The Hebrew Roots Movement (HRM) is a syncretic religious movement that advocates adherence to the Torah and believe that Jesus, whom they often refer to by the Hebrew name Yeshua, is the Messiah.^[1][2][3] The movement emphasizes and promotes the belief that the Law of Moses was not abolished by Jesus and is, therefore, still in effect for his followers. Because HRM believes the Mosaic law is still active, it advocates the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath; biblical feasts; laws of Kashrut; and circumcision. Some HRM followers also choose to wear tzitzit and other Jewish religious items.^{[citation needed]} However, HRM followers do not generally follow Judaism or embrace the Talmud. Unlike other Christians, most HRM followers reject the traditional holidays of Christmas and Easter, insisting that they are pagan traditions.

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HRM is not a monolithic movement with a central set of doctrines or formal organizational structure. Rather, HRM is made up of various independent groups, congregations, and sects. Many adherents of HRM prefer not to use the term "Hebrew Roots Movement." They self-identify as "Torah-keepers," "Torah-observant Christians", "Messianics," or "pronomians." ^{[citation needed]}

Pronomian Christians are not Hebrew Roots. While those who are considered Hebrew Roots might call themselves "pronomian" (pro-law), there is a distinct movement called "Pronomian Christianity" that affirms orthodox Christian doctrines such as trinitarianism, the 66-book Christian canon, salvation by Christ alone apart from works, and many more, as well affirming the validity of the commandments contained within the Torah that many Catholics and Protestants deny.^[4] Their views are laid out in The First Pronomian Statement of Faith.^[5]

Since the 19th century,^[6] different religious organizations have been teaching a belief in Jesus (usually called Yeshua by adherents) as mankind's redeemer and savior from man's own sinful nature and a lifestyle in keeping with the Torah, the Sabbath and the annual Feasts (or mo'adim, Holy Days).^{[citation needed]} These include Messianic Judaism (to a very limited degree) in 1916, the Sacred Name Movement (SNM) in 1937, and the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) in the 1930s, and, later, the Hebrew Roots Movement.^{[citation needed]} Thus far, the WCG has had the greatest impact on all organizations which teach these beliefs, including obedience to much of the Old Testament law, both nationally and internationally^[7] until about 1994–95. Within a few years after the death of its founder, Herbert W Armstrong, in 1986, the succeeding church administration modified the denomination's doctrines and teachings in order to be compatible with mainstream evangelical Christianity, while many members and ministers left and formed other churches that conformed to many, but, not all, of Armstrong's teachings. Consequently, the WCG spawned numerous splinter groups,^[8] with most of these new churches adopting names bearing the term "Church of God" (COG) and retaining the belief system developed by Armstrong.^{[9][better source needed]}

In contrast, Hebrew Roots (or sometimes, Hebraic Roots) is a grassroots movement without an ecclesiastical superstructure and it does not adhere to the COG belief system, nor does it adhere to Messianic Judaism, or to the SNM, although there are commonalities. A number of its founders began teaching about the need to keep the 7th Day Sabbath, to observe annual Feasts, and to obey Old Testament commandments years before these topics were taught and accepted by some in the Christian churches. These early teachers include William Dankenbring (1964) and Dean Wheelock (1981) (both of whom had prior associations with different Churches of God), Joe Good (1978), and Brad Scott (1983). Batya Wootten's curiosity about the Gentile majority in many Messianic Jewish congregations resulted in her first book about the two houses of Israel in 1988. This was later followed by her 1998 book entitled Who is Israel (now renamed in its 4th edition as Redeemed Israel).^[9]

In 1994, Dean and Susan Wheelock received their federal trademark^[10] for the term "Hebrew Roots", after which they began publishing the Hebrew Roots magazine in April/May 1998, and later a website at Hebrewroots.net. The goal of this group is "Exploring the Hebrew Roots of the Faith Once Delivered", "roots" which go back to not only Yeshua and the Talmidim (Disciples), but to the Nazarenes^[11] of the first century and, ultimately, the original Hebrews (Ivrim), Abraham and his offspring, who were the first to "cross over" (which is one view of what "Hebrew" means in the Hebrew language). Those who continue in this Hebraic walk seek out the history, culture, and faith of the first century believers who, like Abraham and Moses obeyed God's voice, charge, commandments, statutes, and laws (Gen 26:5). The 41,000^[12] denominations of Christianity commonly believe that such obedience (viz, to the 613 Torah commands) is no longer required. This is largely due to a number of statements by Paul the Apostle.^[13]

