{"id":68293,"date":"2020-01-08T09:47:18","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T07:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=68293"},"modified":"2023-08-01T16:46:14","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T13:46:14","slug":"universalism-and-its-limits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/universalism-and-its-limits\/","title":{"rendered":"Universalism And Its Limits"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Isaiah 56 contains some of the most extreme statements of openness to \u201cothers\u201d in the Hebrew Bible: \u201cLet not the foreigner, who has attached himself to the Lord, say, \u2018The Lord will keep me apart from His people,\u2019 and let not the eunuch say, \u2018I am a withered tree\u2019.\u201d The foreigners and the eunuchs, each normally disenfranchised, are promised full membership in the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

What challenge does each face? The foreigner\u2019s challenge is straightforward. As a recent immigrant, she has no roots in the land, no heritage, no network of friends and family to fall back on. But God promises her a place in the sanctuary, \u201cfor My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The eunuch faces a different challenge. Eunuchs were often quite influential people, serving royalty and wielding great authority. Their power cannot be passed on, however, and their accomplishments will die with them. The prophet offers them immortality of a different type, however \u2013 immortality of reputation: \u201cI will give them \u2026 a monument and a name, better than sons or daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not perish.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Chinese-American biblical scholar Gale Yee<\/span> draws attention<\/span><\/a> to the political resonances of this vision for today. Immigrants, foreigners, and sexual minorities deserve acceptance into the religious community. There is an important caveat, though: membership in the community does not come free of obligations. It is for \u201cthe eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, \u2026 who hold fast to My covenant.\u201d The covenantal community, the house of prayer, is open for anyone who wishes to be part of it, and fulfill its communal and religious obligations. For such a person, there is a great “return” on that investment: the religious community can provide a home, a sanctuary, and even a monument and a name.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":68294,"id":68294,"title":"is56-membership","filename":"is56-membership.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is56-membership.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/universalism-and-its-limits\/is56-membership\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"is56-membership","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":68293,"date":"2020-01-08 07:45:52","modified":"2020-01-08 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