protestant reactions to Mel Gibson's blockbuster film, "The Passion of the Christ." They also address German Protestant behavior during and after the Nazi era and mainstream Protestant attitudes toward the Israeli-Arab conflict. Taken as a whole, this compendium presents discussions and questions central to the ongoing development of Jewish-Protestant relations.

Jonathan Frankel (1935-2008) and Ezra Mendelsohn taught Jewish history for many years at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Together with Peter Y. Medding, a professor of political science at the Hebrew University, they founded the Studies in Contemporary Jewry series. Frankel's works include Prophecy and Politics: Socialism, Nationalism and the Russian Jews, 1862-1917 and The Damascus Affair: "Ritual Murder," Politics and the Jews in 1840. Mendelsohn's most recent book is Painting a People: Maurycy Gottlieb and Jewish Art.

The current editors of Studies in Contemporary Jewry are Anat Helman, Eli Lederhendler, and Uzi Rebhun, all of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.