Thank you, Giles, for an excellent and moving article.
I recall a ‘Spectator’ article by Chief Rabbi Sacks in 2013 which I (as a Christian) found very powerful. He wrote that the new atheists say that “Darwinism is a science, not an ethic. Turn natural selection into a code of conduct and you get disaster. But if asked where we get our morality from if not from science or religion, they are unsure. They tend to argue that ethics is obvious, which it isn’t, or natural, which it manifestly isn’t either.”
He continued: “The history of Europe since the 18th century has been the story of successive attempts to find alternatives to God as an object of worship ““ whether the nation state, race or communism with the most terrible cost in human life. More recently we have turned to more peaceful forms of idolatry ““ the market, the liberal democratic state and the consumer society, all of which are ways of saying that there is no morality beyond personal choice so long as you do no harm to others.”
How much we need people like Lord Sacks cutting through the shallowness of much contemporary argument!
Antonino Ioviero
3 years ago
A great man of learning.
He will be sorely missed.
dunnmalcolm966
3 years ago
I am not Jewish but was envious of the way he led the people of his faith, better by far than any recent Archbishop of Canterbury
It’s not a competition. Just be grateful that he was in this world for all of us.
Alan Thorpe
3 years ago
As a committed atheist, I agree. Lord Sacks spoke to everybody. He is the only religious leader I have been prepared to listen to. The world needs more people like him.
So you and all the others on this page are ok with supernaturalism (which, inflicted on children, is severe child abuse) homophobia and racism?
Michael Whittock
3 years ago
I was always glad when Rabbi Sacks did “Thought for the Day.” This will be good,I thought. It always had spiritual and theological substance in contrast to the fatuous banalities to which we get treated sometimes. His broadcasts reminded me that for Christians the Jewish people are our brothers and sisters believing in the Lord God. Of course we have crucial differences particularly in regard to our response to Jesus of Nazareth. But we also have a commonality of faith which Rabbi Sacks did much to encourage I think. May he rest in peace.
I agree with you. As a Jewish Christian, I too looked forward to his ‘Thoughts for the Day.’ Further in the past, I always enjoyed listening to Hugo Gryn on The Moral Maze. As well as expressing knowledge clearly he was always courteous.
Tony Haley
3 years ago
An excellent piece about a wise and gracious public figure.
Robin Bernstein
3 years ago
Thank you Giles for this fabulous article. The best one I have read since the very sad passing of this intellectual giant of a man.
Alan Hughes
3 years ago
A great loss to us all. His wide words on the Radio often prompted me to rethink my views
Sharon Peters
3 years ago
How fitting, and how telling that all the previous comentors are unanimous in their praise of this unassuming leader.
David George
3 years ago
Thank you Giles, yes a great loss. He came to my attention with his interview of Jordan Peterson (Radio 4 and on Youtube) who I had been following – fair to say a meeting of great minds.
E m
3 years ago
Sensitive, insightful portrayal of a man who sought to deepen, clarify and enrich the meaningful foundations of our human society. A Jew and an Englishman to the sterling core.
jonnymangas
3 years ago
I’m a Catholic who used to attend the Hidden Gem in Manchester when Cannon Clinch used to lead the services, he often mentioned and quoted Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in his homily and I became intrigued so I’ll looked up some of his talks and books and was always inspired.
He will be greatly missed, religious leaders who have that organic reach to people of other faiths or of none are sadly few and far between.
Joseph Berger
3 years ago
excellent, beautiful hesped (eulogy in English)
G Harris
3 years ago
Judaism’s answer to Isaac Hayes.
Mellifluous.
Judy Keiner
3 years ago
It is not the case that Rabbi Lord Sacks did not come from a line of Rabbis. His mother was a descendant of a long and distinguished line of rabbis, the Frumkin family.
Aline Tayar
3 years ago
When the writer says Sacks was the first in his family to go to university, I assume he means his immediate family. He was after all related to Jonathan Sacks and to Abba Eban and to ‘Uncle’ Tungsten.
Bullfrog Brown
3 years ago
Very well written and portraying this ‘giant of brilliance’. I count myself fortunate to have lived during Rabbi Sacks’s life, and taken strength & learning from his wisdom. Our world is a poorer place without him.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
Semitic doctrines in all the variants (Judaism, Christianity, islam) are barely one step above the criminals in this world, and have not left behind the opportunistic scavenging nature of mankind’s remote ancestry.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality or abstract thought from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) fails to see the evil and depravity that underpins the doctrine of islam.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotollah of Iran) who believes that eternal punishment awaits those who do not belong to the gang that he belongs to.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) who believes that a person who solves the problems of poverty and disease, but does not worship their god, will end up in the waste chute of the after life.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotollah of Iran) who believes that eternal punishment awaits those who do not belong to the gang that he belongs to.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) who worships an alleged supreme being who sat back while eight million Jews were killed.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) who worships an alleged supreme being who sat back while the whole of the human race was drowned except for two of the supreme being’s favourites.
