(30 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
Loading...As we are all saying, this is by far the strangest holiday season we have had in living memory. Well, at least in my living memory, which goes back six decades. Some people are throwing themselves into it, trying to find a place for joy in the midst of either relative or severe hardship. The effort to restore normal joy is evidenced in strange ways. Just now, where I am, in a county in Western North Carolina, Christmas trees are literally sold out. Not a tree to be found anywhere. I tried on December 18. Nope. I’ve never heard of such a thing. A local told me they think that it’s because of Covid. So many people are fed up with being isolated they’ve decided to go big on the Christmas celebration. Good on em!
Others (well, lots of the big celebrators too, I supposed) are just depressed. Others are suffering serious financial hardship. No one I know is really much enjoying it they way they would like. Many of you, too, I suppose. I’ll admit I’m having trouble generating seasonal joy.
I’ve been doing my best. Played the carols. Put up the decorations. Wrapped the presents. Family is here (we have had a tiny bubble since this thing began, but went into quarantine so we could have my son, daughter-in-law, two and a half year old marvel of a grandson, and the seven-week-old-finest-human-ever-to-appear on the planet granddaughter with us for a few days. There is joy in the midst of sorrow – less sorrow for myself (I’m doing well, personally), than for the state of the world.
And, as is my wont, I’ve been thinking about the Christmas message, this year more than ever precisely in light of the state of the world. Even as an agnostic, I find the message moving, even if I don’t believe it. The coming of Christ in the Christian gospel is all about the world receiving the greatest gift, a divine child who is the Prince of Peace. We continue to live in a world that desperately needs a Prince of Peace.
I don’t need to remind you of our dire situation. But I think I will remind myself. Every day – nearly every day now – we are losing more people to Covid than we lost at Pearl Harbor. Every day. And it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Apart from that, our country is massively divided on political lines and the divisions are getting deeper and the distrust and hatred growing stronger, with no hope of healing, and certainly almost no political will for it. Both sides want to nuke the other, sometimes literally. Meanwhile people suffer. Job losses, unexpected want, lines at food banks, evictions – not to mention overflowing hospitals, horrible illness, the loss of loved ones, day in day out, so that now 3000 is just a number to us (was it more or less yesterday?). How does one not despair?
In light of that, I reflect on the Christmas message. As that message is normally heard, Christianity has always claimed that God is there and concerned and willing to help, if not to solve the problem with the snap of his divine fingers, then at least to provide comfort and hope for those in desperate straits, and even for those mourning others who are. People do find solace, that is certain; whether other help arrives from above is a matter of some dispute, between sincere believers and sincere unbelievers.
But here is the one thing I don’t understand. The Prince of Peace entered into this world in abject poverty. Born to peasants in awful conditions. The crib was a foul cattle trough. First visitors were societal low-dregs (shepherds). He was not well received by those with money and status. Soon after his birth the local ruler murdered all the babies in order to dispatch him. He and his family were forced by local conditions to emigrate and then resettle, just to survive. Moreover, when this Prince of Peace became an adult he had a clear message, and it was decidedly not that he had raised himself by his own bootstraps to become rich and powerful and wanted to show others how they too could do so.
He opposed those in power; he did not support them in their power. The high and mighty were going to get their due when God was done with them, and it was the humble would be exalted. God was interested in the poor. The rich had to give away their wealth if they wanted to enter the kingdom. God was not interested in national boundaries – not even those of his chosen people. Belonging to the right nation had no bearing on anything in relation to God. Neither did outward religiosity, piety, insisting that others follow the divine law, priding oneself in one’s own remarkable success in doing so. These were not the people on the side of God. On the side of God were the outcasts, the marginalized, the foreigners, the powerless, the impoverished.
So this is what I don’t understand: why so many of the alleged followers of the Prince of Peace not only refuse to accept his teaching but by and large preach *against* it, standing precisely for what he stood against. It’s as if they haven’t read their Bibles. It’s all there – in Jesus’ teachings, in the Old Testament prophets he based his message on, in the gospel proclaimed by his earliest followers. God is not on the side of the rich and powerful and eager to make it so all his people will be rich and powerful. God is on the side of the poor and powerless and anyone who wants to follow God needs to be on their side as well.