The Hebrew Roots movement began emerging as a distinct phenomenon in the mid-1990s (1993–96).^[9] In 1997, Dean Cozzens of Open Church Ministries (Colorado Springs, CO) published "The Hebrew Movement", claiming that God had foreordained four major moves for the 20th century, Pentecostalism, faith healing, the Charismatic movement and finally the Hebrew Roots movement, the "final stage of empowerment" before Christ returns. Several Hebrew Roots ministries are now preferring to use the term Awakening instead of the term "movement" which has been used widely since the 1960s to define politically oriented movements.^[9]

The movement has accelerated in the last few years,^[14] mainly because of a shift within the Messianic Jewish community.^[9] The Hebrew Roots movement and a few Messianic Jewish groups diverge on the issue of One Law theology (one law for the native born and the sojourner, c.f. Numbers 15:16)^[15] which Hebrew Roots subscribes to, but which some Messianic Jewish groups deny. One Hebrew Roots teacher, Tim Hegg, responded to this issue by defending what he believes to be the biblical teaching of One Torah theology and its implications concerning the obligations of Torah obedience for new Messianic believers from the nations.^[16] The Two-House and One Law differences have affected musicians who are welcomed by Hebrew Roots fellowships notwithstanding their beliefs: "...many Messianic Jewish artists who are heavily influenced by organizations like the MJAA and the UMJC have been told by their leadership that if they ever appear at an MIA event they will not be able to play with them again".^[17]

• The books of both the Old and New Testaments are held as holy books. The Torah serves as the foundation to all subsequent understanding and interpretation of scripture. A foundational distinction of the Hebrew Roots movement is the manner in which scripture is translated and interpreted so that the latter scriptures, particularly the New Testament (usually called by adherents the "Brit Chadashah", a modern Hebrew usage to refer to these scriptures, or "Apostolic Scriptures"), do not conflict with Torah commandments. Those in the Hebrew Roots movement believe that Yeshua the Messiah did not come to establish a new religion or to do away with the Law of Moses, as Yeshua states in Matthew 5:17, but to clarify that the Jewish Oral Law was not of divine origin. An example of such is at Mark 7:1–13.
• Salvation derives from the belief in Yeshua the Messiah as personal savior, not from commandment/Torah keeping. Hebrew Roots followers believe that sin is breaking the Torah (cf. 1 John 3:4), all of the purity laws such as dietary restrictions and sabbath keeping are in the Torah, thus it is sinful to not keep the sabbath and to eat forbidden animals, among other social and religious observance laws. They believe that the ability to obey God's laws is an effect of God's Grace and outpouring of the Holy Spirit onto His people. People would not be able to keep the laws absent of God's holiness, which shows why humans are sinners in need of a Savior. Yeshua said he did not come to change the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). This means that prior to Yeshua, Israel was attempting to obey the Lord out of their own strength. 50 days after Yeshua rose was the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). Once people had access to the Spirit and God's Grace, obeying God's law went from impossible to possible. ^{[citation needed]}
• The Jewish Oral Law (the Talmud) does not represent Scriptural requirements to be obeyed, but can provide deeper understanding as to how some have applied the scriptures to practical life. Traditions considered to have Pagan origins, such as Christmas, adopted by Judaism and/or Christianity are to be avoided.^{[citation needed]}
• Old Testament/Torah Laws and the teachings of the New Testament are to be obeyed by both Jews and Gentiles in the community of believers. (See Numbers 15:15–16 for the explanation).^{[citation needed]}
• The Hebrew language is generally studied because it amplifies an understanding of the Scriptural text.^{[citation needed]}
• Unlike most Americans,^[18] followers of the Hebrew Roots movement actively study the scriptures as well as the history, faith, and culture of the first and second century, to understand how traditional Christianity diverged from its Hebrew roots.
• The mo'adim or appointed times listed in Leviticus 23, including the 7th day Sabbath and the Feast days, foreshadow the 1st and 2nd comings of the Messiah and the Creator's plan of salvation for the world.^{[citation needed]}