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotollah of Iran) who worships an alleged supreme being who ordered a human being to kill his own son.
(Genesis 22).
Tami Misledus
3 years ago
Did Jonathan Sacks explain that non-Jews are not seen as equal to Jews in the primary Jewish texts? One of the most extreme forms of racism in history. Only to be exceeded by Christianity and islam.
Cave Artist
3 years ago
I wish I could join in the adulation, but his wholehearted support for Israel and its policies gave succour to those causing terrible suffering and death to the people of Palestine. I for one would not presume to guess at his relationship with the creator.
Mark Lilly
3 years ago
As part of the atheist movement which, according to accounts on this page, Sacks ridiculed, and understanding as I do that despite all evidence to the contrary readers will find my remarks tasteless, I nevertheless, as a matter of simple self-respect, feel compelled to recall that when I asked Sacks some years ago at a public forum whether he was prepared to distance himself from the campaign of his predecessor as Chief Rabbi, Emanuel Jacobovitz, that imprisonment should be reintroduced in Britain for homosexuality (detailed in Chaim Bermant’s biography), – a view which, in the opinion of Margaret Thatcher’s biographers led that lady to ennoble him – he prevaricated disgracefully before declining. That such a person should be thought worthy of eulogy is I suppose indicative of our culture – and indicative of Mr Fraser.
Hello Totally accept the facts in your post and refer to my following post. Now that one of the world’s most pernicious chiefs has been rightly ejected, why do we have to put up with any of these malicious and manipulative people? Two examples: the folk in frocks at the Cenotaph yesterday intoning religious drivel and the BBC’s continued assault on commonsense called “Thought for the day” Dear me, it is, after all, the 21st century and we surely must have learned by now that “hang all the priests” wasn’t such a bad idea…
Well said! Nice to see some sense entering into these rather sickening sea of praise. He was not at all a man for the 20th-century or for proper individual freedom (wouldn’t have claimed to be, of course). No loss to humanity, in my view. And if you want to condemn this comment as brainless too, go ahead.
If you think that is discourteous, you need to listen to the semitic doctrines where their gods have absolutely no consideration for those who who do not worship the psychopathic source of semitism.
Condemnation is a popular pastime, but maybe Rabbi Sacks didn’t like playing that game.
Stanley Beardshall
3 years ago
Oh, how sad. Even in a year which surely has made every thinking human question his faith, the readers of Unherd still include the deluded and the insane. What a pity; not much hope for rarional thought, then, if a man who believed in male circumsion and that eating certain foods is sin is lauded on this site..whooooo!
Thank you, Giles, for an excellent and moving article.
I recall a ‘Spectator’ article by Chief Rabbi Sacks in 2013 which I (as a Christian) found very powerful. He wrote that the new atheists say that “Darwinism is a science, not an ethic. Turn natural selection into a code of conduct and you get disaster. But if asked where we get our morality from if not from science or religion, they are unsure. They tend to argue that ethics is obvious, which it isn’t, or natural, which it manifestly isn’t either.”
He continued: “The history of Europe since the 18th century has been the story of successive attempts to find alternatives to God as an object of worship ““ whether the nation state, race or communism with the most terrible cost in human life. More recently we have turned to more peaceful forms of idolatry ““ the market, the liberal democratic state and the consumer society, all of which are ways of saying that there is no morality beyond personal choice so long as you do no harm to others.”
How much we need people like Lord Sacks cutting through the shallowness of much contemporary argument!
A great man of learning.
He will be sorely missed.
I am not Jewish but was envious of the way he led the people of his faith, better by far than any recent Archbishop of Canterbury
It’s not a competition. Just be grateful that he was in this world for all of us.
As a committed atheist, I agree. Lord Sacks spoke to everybody. He is the only religious leader I have been prepared to listen to. The world needs more people like him.
So you and all the others on this page are ok with supernaturalism (which, inflicted on children, is severe child abuse) homophobia and racism?
I was always glad when Rabbi Sacks did “Thought for the Day.” This will be good,I thought. It always had spiritual and theological substance in contrast to the fatuous banalities to which we get treated sometimes.
His broadcasts reminded me that for Christians the Jewish people are our brothers and sisters believing in the Lord God. Of course we have crucial differences particularly in regard to our response to Jesus of Nazareth. But we also have a commonality of faith which Rabbi Sacks did much to encourage I think. May he rest in peace.
I agree with you. As a Jewish Christian, I too looked forward to his ‘Thoughts for the Day.’ Further in the past, I always enjoyed listening to Hugo Gryn on The Moral Maze. As well as expressing knowledge clearly he was always courteous.
An excellent piece about a wise and gracious public figure.
Thank you Giles for this fabulous article. The best one I have read since the very sad passing of this intellectual giant of a man.
