‘Is Hellas of is Israël het uitverkoren volk?’

Abstract

‘Is Hellas or is Israel the chosen people?’ Johannes Hermanus Gunning between Neo-Humanism and Judaism Gunning’s perception of contemporary Judaism was the result of the influence of the Dutch ‘Réveil’, especially of Isaäc da Costa. During his lifetime Gunning developed a rather consistent theology about ‘Israel’. He was no supporter of mission under the Jews. In some writings he adopted some popular ‘anti-Semitic’ ideas, but such notions were not decisive for his theology. On the contrary, Gunnings Israel-theology has given a basic impulse to the Jewish-Christian dialogue.