Genital cutting in Christianity: Difference between revisions

'''Genital cutting in Christianity''' was rejected by the Church Fathers at the [[Council at Jerusalem]] which was held at or about 49 A.D.

[[Circumcision]] is widely believed to be a good "Christian value" by a few Christians in different parts of the world, including the United States, South Korea, Africa and The Philippines. Christian advocates of male infant circumcision often cite the [[Abrahamic covenant|covenant between god and Abraham]] as outlined in the book of Genesis (e.g., the Old Testament), or believe that since the men of the Old Testament were circumcised, that it must be a good Christian value. Still others acknowledge that male infant circumcision was outlined to Abraham and his descendants, and that gentiles were excluded, but believe the New Testament says it's just a matter of preference, and that gentiles could choose to be circumcised or not, or could choose to have their children circumcised or allowed to be intact. These are erroneous views.

In the early times of the church, there was bitterness between Jews who believed in the laws of the Old Testament, and Jews who wanted to be saved under the New Covenant, and who wanted to live in harmony with gentile believers who were saved by faith in Christ. Followers of the Old Testament, who were made to keep numerous laws and undergo several unpleasant rituals, had bitterness and resentment for followers of the New Testament, who were being spared old burdens. Paul and Peter are desperately trying to unite these groups in order to achieve harmony, but the issue of circumcision and keeping laws and rituals in the Old Testament keep coming up as points of contention.

In the 5th chapter of Galatians, it is written:

Here too, Paul calls circumcision a yoke of bondage. It is stressed that circumcision is of no Christian merit, and that it is a mistake for Christians to believe that circumcision is a Christian virtue that will profit them anything. Indeed, here, Paul says Christ is worthless to those who believe they are justified by the law, and describes them as having fallen from grace. Above law and rituals, Paul stresses righteousness by faith.

Here too, Paul stresses that circumcision has become meaningless to those who believe in salvation by Christ.

 

Paul wants to make peace between those who are circumcised, and new believers for whom circumcision was no longer a requirement. While it is a mistake to believe that circumcision is a Christian virtue or requirement, having been circumcised as required by earlier laws was not an impediment to becoming a good Christian.

The New Testament warns Christians against those who insist that they and their children must be circumcised in order to achieve salvation; he condemns them as evil charlatans who wish to do nothing more than deceive others turn a profit and boast while doing it.