The Religion of Ethical Nationhood: Kaplan’s Final and Precise Perception of the Historical Role and Destination of the Jewish People

Mordecai Kaplan’s late book The Religion of Ethical Nationhood (1982) encapsulates many clarifications regarding some of his main themes presented in his previous book. I argue that it is the Religion of Ethical Nationhood and not Judaism as a Civilization where we find Kaplan’s central and final ideas. Through this scholarly perspective we can observe Kaplan’s perception of Jewish unity and pluralism within the Jewish People, and his original conception of Jewish choseness, as well as his post Holocaust thedicy are all embedded in The Religion of Ethical Nationhood . We will examine these concepts along with Kaplan’s theology and asses their value and the potential implication of his writings on his readers and followers.