election – RCS

Sanna Erelä master of Theology, Sower International
sanna.erela@flom.fi

Erelä S. Messianic Jews — Who are they and why do we need them?, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], pp. 62–85.

doi: DOI

Language: English

This article explores the role of Messianic Jews in the worldwide body of believers in Jesus and their significance in understanding the relationship between the Church and Israel. Christianity began as a Jewish movement, but the Church distanced itself from its Jewish roots early on, especially after the Council of Nicaea. Supersessionist theology, which sees the Church as replacing Israel, has shaped Christian thought and contributed to anti-Jewish attitudes for centuries.
Messianic Jews — Jewish believers in Jesus who maintain their Jewish identity — challenge this tradition. They build their identity on the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, they rely on Paul’s teachings, especially in Romans 9–11, emphasizing Israel’s enduring election and the unique role of the Jewish people in God’s plan. Messianic Jewish theology blends Christian and Jewish perspectives, aiming to build bridges between the Church and the synagogue.
This article argues that the Messianic movement is an eschatological sign, calling the Church to reevaluate its stance toward Israel. The visible presence of Jewish believers within the Church is essential to its identity and future. Their calling is to be a blessing to both the Church and the nations, preparing the way for the return of the Messiah.

Key words: Messianic Jews, Supersessionism, Israel, Church, Election, Eschatology, Identity, Torah, Jewish-Christian relations, Ecclesia ex circumcisione

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/erela2025-en/

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Vyacheslav Anatol’evich Ostanin master of theology, lecturer, Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
ostaninslava@yandex.ru

Ostanin V. A. On the question of interpreting story of Cain and Abel: two prototypes of the same path of redemption, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2024, vol. 13, pp. 18–33.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2024-13-18-33

Language: Russian

The article is devoted to one of the forms of interpretation of the Old Testament story about Cain and Abel as a prototype of the passion of Christ, which is widespread in the Christian tradition. At the beginning of the article, the author examines the origins of this tradition, mainly analyzing the textual component of a fragment of the Book of Genesis, based on the evidence of MT (Masoretic text). The article examines in detail the text and context of the story of the birth of Cain and Abel, the attitude and perception of the first pains and torments of Eve, and understanding of the birth of the first son as the fulfillment of the promise given in Gen. 3:15–16. The author examines the attitude to the birth of Abel and the understanding of sacrifice not only as a prototype of the future sacrifice of Christ, but also as a confrontation between the one born according to the flesh and the one born according to the spirit. Therefore, this article pays special attention to the misconception of the birth of Cain, according to MT, as perceived by God’s promised way of salvation/redemption by Eve and Adam, as well as the perception of the birth of Abel as a deep internal crisis from the unfulfilled expected promises.

Key words: Cain, election, idolatry, Abel, vanity, election according to the spirit, promise, gain, atonement, sacrifice, type

URL: https://rcs-almanac.ru/ostanin-2024-en/