If I type "church" into a Google Map the results are plentiful. In fact, just around the corner from where I live there are two churches literally side by side (see photos below).
This modern phenomenon always causes me to wonder: what would Jesus have said if Jews in his day built two synagogues side by side? What would Paul have said if two Jewish Christian communities existed side by side yet never talked to one another?
Joan of Arc RC Church
Joan of Arc in foreground right; Redeemer Lutheran Church in background left
There was division in Judaism as well: Pharisees, Sadduccees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans, and then the rest of the folks who didn't identify with any of these groups. Now, I'm not sure if these divisions resulted in "neighboring synagogues" - it seems like you're implying that they didn't... is that correct?
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ReplyDeleteYeah, you're absolutely right that there were divisions, especially in the Second-Temple period. Divisions in theology and praxis were immense. Perhaps I'm naïve to think that there weren't neighboring synagogues. After all, they were humans just like us. I just wish that we had some explicit accounts of this happening in the Gospels!
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I think we get implicit teaching on the matter from Paul in Romans and Galatians. I guess I just wish I could walk by these churches and ask Jesus, "Hey Jesus, what do you think about this?"