The Tikvah Podcast

J.J. Kimche on Paul Johnson’s Legacy of Philo-Semitism

May 16, 2025
J.J. Kimche, a Jewish historian and Assistant Professor at the University of Austin, discusses the legacy of Paul Johnson, a British Catholic historian who took a keen interest in Jewish history. Kimche explores why Johnson viewed Judaism sympathetically and how his non-Jewish perspective offers unique insights into Jewish identity. The conversation touches on the complexities of Jewish belief, the evolution of Reform Judaism, and the significance of major historical events like the Holocaust and Zionism, highlighting the value of understanding Jewish history from diverse viewpoints.
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INSIGHT

Judaism Created The Jews

  • Paul Johnson viewed Jewish civilization as the locus that created the Jewish people, not vice versa.
  • He emphasized Jewish ideas as a foundational blueprint for civilization through lived experience.
INSIGHT

Providence or Human Tenacity?

  • Johnson explored whether Jewish history exhibits providential oversight but gave an ambivalent answer.
  • He noted Jewish faith and persistence shaped their destiny even without external providence.
INSIGHT

Spiritual vs Temple Judaism

  • Johnson contrasted temple-centered ritualistic Judaism with more spiritual, universalist diaspora Judaism.
  • He favored the spiritual, ethical Judaism against the sacrificial temple model.
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