Summary of Can I attend Catholic church? Jews vs Judeans in translation? Why did Paul circumcise Timothy but not Titus?

Overview of Ask N.T. Wright Anything

This episode of Ask N.T. Wright Anything (Premier / Unbelievable) features hosts Mike Bird and N.T. (Tom) Wright answering three listener questions: whether a Reformed Protestant may worship in a Catholic parish, why Wright sometimes translates hoi Ioudaioi as “Judeans” instead of “Jews,” and why Paul had Timothy circumcised but not Titus. The episode mixes pastoral advice, biblical-historical explanation, and translation methodology, with references to scholarship and practical missionary considerations.

Question 1 — Can a Reformed Protestant attend a Catholic parish?

Summary

• Tom Wright affirms that, in many contexts, worshipping in a Roman Catholic parish can be a legitimate and spiritually nourishing option for Protestants, especially when local Protestant options are unsatisfying (e.g., politicized congregations, megachurch style).
• He stresses that ecumenical engagement and mutual prayer/dialogue are important; Christians should avoid reflexive sectarianism that splinters witness.
• Important doctrinal differences remain (e.g., Marian dogmas, purgatory), but these are not always deal-breakers for shared worship or cooperation.

Key points / pastoral takeaways

• Evaluate local options: if a Catholic parish is genuinely focused on Christ and the gospel, it may be a better place to worship than alternatives that feel unmoored.
• Seek unity where possible: Christians should aim to “glorify God with one heart and voice” (Romans 15 ideal).
• Be realistic: no congregation is perfect; constructive engagement and honest conversation about differences is preferable to isolation.
• Context matters: in some regions cultural/political divisions make local church options poor; pragmatic, pastoral choices can be appropriate.

Question 2 — Jews vs Judeans in translation (hoi Ioudaioi)

Summary

• Wright prefers rendering hoi Ioudaioi as “Judeans” in many contexts—especially in the Gospel of John—because the term often functions as a geographical/political category (people associated with Jerusalem/Judea) rather than a global ethnic label (“Jews” in the modern sense).
• Using “Judeans” helps avoid reading John as an anti-Jewish/antisemitic text by preventing a modern ethnic/racial anachronism.
• There is linguistic and historical complexity: identity could be geographic, ethnic, religious, and diasporic; so no single translation choice fits every passage.

Key points / methodological notes

• In John, hoi Ioudaioi frequently denote Jerusalemites/authorities (a localized group) rather than all Jewish people everywhere—rendering as “Judeans” clarifies that.
• Danger of anachronism: modern ideas of race/ethnicity (and the history of antisemitism) can distort readers’ understanding if translators simply write “the Jews” everywhere.
• Translation is partly interpretive: some contexts may legitimately be rendered “Jews” (e.g., broader statements about Israel); others better as “Judeans” (local opponents/authorities).
• Related translation issue: Greek ethne may be rendered as Gentiles, nations, or pagans depending on context—translations must navigate similar ambiguity for non-Jewish groups.
• Recommended further reading/debate: Steve Mason’s work, Jason Staples, Tom Holland’s notes, and the Marginalia Review of Books discussion on translation choices.

Question 3 — Why did Paul circumcise Timothy but not Titus?

Summary

• Wright explains the apparent inconsistency by appealing to Paul’s mission strategy and contextual pastoral pragmatism rather than theological flip-flopping.
• Titus: Paul deliberately kept Titus (a Gentile) uncircumcised, especially in the Jerusalem visit recorded in Galatians, to demonstrate that Gentiles need not become Judeans (i.e., adopt circumcision) to belong to the church—this was a doctrinal test case.
• Timothy: Paul circumcised Timothy later (Acts 16) because Timothy had Jewish heritage (mother Jewish) and Paul wanted to remove barriers for mission among Judean/Jewish audiences—so the synagogue mission wouldn’t be hindered by a perceived non-Judean in the team.

Key points / interpretive principle

• Principle: “become all things to all people” (1 Corinthians 9)—Paul adapts practices for missional effectiveness while holding to the theological principle that circumcision is not salvific.
• Contextual distinction: Titus’s uncircumcision was polemical/proof against legalizing circumcision for Gentiles; Timothy’s circumcision was tactical for synagogue access and credibility.
• The difference is functional, not doctrinal: in principle Paul opposed circumcision as a requirement for Gentile membership, but he accepted circumcision when it helped the mission and did not imply theological necessity.

Main takeaways

• Ecumenical engagement is both theologically defensible and practically valuable when a local church genuinely emphasizes Christ and gospel ministry.
• Translation choices carry theological and ethical weight; rendering hoi Ioudaioi as “Judeans” in certain Gospel contexts can reduce anachronistic and antisemitic readings.
• Paul’s actions should be read in missionary and historical context: apparent inconsistencies are often adaptive strategies to remove barriers and advance the gospel while upholding core doctrine.

Notable quotes / lines of thought

• “We’ve come a long way in 70 years” — reflecting on improved Catholic–Protestant relations.
• “Become all things to all people” — principle explaining Paul’s contextual flexibility (1 Cor 9).
• Concern that modern readers might read John as “anti-Jewish” if terminological nuances aren’t respected.

Resources mentioned

• Free resource: Watchful, Not Worried — premierinsight.org/resources
• Scholarly references: Steve Mason (History of the Jewish War), Jason Staples, Tom Holland, Marginalia Review of Books debate on translations.
• Tom Wright’s book referenced: God’s Homecoming (uses the “Judean” convention in preface).

If you want a single-paragraph quick summary: Tom Wright advises openness to faithful Catholic worship where appropriate, recommends careful translation (often “Judeans” in John) to avoid anachronistic anti-Jewish readings, and explains Paul’s differing treatment of Timothy and Titus as context-driven missionary strategy rather than doctrinal inconsistency.