Most people rejected this message in Jesus’ day as well. And how did they react to his message? They crucified him. That’s what you do to the Prince of Peace when he preaches what you don’t want to hear. You torture him to death.
We need a Prince of Peace today. And those who claim to follow him should seriously think about actually heeding his message. It was about helping those less fortunate than yourself. Not exploiting them to your own ends, not pretending they don’t matter if they are poor, outcast, desperate, foreign, black, brown, of a different gender identity, or ideological persuasion, or political view, or from a different country.
Of course we all want joy, happiness, and peace in our lives. We will not get there by promoting hatred and disdain for others who are not like us and ignoring those all around us who are in need.
I hope you can find some joy and peace in this holiday season. When these various crises are over, and new ones arise, and yet others after that, we will need continually to reflect on what it means to live well and right. If we call ourselves Christian, do we choose to follow Jesus’ message or some other message and claim that *that* is what he really meant? If we are not Christian, how do we live to make ourselves the best people we can be both in relation to ourselves and to those around us – not just those literally around us but those in our spheres of knowledge? In either case, it certainly would help, in this Christmas season, to consider thoughtfully the message of the season and of the Prince of Peace.
Again – you’ve given us something beautiful on Christmas morning!
Thank you so much for this. So helpful.
Merry Christmas, Bart!
The smallest light is brightest in the deepest darkness. You are not alone, professor.
Best Christmas message I ever heard preached by an unbeliever. In fact, better Christmas message than I’ve heard many believers preach. Something tells me you are going to be among those in Matthew 25:31-46 who say “Lord, when was it that I saw you hungry and gave you something to eat…”
“For I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
To me those words are much more powerful than John 3:16. And they are also part of why I find the Prosperity Gospel so blasphemous.
This post is quite thought-provoking. Some quotes in the Bible are selected and manipulated to justify some aggressive and silly policies. Even though I can imagine how bad the situation is in the United States through cold figures, it is unfair to say I can one hundred percent feel the same level of sorrow that you do. We, humans, are family. Some experts in my country have forecasted that the virus will become even more contagious because of the cooling weather. The reported coronavirus mutation in the U.K. is also scary. There are just so many bad things to worry about. However, it will surely become better soon, as we keep treating the virus seriously, wearing masks, supporting medical researches, and etc. Our history is an anthem of courage and persistence. Please enjoy the holiday and take care. I wish you Merry Christmas
It’s fun to find BiblicaI quotes to promote positions no-maskers don’t want to take.
So you need to visit Church to worship?
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matt 6:6)
You don’t need to follow the mask mandates?
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.” (Rom 13:1)
Do you think they’ll be convinced or do you think they’ll squirm?
In case you don’t know: Jinwen lives in China and has never been in the U.S. (or much around Christians!). So I’m not sure she’ll be able to make sense of your questions!
I believe the rich do help the less fortunate. Historically anyway. I think there needs to be a prince who teaches all and provides the means for personal responsibility and self sufficiency. Since 1968, we’ve invested 22-30 trillion dollars in programs to help the less fortunate. It didn’t help.
Social scientists know that single parent families mean 4 times the possibilities of living in poverty and 3 times the possibilities that children of single parent families being incarcerated by the age of 30.
I’m for a prince of peace continuing to help the poor as they have but to lead the poor, somehow to a life of personal pride, responsibility, self sufficiency, self control, self denial and a respect for the law.
Your writings are great. Thanks
I saw a meme where Jesus is patiently explaining to the crowds he can’t feed them because they have to take personal responsibility.
I could add one where the rich man is commended for not helping Lazarus, and Lazarus is urged to get a job and live a “life of personal pride, responsibility, self sufficiency, self control, self denial and a respect for the law.” The idea that the poor and marginalised are to blame for their situations is a conscience pacifier for the obscenely rich (define that how you will).
Wow! Just WOW!
Merry Christmas Bart! I look forward to your Christmas blog entry each year. What has always impressed me is how you look both inward to your own heart and outward to the hearts of others, especially those on the fringes.
Contemplative Living. Excerpted: Harper’s, “Heaven is Everywhere”:–
You know you don’t know the whole mystery. But even one little peek into one little corner of the mystery is more than enough.”
