The Holocaust and the Christian World: Reflections on the Past, Challenges for the Future

In the wake of Mel Gibson’s blockbuster movie The Passion of Christ, Christians have taken a hard look at their faith and the anti-Semitic interpretations of past generations. Guided by Christ’s selfless love, Christians from Catholics to Pentecostals often express the desire to understand the roots of their faith and, by extension, the Jewish experience. Particularly troubling for many is the Christian role in the Holocaust, the attempt by the Nazis to exterminate European Jewry from 1933–45. In this gripping book, Christian and Jewish scholars present essays that detail the world’s descent into the madness of anti-Semitism. Exploring the harmful effects of scholarly treatments of Scripture (minimizing or mythologizing the Jewish character of the Old Testament), Darwinian views of "the races," and Hitler’s ghastly plans for the "Final Solution" (with widespread Christian silence), these essays give a brilliant overview while adding thoughtful detail. Includes timelines, resource lists, and Church statements regarding the Holocaust, the book is also packed with many archival photographs. Published in partnership with Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum, Jerusalem.