By
– August 26, 2011
The book certainly does live up to its title! More or less the third in the “trilogy” begun with 1992’s Seek My Face, Speak My Name: A Contemporary Jewish Theology and 2006’s EHYEH: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow, Radical Judaism is a brilliant, complex work of innovative theology coming from a space Green labels both “neo-Hasidic” and “religious humanist,” which others might more broadly call “Jewish Renewal.” The roots of his theology may spring from classic Hasidic thought, but the branches move through Reconstructionist territory, into a somewhat urianically monistic, post-Rabbinic area that is entirely of Green’s inspired charting. If not unorthodox to the frontiers of Jewish thought, it is certainly unOrthodox in the traditional sense, bound to be troubling to more traditional thinkers — if in no other way than simply the thinning of the boundary between God and self. There are also certain questions it raises to the traditional mind: how is covenant to function in such a theology? To what degree does this theological model encourage not only observance of social mitzvot but of purely ritual mitzvot also? Yet for those Jews not content with traditional theology, this work will be a deeply satisfying experience; a welcome pushing of the boundaries by a master thinker. His rich, postmodern reading of the Ten Commandments,
especially, will be greatly appreciated by the seeking reader. Almost certainly a landmark work, with which theologians and serious Jewish thinkers will surely have to grapple in the coming years.
especially, will be greatly appreciated by the seeking reader. Almost certainly a landmark work, with which theologians and serious Jewish thinkers will surely have to grapple in the coming years.
Amitai Adler is a Conservative rabbi. He teaches and writes in Los Angeles, CA, and has been published in Sh’ma and Jewish Bible Quarterly.