Rohr’s experiential knowledge of the Holy came one summer evening at age ten. While visiting his cousin’s farm in western Kansas, he lay on a little patch of velvety grass hidden behind some chokecherry bushes. He was there alone, just looking up at the stars, when he felt the world open up. “It doesn’t sound very original at all,” he said and laughed, “but I knew the world was good, that I was good, and that I somehow belonged to that good world. It was what the Buddhists would call waking up, overcoming your separateness.” […]
One of Rohr’s main projects is to move his fellow Christians away from dualistic either-or thinking and point them toward a more expansive faith that he calls the contemplative mind, or as the early Christians called it, contemplatio.” [end]
Earlier this week I read an item at Tablet saying that in Greek prayer means wishing; in German it means begging; in Hebrew it means judging oneself as God sees us.
~eric@MeridaGOround
Merry Christmas Professor!
It’s gone on for centuries, so do scholars still debate whether the birth narratives were original to the gospels versus added later by other authors? And do scholars and believers who read the Bible in non-English modern languages have different interpretations of terms such as “star”, “virgin”, and “wise men”?
I don’t think it’s been debated for centuries, but at least for decades; and no, I think all modern language translations use their equivalents of star, virgin, and magi.
Don’t know if you are a fan of Useful Charts but on today’s video he is presenting the Genealogy of Jesus based on the Gospels. Thought you would find it interesting.
Many thanks for your book on Heaven and Hell. Most illuminating!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8jpqeg8Gws&t=759s
Merry Christmas, Dr. Ehrman.
Reading your post I was reminded of James 4:10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (NIV). I see modern day “prophets” spouting hate and division, and doing so in the name of God. They say they “know” because God told them. They tell their sheep that God gave them secret information, and to sell it to their flock (literally and figuratively). Hogwash.
If God wants us to know Truth, God is certainly able to make sure that each of His children receives that truth in a way that is coherent and undeniable to each.
I’m not holding my breath for receiving any personal divine revelation anytime soon.
Today, Christmas day, I’m going to eat some oatmeal before further indulging in cookies and sweets, and meditate on how I can remain teachable and continue the battle against apathy.
Onward.
Amen!
This reminds me of the little girl who when asked by her teacher to draw a picture of God, drew a picture of people in a circle holding hands. Loving your neighbor – a good precept – also for non-Christians.
Merry Christmas Bart. I was at our Christmas Eve service and it felt so weird, wearing masks, spaced apart. It didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel joyful. And also because one of our church leaders, who leads the music worship passed away yesterday morning from complications from covid. He was only 53 (but had asthma and was considerably overweight). Nonetheless it was a great shock and obviously my thoughts are with his family.
Hear, hear..
Like you, I am troubled by the masses of people suffering financial hardship this year. Things are even worse in developing world, experiencing a surge in abject poverty (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/coronavirus-150-million-extreme-poverty-world-bank-covid-19-pandemic-aid-humanitarian/), whereas developed world at least have some governmental assistance (e.g.US Congress is debating US$900bn stimulus package, sending $2K cheques to Americans) and greater provision of public services. But unlike you, I think much of the suffering is self-inflicted by misguided government policies, disproportionate to severity of the problem. It is inappropriate to compare covid deaths to attack on Pearl Harbor which killed healthy servicemen in prime of their lives. In contrast, vast majority of covid deaths occur to the elderly close to their life expectancy, already suffering from comorbidities (https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3259). If it weren’t for covid, they could well have died over next few years from flu or other illnesses. In 2017-18, up to 95K Americans died from the flu and hospitals were overwhelmed (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2017-2018.htm; https://time.com/5107984/hospitals-handling-burden-flu-patients/).
As you know, the Bible can be read in so many different ways. Maybe American evangelicals read Jesus’ message via the de-apocalypsed lens of the 4th Gospel – it’s all about salvation in the afterlife by believing in Jesus, not about social action to change this world.
Hi Bart! Your blog is my Christmas present?
We now have a form of Universal Income in PUA. We have TEFAP for undoc.
We are rising from the “don’t work, don’t eat” populist forgery to Jesus’ free ? for poor, middle-class & rich. Universalism.
