Jon M. SWEENEY et al. (eds). Jesus Wasn't Killed By the Jews: Reflections for Christians in Lent. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2019. pp. 128. $19.00 pb. ISBN: 9781626983526. Reviewed by Walter N. SISTO, D’Youville College, Buffalo, NY 14201.

The title Jesus Wasn't Killed by the Jews is provocative. Jon M. Sweeny in his introduction successfully demonstrates that it is appropriate given the recent massacres at a synagogue in Poway, California (April 2019) and the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (October 2018). The shooter at the Poway synagogue articulated with frightening clarity a hatred of Jews in the Christian tradition. (18) The fact that Jews were killed by a Christian is evidence that despite the great accomplishments in the Jewish-Christian dialogue since the Second Vatican Council, more work is needed.

To help address this hatred the book includes a diverse group of scholars and pastors including Jewish and Christian clergy, Jewish Studies scholars, Old and New Testament scholars, and Catholic and Protestant Theologians. The result is an insightful compendium of succinct 3-10 page chapters divided into 2 parts that examine the foundations (e.g., the Jewishness of Jesus and the biblical writers, Judaism as the firstborn Son, and supersessionist theology) and the progress (e.g., antisemitism in the Bible, mistranslating Judaism, Nostra Aetate) in overcoming antisemitism. The diversity of the authors’ backgrounds and specialties engenders a fascinating discussion that sometimes results in disagreement between authors. For example, Amy-Jill Levine, the author of the afterword rejects Brook's thesis (chapter 10) that "Jews" should be translated as "Judean." (118) She correctly argues that leaving semantics aside, we need to come to terms with antisemitism in the New Testament and Christian tradition.

On the topic of confronting antisemitism and overcoming prejudice, Greg Garret in his chapter entitled "For Fear of the Jews" argues that the root cause of hatred of Jews is fear. Particularly, Garret demonstrates that John's phrase "for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19) is often read out of context because Jesus and the Apostles were Jews. Christians need to recover their family relationship with Judaism (106). This forgotten heritage and focus on what differentiate Christians from Jews as opposed to what unites them has led to a culture of fear. A fear which has "grow[n] out of prejudice, out of misunderstanding, out of distance." (107)  Unfortunately, fear becomes hate, and hate becomes violence when we forget our common humanity and heritage. The way forward is to honestly acknowledge our differences but do this without fear. "We need to acknowledge our family resemblance." Christians must acknowledge their "debt" to Judaism as well as defend their Jewish brothers and sisters, even if the "calumny comes from our own Christian Testament." (110) 

I highly recommend this text for readers interested in antisemitism. The book provides a succinct introduction to important topics such as the Jewishness of Jesus and the New Testament writers, changes in the Catholic liturgy since Vatican II.  However, the subtitle "Reflections for Christians in Lent" is a bit misleading, as only a few chapters discuss the liturgical season of Lent or the Good Friday. Nevertheless. the text is well-written and the brief chapters that provide concise reflections or encyclopedia-like discussions are well-suited for non-specialists and those interested in the Jewish-Christian movement.