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In this Bridge Builders Forum episode, Ryan Lambert sits down with Rabbi Joe Charnes to explore one of the most important and debated questions in biblical interpretation:

How Jewish was the Apostle Paul, really?

This conversation comes from a recent Bridge Builders Forum Coffee & Connection live gathering, where Rabbi Joe and Ryan continued a thoughtful discussion that began in an earlier episode about Paul as a Jewish figure.

Both speakers approach Paul as Jewish interpreters who respect him deeply, yet they arrive at different conclusions about how Paul related to Judaism after becoming a follower of Jesus and the apostle to the Gentiles.

Did Paul move beyond Judaism?
Did he remain fully within it?
Or does the answer require more nuance than the traditional categories allow?

In this conversation, Rabbi Joe and Ryan explore questions such as:

• How Jewish interpreters understand Paul today
• Whether Paul continued to affirm Jewish practices such as Torah observance
• How Paul has been misunderstood by both Jews and Christians
• Why Paul still shapes modern Jewish–Christian relationships

Importantly, this discussion models something that is often missing in conversations about Paul: respectful dialogue between friends who share common ground but do not hold identical views.

At Bridge Builders Forum, we believe these kinds of conversations help Jews and Christians better understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

If you are interested in Paul, Jewish–Christian relations, or the historical context of the New Testament, this conversation will offer insight, nuance, and thoughtful engagement.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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In a time when the relationship between Jews and Christians is being tested, debated, and sometimes misunderstood, thoughtful leadership and meaningful relationships matter more than ever.

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, Ryan Lambert sits down with Rev. Peter Fast, International President and CEO of Bridges for Peace, an organization that has spent more than 50 years building relationships between Christians and Jews around the world.

Peter joins the conversation from Israel to share his personal journey, the mission behind Bridges for Peace, and why fostering healthy Christian–Jewish relationships is so important in this moment. Together, Ryan and Peter discuss the rise of antisemitism, the challenges surrounding Christian Zionism, and why Christians who care about the Bible should also care deeply about the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

The conversation also explores practical ways Christians can move beyond good intentions and take meaningful action—supporting Jewish communities, learning from the biblical roots of their faith, and standing with clarity and compassion in a complicated world.

Peter also introduces a unique Bridges for Peace initiative called Ignite the Truth, a year-long Bible study journey filmed in the Land of Israel that helps Christians reconnect their faith to the biblical story and its Jewish context.

If you care about the future of Jewish–Christian relationships, the fight against antisemitism, and what faithful Christian support for Israel can look like today, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you.

Learn more about Bridges for Peace at - https://www.bridgesforpeace.com/

Learn more about Ignite the Truth at https://ignitethetruth.com/home-signup

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send a text

What does it really mean for Christians to stand with the Jewish people — in a way that is biblical, honest, and free from hidden agendas?

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum, we share an excerpt from Session 3 of the Olive Tree Pilot Course, part of the Olive Tree Campaign—an initiative designed to help Christians grow in understanding what it means to stand against antisemitism and with the Jewish people.

In this session, Ryan Lambert walks through Olive Tree Affirmations 6–8, addressing three of the most sensitive and often misunderstood topics in Jewish–Christian relations:

• Should Christians evangelize Jews?
• Is this “dual covenant theology”?
• Do the Jewish people still have a covenantal bond to the Land of Israel?

Drawing deeply from Epistle to the Romans chapters 9–11, especially Paul’s olive tree metaphor in Romans 11, this session challenges replacement theology and zero-sum readings of Scripture.

You’ll hear a careful explanation of:

Why targeting Jews for conversion damages trust and misunderstands Paul’s covenantal language

How God’s faithfulness to Israel and Gentile redemption in Christ are not in competition

Why affirming the Jewish people’s covenantal connection to the Land of Israel can be rooted in the New Testament itself

If you care about the future of Jewish–Christian relations, this conversation will challenge and sharpen your thinking.

Learn more about the Olive Tree Campaign and the Olive Tree Affirmations at www.bridgebuildersforum.com/olivetree

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum