Jewish Science

Jewish Science

Jewish Science is a Judaic group comparable with the New Age movement. It is not a separate sect, many members also attending services at conventional synagogues. It is an interpretation of Jewish philosophy that was originally conceived by Rabbi Alfred G. Moses in the early 1900s in response to the growing popularity of Christian Science. His fundamental teachings are found in his 1916 book "Jewish Science: Divine Healing in Judaism". The movement was institutionalized in 1922 with Rabbi Morris Lichtenstein's founding of the "Society of Jewish Science".

Christian science and New Thought

Jewish Science shares several principles with Christian Science and the New Thought movement, and it is intended to function as a counterweight to the Christian elements in this movement. It emphasizes the role of prayer and "Divine healing" as self help methods essential to a Jewish person's physical and spiritual health, but does not rule out the importance of medical intervention. Unlike Christian Science, Jewish Science also incorporates psychology, reincarnation, and spiritualism. Early on Jewish Science was denounced as "quackery" by members of Reform Judaism. Thanks to radio broadcasts on WMCA and the establishment of the "Jewish Science Interpreter" the sect attracted numerous adherents, helping its rise to prominence in the Jewish community.

Affirmative prayer

Lichtentein found affirmative prayer to be particularly useful because, he believed that it provided the personal benefits of prayer without requiring the belief in a supernatural God who could suspend the laws of nature.cite book |title=From Christian Science to Jewish Science: Spiritual Healing and American Jews |first= Ellen M. |last=Umansky |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2005 |pages=p104 |isbn=0195044002] He considered that affirmative prayer is a method that can access inner power that could be considered divine, but not supernatural. He taught that the origins of affirmative prayer can be found in the Old Testament book of Psalms, and that affirmations, or affirmative prayer is best offered in silence.

Footnotes

References

* [http://forward.com/main/article.php?ref=joselit200502021015 A Look Back at 'Jewish Science'] - Jenna Weissman Joselit, "The Forward"
* [http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/7792/edition_id/148/format/html/displaystory.html Jewish Science groups explore karma, reincarnation] , "Jewish News Weekly"
* [http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/oso/public/content/religion/0195044002/toc.html From Christian Science to Jewish Science] - book, history of the sect; subscription required for full text.
*The Horse & Carriage of Jewish Debate, Kleinnacht mit dem schulekinder, 1942

ee also

*Jewish denominations


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