Anti-Judaism

Anti-Judaism The rise of Christianity in the first century CE produced the earliest strains of anti-Judaism. Although Christianity was an outgrowth or sect of Judaism, its adherents began to form its theology with a strong proclivity against many of the laws and principles that were the foundation of Judaism. The Roman empire, initially a pagan culture demonstrated hostility to both Judaism and early Christianity, but eventually embraced but eventually embraced the latter as its national religion in the fourth century C.E, at the same time effecting anti-Jewish policies, such as barring Jews from entering Jerusalem, with the exception of Tisha B’av (not as an act of benevolence but rather to further degradation) and implementing a Jewish tax..

Since early Christianity both rejected and accepted Judaism, anti-Jewish polemic may have served the Church Fathers as a way to justify the departure from Judaism as it was practiced at that time. It should be noted that Judaism was also hostile to Christianity, especially since both religions were competing for the same potential proselytes. The divergence between the two religions was based on Christianity’s belief in Jesus as the Messiah and questioning the continuing applicability of the Mosaic Laws. The polemic between the two religions grew more disparate and divisive over time and anti-Judaism sentiment became a fundamental policy of the Church.

While Anti-Judaism is largely associated with Church policy, many scholars claim that it originated with pagan cultures who harbored anti-Semitic sentiment that extended as well to Christianity. As such some have argued that the reasons typically associated with ant-Judaism; i.e. crucifying Christ, would not have applied to pagan cultures, hence the forerunner of anti-Judaism may have well have been a version of anti-Semitism customized to substantiate Christianity’s break from Judaism.