Jesus exalted poor folk as a counterpart to rich men being exalted by his Jewish tribe. But there is no praise of wage work in his parables.
Parable of the Minas: investment is better than savings is better than labor. The wise bridesmaids don’t share their lamp oil. Jesus sounds like a penis.
Paul’s glad giving, to me it’s about contributing to people’s potential when it feels right and light to you. Giving because you see people as nonfunctioning may not be helpful..
Jesus’ stoner wisdom, “The more you have, the more you have” is feeling prosperity and wellness before the actual thing.
I donated $235 to GiveDirectly Africa today. Plus $35 given this year. $270 makes sure one person gets a year’s worth of $20/month Universal Income. People do life-changing things with it!
There’s a $300 deduction for non-itemizers this year, y’all.
Dec 17-25, Saturnalia celebrates “wealth without labor”. We can celebrate baby Yesh in the spring! ?
Thank you for this post, dr. Ehrman! I have an off-topic question: I read that NT Wright translates Luke 2:2 as “This was the first census before the one when Quirinius was governor of Syria”, saying that the word protos can be understood as “before”, not only “at the time”. Is it correct? Happy holidays!
Are you sure he does? It doesn’t work grammatically. If you know Greek, here’s why: the genitive absolute is in the present tense and so it necessarily is occurring at the same time as main verb; “protos” here is an adjective modifying apographe (same gender number and case), therefore “first census” The result: it says “this was the first census, while Quirinius was ruling as the governor of Syria.” Id be surprised if any modern translation differs from that significantly, but I haven’t looked.
OK, I looked, using the e-Sword program with a selection of open-source translations. It turns out most everybody translates as per Bart’s phrasing. Some are slightly ambiguous in that their translation could also mean the first census during Quirinius’ reign (ie. not ruling out the possibility that there had been other censuses before). A strategic comma makes all the difference.
My (limited) search showed only 1 translation that makes the census pre-Quirinius. This is from the Dutch Petrus Canisius translation, first (partly) published in 1906, which says: This census took place before Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So I guess the supposed NT Wright translation would be unique in actually referring to 2 distinct censuses. Amazing how even such a relatively simple “matter of fact” statement in Luke can still inspire such diverse interpretations.
You have become an astute writer. You are describing a perfect world and being politically correct. Something most people yearn for. But, i believe, it will not happen, at least in our lifetime. Arthur Brooks, in his well researched book, Who Really Cares, cites that Christians are still the most giving people in the world. My question would be then. If religion did not exist, we were all unbelievers, would that giving be as effective as it is today without any doctrine/dialogue telling us to help the poor ? Would our own initiative propel us to an ideal world ? BTW, I struggle with belief. But the message of Jesus affects my outward actions in how I live my life, without it, I am not sure whose model I/we would follow.
Thanks. In what way am I being “politically correct”? (It sounds like that’s a negative charge?) Brooks’s book has been challenged by some reviewers, but I haven’t followed the back and forth very much. The reality is that everyone in the West has the views that emerged out of Christianty because…. we’re in the west. I too though find Jesus a model. I would have no trouble finding Gandhi a model too, though…
Negative charge ? Sorry, I guess in today’s thinking, politically correct, has picked up many views and interpretations. I stick to the original meaning, as a pragmatic measure and not as a weapon. Your answer to my question, though, I understand, is unclear as to my asking. What i am asking is, Can we, without any systematic form of belief/ritual, have the ability/capacity to live unified in peace and harmony with one another, without any other influence/model, but merely our own? Jesus, Gandhi, Buddha, Rumi, Hermes and Dalai Lama were all great teachers and did some good, but they could not sustain the diverse cultures with their teachings. People, most often, referred back to their ways. Inherently, we constantly need to be taught good and bad. Your own father, I recall in a previous post, told you not to lie to him but didn’t care if you tried out a cigar. The foundation of our moral/ethical views seem to stem/evolve from an historic tradition grounded in metaphysical belief of some sort and not our own doing. Christianity seemed to be the best model. I hope I am more concise, Professor.
No, we cannot live in any way at all without an influence/model. No one lives merely on their own. Can’t happen.
