Individuals of Jewish heritage who convert to Christianity often face complex cultural and spiritual transitions. Here are quotes from seven such individuals who have publicly discussed their Christian faith:
Stan Telchin (1924–2012), Author and Messianic Jew:
- “I was a Jew who had discovered that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah for whom our people have been waiting for over 3,000 years. That discovery changed my life.”
- From “Betrayed!”
Lauren Winner (b. 1976), Author and Lecturer:
- “The reasons I became a Christian had to do with a conviction that the claims of Christianity are true, that Christ did rise from the dead, that he is the Messiah.”
- From an interview on her conversion
Edith Stein (1891–1942), Philosopher and Carmelite Nun:
- “I had given up practising my Jewish religion when I was a 14-year-old girl and did not begin to feel Jewish again until I had returned to God.”
- From “Life in a Jewish Family: An Autobiography”
Alphonse Ratisbonne (1814–1884), Convert and Priest:
- “I had come to the Church by the path of the abyss; and the more I thought, the clearer it appeared to me that it was a miracle, a miracle as great, as sudden, as unforeseen as the conversion of St. Paul; and that I had no more right to deny it than to deny the existence of the sun that shone upon me.”
- From his account of his conversion
Bob Dylan (b. 1941), Musician:
- While Dylan’s spiritual journey has been eclectic and not strictly confined to Christianity, he has at times spoken of his Christian faith:
- “I’ve never said I’m born again. That’s just a media term. I don’t think I’ve been an agnostic. I’ve always thought there’s a superior power, that this is not the real world and that there’s a world to come.”
- From an interview with Kurt Loder
Andrew Klavan (b. 1954), Author and Screenwriter:
- “The joy and peace I felt as a Jew who believed in Christ were my proof of the truth of what had happened to me.”
- From “The Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ”
Brother Daniel Rufeisen (1922–1998), Carmelite Monk:
- “I am a Jew. I never stopped being a Jew. I did not accept Christianity to stop being a Jew. I added Christianity to my Judaism. Together, this makes a perfect whole.”
- From his legal battle to be recognized as Jewish in Israel
These quotes reflect the profound personal and spiritual significance that their Christian faith holds for each individual. It’s important to note that the experiences and beliefs of converts from Judaism to Christianity are diverse and multifaceted.