A great loss to us all. His wide words on the Radio often prompted me to rethink my views
How fitting, and how telling that all the previous comentors are unanimous in their praise of this unassuming leader.
Thank you Giles, yes a great loss.
He came to my attention with his interview of Jordan Peterson (Radio 4 and on Youtube) who I had been following – fair to say a meeting of great minds.
Sensitive, insightful portrayal of a man who sought to deepen, clarify and enrich the meaningful foundations of our human society. A Jew and an Englishman to the sterling core.
I’m a Catholic who used to attend the Hidden Gem in Manchester when Cannon Clinch used to lead the services, he often mentioned and quoted Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in his homily and I became intrigued so I’ll looked up some of his talks and books and was always inspired.
He will be greatly missed, religious leaders who have that organic reach to people of other faiths or of none are sadly few and far between.
excellent, beautiful hesped (eulogy in English)
Judaism’s answer to Isaac Hayes.
Mellifluous.
It is not the case that Rabbi Lord Sacks did not come from a line of Rabbis. His mother was a descendant of a long and distinguished line of rabbis, the Frumkin family.
When the writer says Sacks was the first in his family to go to university, I assume he means his immediate family. He was after all related to Jonathan Sacks and to Abba Eban and to ‘Uncle’ Tungsten.
Very well written and portraying this ‘giant of brilliance’. I count myself fortunate to have lived during Rabbi Sacks’s life, and taken strength & learning from his wisdom. Our world is a poorer place without him.
Semitic doctrines in all the variants (Judaism, Christianity, islam) are barely one step above the criminals in this world, and have not left behind the opportunistic scavenging nature of mankind’s remote ancestry.
I will not take lessons in morality or abstract thought from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) fails to see the evil and depravity that underpins the doctrine of islam.
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotollah of Iran) who believes that eternal punishment awaits those who do not belong to the gang that he belongs to.
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) who believes that a person who solves the problems of poverty and disease, but does not worship their god, will end up in the waste chute of the after life.
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotollah of Iran) who believes that eternal punishment awaits those who do not belong to the gang that he belongs to.
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) who worships an alleged supreme being who sat back while eight million Jews were killed.
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotolla of Iran) who worships an alleged supreme being who sat back while the whole of the human race was drowned except for two of the supreme being’s favourites.
I will not take lessons in morality from a follower of one of the semitic doctrines (e.g. Fraser, Sacks or the Ayotollah of Iran) who worships an alleged supreme being who ordered a human being to kill his own son.
(Genesis 22).
Did Jonathan Sacks explain that non-Jews are not seen as equal to Jews in the primary Jewish texts? One of the most extreme forms of racism in history. Only to be exceeded by Christianity and islam.
I wish I could join in the adulation, but his wholehearted support for Israel and its policies gave succour to those causing terrible suffering and death to the people of Palestine. I for one would not presume to guess at his relationship with the creator.
As part of the atheist movement which, according to accounts on this page, Sacks ridiculed, and understanding as I do that despite all evidence to the contrary readers will find my remarks tasteless, I nevertheless, as a matter of simple self-respect, feel compelled to recall that when I asked Sacks some years ago at a public forum whether he was prepared to distance himself from the campaign of his predecessor as Chief Rabbi, Emanuel Jacobovitz, that imprisonment should be reintroduced in Britain for homosexuality (detailed in Chaim Bermant’s biography), – a view which, in the opinion of Margaret Thatcher’s biographers led that lady to ennoble him – he prevaricated disgracefully before declining. That such a person should be thought worthy of eulogy is I suppose indicative of our culture – and indicative of Mr Fraser.
Hello
Totally accept the facts in your post and refer to my following post. Now that one of the world’s most pernicious chiefs has been rightly ejected, why do we have to put up with any of these malicious and manipulative people? Two examples: the folk in frocks at the Cenotaph yesterday intoning religious drivel and the BBC’s continued assault on commonsense called “Thought for the day” Dear me, it is, after all, the 21st century and we surely must have learned by now that “hang all the priests” wasn’t such a bad idea…
This type of brainless comment is far more indicative of our culture than anything Rabbi Sacks had said or Mr. Fraser has written.
Well said! Nice to see some sense entering into these rather sickening sea of praise. He was not at all a man for the 20th-century or for proper individual freedom (wouldn’t have claimed to be, of course). No loss to humanity, in my view. And if you want to condemn this comment as brainless too, go ahead.
Not brainless. But crass, insensitive, discourteous, insulting and unworthy.
If you think that is discourteous, you need to listen to the semitic doctrines where their gods have absolutely no consideration for those who who do not worship the psychopathic source of semitism.
Condemnation is a popular pastime, but maybe Rabbi Sacks didn’t like playing that game.
Oh, how sad. Even in a year which surely has made every thinking human question his faith, the readers of Unherd still include the deluded and the insane. What a pity; not much hope for rarional thought, then, if a man who believed in male circumsion and that eating certain foods is sin is lauded on this site..whooooo!