Happy Holidays Bart. I always wonder what Jesus would think of our current toxic political climate (not that he would likely make the time to indulge much of it). There is so much hate, anger, fear, and bad faith…with neither side willing to change the tone or call out the worst abusers. There are so many problems that require creativity and leadership, and yet we are mired in political gamesmanship and locked tight in our ideological bubbles….enabled by technology that should be our servant and not our master (Twitter is proof that there must be an evil higher power out there!).
The xmas message seems to get lost in these mostly silly tribal wars which pit neighbor against neighbor. If we don’t truly understand what it means to “love your neighbor”…politics and ideology aside….then what is the point of Christianity? No presents or treats until each of us makes peace with our political antagonists…..no FNC or MSNBC until we find something good to say about the other side. I can dream, right?
I’m on your side on this one, and am sorry if you thought I was trying to participate in any of the tribal wars.
Merry Christmas Dr Ehrman (belated)
I read somewhere that Jesus as a “prince of peace” can be considered as 1 of the many bible contradictions because of what Jesus said in Matthew 10:34. That HE did not come to bring peace but a sword.
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Those people that had taken advantage of others (poor or rich) for the sake of themselves and family. I placed them in 5 categories as I encounter them in my life.
1) those that were doing them on purpose. They know it is wrong but still does it anyway. If not them someone else would. So why not, they don’t care.
2) there are those that knows it is wrong, feels guilty about it. Does it in moderation because they feel there’s no other choice for them. They’re stuck.
3) the heroes, they think that if they stop what their doing many innocent will suffer. So better them than the others.
4) people who grew up in a situation knowing these deeds are normal, therefore to them it’s not wrong and it’s just part of life and a way of life. A survival.
5) those who have mental illness and has no comprehension of right and wrong.
Thank you Dr. Ehrman?
Great article !!! Read it over and over. Many thoughts have rushed into my mind. Like all the religious wars, the hypocrisy of many Christians, the materialism of the Church over the ages of hunger and poverty. I looked up in my Bible the origin of Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6-” For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”. Then in John 14:27- Jesus was attributed to saying- “Peace I leave with you and my peace I give unto you….”. Then in Galatians 5:23- ” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace….”. The Apostle Paul stated in Phillippians 4:7- “And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.” From my interpretation of the Bible, real universal peace will not come until after the Millennium when all rebellion has been put down. Thank you for your article.
“ God was not interested in national boundaries – not even those of his chosen people.”
Wasn’t Jesus though a little? Didn’t he call the Canaanite woman a “dog” and her defense was to humble herself and say that even the dogs get the crumbs? Or the Roman Centurion saying that he does not deserve to have Jesus come to his house and Jesus contrasted how this Roman’s faith was better than that of anyone from Israel, that someone as lowly as him could even have faith.
There’s a lot of ways to spin those stories and I don’t mean to judge Jesus’ purported words one way or the other, but to simply point out that Jesus did seem to me to be making a distinction over nationalities.
I had always considered the whole “all nationalities being equal” thing to be a later Pauline introduction into Christianity.
Am I missing something here?
Yeah, he wasn’t very nice to the woman. But he did go into her territory of his own will and he did heal her daughter. In any event, I’m not sure the story is historical. My guess is that Jesus himself did see his ministry as mainly to Israel, but hisemphasis throughout seems to be that Jews have no special privilege: people will come from east and west to enter into the kingdom but many Jews will be left out. And a key passage is the good Samaritan. You could argue that he angered the jewish authorities — leading to his arrest — precisley because he did not accept “Jewish privilege” before God….
What Jesus did not do is blame the poor and claim that helping them does no good. But that doesn’t stop some of His followers from doing so.
dr ehrman what is the beast in revelation 13 and so on and what is gog and magog in bible, also those 7 years of trial why 7 years its seems like they try to make opposition againts muslim account who say that in the future muslim leader will rule for peaceful 7 years, is it true that bible change isaac as offering than ishmael , because ishmael was 16 yo boy at a time and cited to be lifted on the shoulder by hagar which doesnt make sense ,why ishamel couldnt work byhimself at a time? and how do you know there is forgeries in bible when the original dont exist
dr ehrman also spirit are exist because here in my country indonesia black magic are very urgent problem many people got severe sick and make themself died even if doctor cant detect its sickness in the beginning , and its magic cloud fly like fire in the sky and hit people houses
Are you asking me if I think non-animal/non-physical spirits exist in the world? No, I do not.
