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Until all Israel is saved. –Romans 11:26
A Cautionary History:
When Christians Turned Against Jews
20 Stories To Combat Rising Antisemitism
This series is not written to attack Christians, but to confront a tragic historical pattern. When antisemitic ideas have taken root in Christian societies, they have led to violence against Jews, not faithfulness to Messiah’s mission. These stories are shared so we can recognize how the enemy has twisted religious language in the past—and refuse to repeat it today.
Paul said God has not rejected Israel (Rom. 11:1, 11) and her calling is “irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29). He warned Gentile believers that if they failed to understand the mystery of Israel, they could become conceited and be cut off (Rom. 11:21-22, 25).
09 / The Martin Luther You May Not Know: "On the Jews and Their Lies" (1543)
Martin Luther is remembered by many Christians as a courageous reformer who challenged corruption within the medieval Church and helped return the Bible to ordinary believers. His insistence that Scripture should be accessible to the common person transformed European Christianity and helped spark the Protestant Reformation. His contribution to evangelical orthodoxy cannot be underestimated. But later in life, a darker image emerged. Reminder: Why we are writing these stories
Ron Cantor
5 days ago5 min read
08 / The Paris Disputation and the Burning of the Talmud (1242)
Plus: Dispelling ugly rumors about Talmud and SA In 1240, a Jewish convert to Christianity named Nicholas Donin appeared before King Louis IX of France with a stunning accusation: the Talmud—the central text of rabbinic Judaism—was blasphemous, anti-Christian, and dangerous . Donin claimed it insulted Jesus, encouraged hostility toward Christians, and undermined the authority of the Church. His charges led to what became known as the Paris Disputation , one of the first major
Ron Cantor
Feb 165 min read
07 / The Torture of Crypto-Jews in Portugal
In 1497, just five years after Spain expelled its Jews, Portugal forced its entire Jewish population to convert to Christianity. While the Spanish Inquisition gets a lot of attention, very few know of the persecution of Portuguese Jews around the same time. King Manuel I initially promised protection to Jews fleeing Spain, recognizing their economic and intellectual contributions. It is not that he cared about their fate, but his focus was on how they could better his country
Ron Cantor
Feb 124 min read
06 / The Expulsion of Jews from England (1290)
In 1290, King Edward I issued the Edict of Expulsion , ordering the removal of every Jewish person from England. Men, women, and children—entire families who had lived in England for generations—were given months to leave the country, taking only what they could carry. Their homes, synagogues, and cemeteries were seized. Some died during the forced departure. Others were robbed, abused, or drowned while attempting to leave. England would remain officially Jew-free for more
Ron Cantor
Feb 57 min read
05 / 6 Proofs First-Century Jews Loved Jesus (and were not part of the conspiracy to kill him)
Everyone knows the Jews—all Jews from all time—killed Jesus, right? That was certainly the conclusion of many of the Church Fathers. 🟠 Justin Martyr said to Trypho (a 2 nd century Jewish man), referring to him and his ancestors, “You have slain the Just One.” 🟠 The scholar Origen claimed that not only was that small band of Jewish leaders guilty of killing Jesus, but “every generation of the Jews following after, until the end of the world.” 🟠 Augustine wro
Ron Cantor
Jan 196 min read
04 / Forced Conversions and the Spanish Inquisition
All American children of my generation learned the poem that begins, “In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue…” Unfortunately for Spanish Jews, that is not all that happened in 1492. The Spanish monarchy issued the Alhambra Decree , ordering all Jews to convert to Christianity or leave the kingdom. For centuries, Jewish communities had lived in Spain under varying degrees of tolerance and restriction. That fragile coexistence now came to an abrupt end
Ron Cantor
Jan 156 min read
03/ The Black Death Pogroms (1348–1351)
Do you know why Jewish people were particularly concerned when Robert Kennedy Jr. suggested that Jews of European descent were largely immune to COVID-19? 1 Because the last time a pandemic was blamed on the Jews, it resulted in tens of thousands of Jewish people being killed in pogroms —some being burned alive! 2 Between 1348 and 1351, Europe was devastated by the Black Death, a pandemic that killed an estimated one-third to one-half of the population. Cities collapsed unde
Ron Cantor
Jan 86 min read
02/ The Massacre of Jews in the First Crusade (1096)
This series is not written to attack Christians, but to confront a tragic historical pattern. When antisemitic ideas have taken root in Christian societies, they have led to violence against Jews—not faithfulness to the Messiah’s mission. History shows that antisemitism rarely announces itself as hatred at first; it often presents itself as theology and concern. These stories are shared so we can recognize how the enemy has twisted religious language in the past and refuse to
Ron Cantor
Jan 57 min read
01/ The Blood Libel Of William Of Norwich (1144)
This work of art falsely portrays, Jewish people engaging in the ritual murder of William of Norwich. In the spring of 1144, the body of a twelve-year-old boy named William was found in a wooded area outside the English city of Norwich. His death was tragic— but even more tragic was that it became the first of 150-200 blood libels against the Jewish people in Europe from 1200 to 1900. Local rumors began to circulate that Jews had murdered William in a ritual reenactment of
Ron Cantor
Dec 30, 20253 min read
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