The Bullies of the Messianic Movement: How the MJRC Codified Racial Segregation and Class-Based Citizenship

The MJRC code purports to have the authority to decide halachic matters for the entire Messianic movement.  They divide their code into "Decisions and Commentary."  They schizophrenically claim that these are mere guidelines while also stating definitive decisions.  As we all know, decisions are mandatory and guidelines are discretionary.  Thus, the MJRC sees itself as a mandatory authority when issuing definitive decisions.

One of those decisions is over the issue of covenantal rights (i.e. the right and duty to follow Torah).  They start by explaining their racially segregationist position as follows:  "At the same time, Yeshua did found a new sub-community of Jews (the ekklesia of the Circumcision) whose life is marked by an anticipatory experience of the powers of Olam Haba (the world to come), and who are to have a special relationship with a body of Gentile worshipers of the God of Israel (the ekklesia of the Uncircumcision)."  Thus, they say there is not one Ekklesia of Yeshua but rather TWO different ekklesias!

Also, the MJRC holds that gentiles should have no representation on this decision-making council.  They exclude gentiles with their decree that only a Jew may serve as a Rabbi.  It doesn't matter how well-trained or knowledge a gentile may be--he's disqualified for not being Jewish.  Since only Jews then can serve on the council, the gentiles have no representation.

Finally, they explain that only those members of the Jewish Ekklesia have covenantal rights/duties ("…the privileges and obligations inherent in being a Jew.").  

So let's summarize the MJRC's views:  

(1) there are two ekklesia, not one; 

(2) the differentiation between the two different ekklesia is maintained through racial segregation; 

(3) citizenship in the New Covenant is class-based (as opposed to the egalitarian citizenship promoted in One Law) with the gentiles belonging to a class that has no "obligation".  Given that rights and duties are correlative, this means that the gentiles, having no duties, have no rights.  Hence, the MJRC's view of citizenship is at odds with the Torah's view of egalitarian citizenship (i.e. hakahal chukah achat, a community in which all citizens are required to follow the law);

(4) gentiles are prohibited from being represented on the council--they have no right to participate or speak on public matters that will affect the entire Messianic movement (ouch).

The weird thing is that the MJRC is typically like the Reform movement in most of their halachic decisions (i.e. women should serve as Rabbis, daven like men, etc).  But not everyone is of the Reform mindset!  So where do they get the chutzpah to decide for everyone?  Isn't this rule by the minority as opposed to the Jewish doctrine of rule by the majority?  Oy vey.

But you say "Hey, Peter, you criticize but do you have a better solution?"  You bet I do.  There's all sorts of options we have.  

Instead of making codes of decisions why not make an archive that merely catalogues different approaches so that the local communities can decide for themselves?  

An archive would do the following:  (1) collect and systematize data from the Tanak according to areas of halacha; (2) collect and systematize data from the New Testament according to areas of halacha; (3) present the spectrum of primary, historical approaches to areas of halacha; (4) collect recommendations regarding potential halachic principles.

But you might say "Hey, Peter, that's doing exactly what you criticized the Mishnah of doing!" No, it's not.  The Mishnah made the mistake of establishing a system that could resolve conflicts of legal opinion.  This archive will include data from the New Testament which records the ideal of halachic plurality, the idea that we, like Yeshua, may argue for alternative approaches to halacha.  This idea is counter-codification.  In short, we have something that the Mishnah didn't have:  we have Yeshua as a model for halachic interaction.  The Messianic segregationists will inevitably respond "What about Matthew 23!"  But the fact is that Yeshua endorsed a pluralistic halachic system, a system that encouraged halachic disagreement (e.g. Hillel and Shammai).  He NEVER endorsed the post 200 C.E. monolithic form of Rabbinic Judaism.