One or two questions at a time please!! Revelation 13 describes the beast as the Emperor Nero. Seven is used because it is the perfect number and is not meant literally but is meant as the perfect amount of time.
Love your neighbour as your yourself!
Once I have learned how to love myself. I can then start thinking about how to love my neighbour. This is neither simple nor easy. If I start a business and provide employment for a poor person. I am surely loving them in the best possible way. . Love is often an emotional response. If I am Full of love I may be a therapist who is concerned for a client.
I need to love the truth. I need to learn how to love. I need to learn to accept love as well as give love. I need to learn to enjoy life. If I am full of joy. I can pass it on. There will always be Suffering in the world.
It is interesting that Jesus suffering and death provided an example which led to a great deal of persecution. Persecution of Jews. Persecution of fellow Christians. The Roman Pax Romana seems to have brought more prosperity and happiness into the world than the Christian activities during the Middle Ages. There was an enormous amount of persecution and brutality carried out by Christian countries. It continues to this day.
A few thoughts.
The tab above indicates that in order to ask you something I should just comment on any post.
I have been doing some reading on “the New Perspective on Paul” and you came to my mind for an ironic reason.
From my understanding of the NPP, Jews at the time believed 1) the Jewish people would be justified on the last day, and 2) because of this, they were happy to follow the Torah’s ethical urging to love one another. Paul only disagreed in so far as Jesus made this available to everyone. So, to Paul. 1) because of Jesus, ALL people could enter into the covenant with God to be justified on the last day, and 2) all they have to do is love one another (be ethical people). I realize it is much more complicated than this, but is this what the NPP comes down to? Also, if so, does that mean for today that the bible (Paul) preaches the loving atheist is “saved,” while the believing, yet selfish evangelical is not?
No, not quite. Paul definitely argued a person had to believe in Christ’s death and resurrection to be saved. The NPP is about how it works. Salvation is not seen through Lutheran eyes, as being only on faith without doing good things. It is about believing in Christ and not relying on works required by the Jewish law (e.g., circumcision, kosher foods, sabbath observance, etc.) “Works” are not good deeds in the NPP but “religious activities required by the Jewish law” See the dif?
Yes. Thank you. But I am still having problems understanding why it matters vis a vis Christian ethics or theology. The NP seems to be more about not mischaracterizing Judaism (which is certainly meaningful in its own right) than it is about anything “new” in Christianity. I’ve heard Michael Bird say that it has great social implication. He seems to be referring to N.T. Wright’s interpretation of “justification” as being more communal than individual (which, I confess, try as I might, I don’t understand). Do you think that the NP has implication for modern Christianity? Further, if you know of a book or article I could look at, I’d love to hear it.
You might try the writings on Paul by James Dunn. the most important thing is that this new perspective changes the understanding of Judaism in relation to Christianity, showing, among other things, that Jews did not believe you had to “earn” your way into heaven — a common misperception among Christians about Jews.
I thank you for your response to my question about the “New Perspective on Paul.” After reading a bit more, my new question is kind of sensitive, and I’m having a hard time wording it correctly. Pease forgive me if my lack of knowledge on the subject comes across as any but an honest question. Both the reformed reading and the NP seem to have anti-Semitic overtones. This, of course, makes sense since Christianity tries to be in Judaism but still distance itself at the same time. But as far as teaching (or preaching!) either of these today, in the reformed understanding Paul argues against the Jews being a works based religion, in the NP Paul is arguing again what appears to be Jewish racism. In one, you have to DO the right things; In the other, you have to BE the right ethnicity. While I’m not sure if we can put our understanding of race back 2000 years ago, one word that keeps coming up from the NP writers is ethnicity.
I wouldn’t say the *New Perspective* is anti-semitic. It is simply arguing that the Jewish religious customs and culture are not what bring salvation. He’s not against these customs and practices, and probably engages in them himself. His point is that they are for Jews, not gentiles, and if gentiles think they ahve to do them for their salvation, they misunderstand. (Does that make sense?)