What is unique in the Hasidic approach to reconciliation is that it points the way to seeing justice and love as necessary complements of each other rather than as alternatives between which one must choose... The large majority of people in our culture hold the distorted view that the God of the Old Testament is a harsh and wrathful God in contrast to the loving and merciful God of the New... An "eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" is not the expression of a vengeful God but a primitive statement of basic social democracy in which no [one] is held of greater worth than another, because each is created in the image of God... Throughout all history, indeed, the natural inequality of man has justified razing a whole city to revenge the murder of one privileged man. Countless others have been exterminated with impunity because they were slaves or serfs or members of an "inferior race." "An eye for an eye" is a fundamental conception of social justice.~ Maurice Friedman, "Hasidism and the love of enemies" in Peace is the Way
Labels: social justice, theology
At 4/22/2009 02:34:00 AM, 
Troy
What I'm hearing in Nathan's comment is:
A. If "An 'eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' is not the expression of a vengeful God but a primitive statement of basic social democracy in which no [one] is held of greater worth than another, because each is created in the image of God..."
and
B. If Anselm's theory of atonement is predicated on the idea of inequality
then
C. Anselm's theory of atonement is rendered false.
At 4/22/2009 03:10:00 AM, Troy
Lest your good point be lost, however, as I read this I thought:
So, Jesus' teaching is like Hasidism on crack, then. Not only do we limit ourselves to "an eye for an eye" (according to Hasidic teaching) but we do one better:
"Love your enemies."
"DO to others what you would have them do to you." (vs. "DON'T do to others what you wouldn't want them to do to you").
"Bless those who curse you."
This is biblical justice: Mercy where punishment is being demanded.
See this article as I interfaced Anselm's concept of justice and mercy with the biblical concept:
http://troymarbles.blogspot.com/2005/01/how-to-create-just-society-short.html
That leads to some interesting implications for Anselmian atonement theory, which is predicated on a hierarchy of values ranging from serfs at the bottom to kings at the top of the food chain and ultimately God beyond that.