The Judeo-Christian Myth

The popular phrase “Judeo-Christian tradition” is a modern myth with no historical, theological, or biblical basis. Christianity and Judaism, it states, are not sister religions but fundamentally opposing systems with incompatible beliefs.

Origin of the Myth

The term “Judeo-Christian” did not exist for most of Christian history. Jewish scholar Arthur A. Cohen explains it was created in late 19th-century Germany by higher critics who rejected both Old and New Testaments. These scholars invented the term as a way to soften differences between the two faiths, even though no such shared tradition existed.

2. Jesus’ Teachings Reject the Foundation of Judaism

The passages from Matthew 23 and John 8, where Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees, saying they will kill the prophets and seek to kill Him. He denies that these Jews are true spiritual children of Abraham and calls them “of your father the devil.” These Scriptures contradict the idea of theological unity between Judaism and Christianity.

3. Judaism and Christianity Admit They Share No Common Foundation

Jewish authorities—including Arthur Cohen, Jacob Neusner, and Trudy Wise Rose Marin—affirm that Judaism and Christianity are completely different religions, not two versions of the same tradition. Judaism explicitly rejects Christian doctrines such as the Incarnation and the Trinity, making theological unity impossible.

4. The Talmud, Not the Old Testament, Defines Judaism

Judaism is rooted in post-exilic rabbinic tradition and the Talmud, not Old Testament Hebraism. Even Jewish leaders acknowledge that Judaism began after the Babylonian exile and differs sharply from biblical faith. Christianity, by contrast, is built on both Old and New Testaments fulfilled in Christ.

5. Political Consequences of the Myth

Christian Zionism and American political leaders who support the modern state of Israel under the banner of “Judeo-Christian values.” It warns that this unbiblical alliance undermines national sovereignty and misapplies promises given solely to Abraham—not to a modern secular nation-state.

6. Cultural Symbols Don’t Create Unity

Even widely used symbols such as the “Star of David” are shown to be pagan in origin and only recently adopted as Jewish emblems. Such symbols do not represent biblical Israel and therefore cannot justify the claim of shared religious heritage.

Conclusion

Christianity and Judaism are not compatible traditions. Christianity is centered on Jesus Christ as God incarnate, while Judaism rejects Him. The “Judeo-Christian tradition” is therefore a false construct. Believers must return to Scripture alone and reject modern political and religious myths that blur essential distinctions.