On August 20 2024 I met with Dr. Brown for several hours. The context of the meeting was to discuss his responses to questions with which I had challenged his 5 volume series; “Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus.” These challenges can be found in “Contra Brown” (2007) – https://judaismresources.net/contra-brown/ , “The Elephant and the Suit” (2010) – https://judaismresources.net/the-elephant-and-the-suit/ and “Supplement to Contra Brown” (2011) – https://judaismresources.net/supplement-to-contra-brown/
Prior to the meeting I sent Dr. Brown a selection of questions from those 3 works and we agreed that the format of our meeting would primarily consist of me asking him the questions and his responses. We did try to stick to that format but naturally the discussion went beyond the planned format.
We ended up discussing 8 questions and we hope that you find the recording educational.
The following is a basic timeline of the questions as well as links to articles that I had written in the past on the subjects that came up in the discussion.
Question #1 – The Totality of Scripture – 3 minute point
The Totality of Scripture – https://judaismresources.net/2015/05/10/the-totality-of-scripture/
1000 Verses – https://judaismresources.net/2010/08/31/1000-verses/
Discussion
Response to Line of Fire 11 – https://judaismresources.net/2013/02/13/response-to-line-of-fire-11/
Reader’s Guide to the Bible – https://judaismresources.net/2021/02/09/readers-guide-to-the-bible-dr-brown-vs-god-excerpt-from-unanswered/
Question # 2 – Faith Structure – 22:08 minutes
Belief System – https://judaismresources.net/2011/11/22/belief-system/
Faith Structure – https://judaismresources.net/2010/09/06/faith-structure/
The Context of Scripture – https://judaismresources.net/2010/09/06/the-context-of-scripture/
True Heirs – https://judaismresources.net/2024/08/29/true-heirs-excerpt-from-the-council-of-my-nation/
Question # 3 – Who Replaced the Sacrifices? – 47:13 – minutes
Leviticus 17:11 and the Book of Hebrews – https://judaismresources.net/2013/04/17/leviticus-1711-and-the-book-of-hebrews/
The Temple Sacrifices – https://judaismresources.net/2013/04/07/the-temple-sacrifices/
The Prophet’s Perspective – https://judaismresources.net/2013/04/04/the-prophets-perspective/
Question # 4 – Deuteronomy 30 – 1:46:55 – hours and minutes
Messiah – Letter and Spirit – https://judaismresources.net/2014/09/14/messiah-letter-and-spirit/
Yearning for the Messiah – https://judaismresources.net/2011/01/30/yearning-for-the-messiah/
The Real Jewish Messiah – https://judaismresources.net/2021/02/24/messiah-excerpt-from-the-real-jewish-messiah-debate-part-3/
Question # 5 – Deuteronomy 4:35 – 1:59:30 – hours and minutes
Sinai – https://judaismresources.net/2018/05/17/sinai-excerpt-from-supplement-to-contra-brown-2/
The Foundation of Worship – https://judaismresources.net/2012/11/13/foundation-of-worship-ii/
Fusion and Confusion – https://judaismresources.net/2012/03/29/fusion-and-confusion/
Isaiah 44 – https://judaismresources.net/2010/10/24/isaiah-44/
The Ultimate Truth – https://judaismresources.net/2010/10/03/the-ultimate-truth/
Isaiah 2;22 – https://judaismresources.net/2011/05/26/isaiah-222/
Deuteronomy 17:3 and the Bedrock of Existence – https://judaismresources.net/2011/12/13/deuteronomy-173-and-the-bedrock-of-existence/
Beauty and Spirituality – https://judaismresources.net/2013/03/12/ten-letters-4-beauty-and-spirituality/
Belief vs. Worship – https://judaismresources.net/2013/03/11/a-letter-to-a-christian-3/
Question # 6 – Bias – 3:09:47 – hours and minutes
Deeper Understanding – https://judaismresources.net/2019/06/12/deeper-understanding-excerpt-from-supplement-to-cb/
Shattering Myths – https://judaismresources.net/2014/09/23/shattering-myths/
The Pharisees – https://judaismresources.net/2013/05/07/the-pharisees/
Question # 7 Obedience and Self-Righteousness – 3:41:21 – hours and minutes
Lamp and Lights – https://judaismresources.net/2013/12/04/lamp-and-lights-proverbs-623/
Acts and Faith – https://judaismresources.net/2013/05/17/acts-and-faith/
Question # 8 The Ability of the Law to Transform – 3:44:20 – hours and minutes
Law and Grace – https://judaismresources.net/2012/02/16/exodus-21-law-and-grace/
Faith – https://judaismresources.net/2013/05/21/faith-excerpt-from-critique-of-vol-5/
1000 Verses - a project of Judaism Resources 
I haven’t listened to it yet, but interested to hear what he thinks at the moment about the leap of faith.
Even the science/history information we are very clear and sure about involves a type of uncertainty regarding our perception and reasoning. It’s different though when there’s an alternative explanation for the evidence, even if somewhat unlikely, as long as it’s reasonable. Then we are less sure of the model we’re holding.
Most Christians would accept that there is a leap of faith, there are alternative explanations even if deemed less likely. Belief in the divinity of Jesus, for example, involves a use of Occam’s razor that measurably exceeds the trust we need when stepping onto the physical ground in front of us. Worshiping someone with any level of uncertainty, or a leap of faith over alternative possibilities, doesn’t sit well with Torah.
Yet those who see Jesus as God generally see an insistence that there are other explanations not as an important check on careful worship or loyalty not to accidentally deify a man. They see it as spiritual blindness or defiance.
They assume the beauty they experience in their faith and community are inherent to Christianity alone, but that also is an assumption.
So when hearing this debate out, it’s worth thinking about all Judaism-Christianity conversation with this starting point: to have such a high bar for the evidence that there’s no room for doubt to slip through, no pushing aside of any possible alternative, apart from in general openness to the fact that our understanding is naturally partial.
An open heart and a careful mind to guard it from possible accidental worship of a non-divine man, no matter how sincere the community of his followers is.
Also, this burden of proof Christianity has regarding the leap of faith is quite specific because of its predecessor in the Hebrew scriptures being written text.
We can question the leap of faith in other belief systems too, considering reasons why it’s serious if we’re wrong about them. Usually we can only measure this against our personal sense of what is good and right. When it comes to Christianity, though, it has to pass the bar of a written scriptural warning to be extremely careful not to include what is created within the worship of the Creator.
We all rely on guidance and hope, in matters of revelation. If we’re in any way unsure about images or words in seeking God, then it’s better to leave them to the side, and have hope that the way in which we can cling to and be held by God goes beyond what we can understand or affirm. I don’t believe we’re expected to make decisions about worship in a way that involves cognitive dissonance.
Personally I’m unsure about faith in general at this stage, so a lot is unspoken in my heart’s openness to truth and goodness. I believe we can cling to the finite blessings while staying open to the possibility of gratitude for them. We can surrender to hope and be loyal to the possibility of a loving, guiding, saving Creator without having all the words.
I’ve personally arrived at unknowing about all these things. Yet I think that even as we may come to different conclusions when we try to weigh revelation claims, and hold different amounts of doubt, one thing is very clear. Christianity has a responsibility not merely to harmonise its scriptures with Torah, but to keep Torah’s caution about worship of God alone as a starting point, which precedes faith in Jesus being God.