The Hebrew Roots movement is related to a subgroup known as "Christian Hebrew Roots." This subgroup follows the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:3–17) and the feasts of the Lord (Lev 23:1–44). Some groups, like mainstream Christianity, believe that all other Old Testament requirements have been "done away with".^[29] Others within the movement believe that all of God’s Laws, as given through Moses, are still valid, but many cannot be practiced as originally commanded because there is no currently practicing Levitical priesthood or Temple in Jerusalem.

The Christian Hebrew Roots movement rejects many of the same practices of many Protestant sects that the Hebrew Roots movement rejects. In particular, they reject the Roman Catholic Church's "transubstantiation" doctrine, and instead follow what it sees as the biblical teachings set forth in the New Testament regarding the "nature of Communion" as a symbol of Christ's body instead of the literal body and flesh of Jesus. This, they deduce from the words Jesus spoke to describe what they call an "amendment" to the Passover service being symbolic and not literal (in accordance with how they interpret the New Testament Greek).^[30]

The Christian Hebrew Roots movement does not teach a return to the law as dispensed by the scribes who Jesus rebuked as hypocrites. They interpret the "law" as pertaining to the Torah, and not the Jewish Oral Law. The movement follows what it claims is the worship pattern of Jesus, whom they claim freed mankind from the yoke of the letter of the law; and, in fulfilling the law, Jesus taught Christians to practice only the Ten Commandments and feasts of the Lord which make up "the acceptable year of the Lord"^[31] in his speech inaugurating his personal earthly ministry.

This main distinction between the two groups is that followers of the Hebrew Roots movement understand the word "fulfill" (playroo G4137), found in Matthew 5:17, to mean "fill up" specifically with meaning. This is in contradistinction to "destroy" (kataluo G2647) with which it is contrasted earlier in the same verse. Fulfill is also found to mean to place the commandments of God "on a firmer footing by interpreting them correctly in terms of God's ultimate will as He originally intended for His commandments to be obeyed",^[32] and not dispensing with them as something that has been "done away" by the atoning work of Jesus Christ, as Christian Hebrew Roots followers define it.

Both movements include adherents who are of Jewish heritage as well as Gentile heritage. The Christian Hebrew Roots movement is completely nondenominational, consisting of persons from many different religious backgrounds^[33] and teaches adherence to the health laws of the Torah but not the portions of the Torah which it believes were abandoned by Jesus. As such, they function as a sort of "bridge" between true Hebrew Roots theology and mainstream Christianity.

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“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:17-19 ESV

Matthew 17-19 is commonly cited by those who argue for the Hebrew Roots movement. They believe that the definition of sin is transgression of Torah, citing 1 John 3:4 as evidence.

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

1 John 3:4 KJV

From this they argue that since sin is bad, and sin is disobedience to the Torah, then it is good to obey Torah. Although most mainstream Christians would argue that since Jesus died for our sins, we no longer have an obligation to obey the law of Moses.

They also make use of numerous Bible verses that state that the Law of God is perfect and forever.

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The Hebrew Roots movement, similar to the Messianic movement, has been accused by some in the Jewish community of cultural appropriation.^[34]

Many Christians and Messianic Jews argue that the Torah was only for the Jews, meaning that Gentiles are exempt from obedience to the Law of Moses.

A leading critic of the Hebrew Roots Movement is Professor R. L. Solberg (Nashville, TN), who has published a book called Torahism: Are Christians Required to Keep the Law of Moses. This is the first book published by a scholar that specifically addresses many of the theological positions held by HRM. Prof. Solberg has debated a number of Hebrew Roots teachers and his apologetic ministry Defending the Biblical Roots of Christianity focuses on this area of theology.

The Hebrew Roots movement contradicts the general Christian belief that when Jesus (Yeshua) died, he fulfilled (and thereby rendered obsolete) the Law (Torah), which was, in their view, only a temporary solution. Other Christians hold that the Law was not rendered obsolete, but it was only meant for Jews in the first place.

• Christian Torah-submission
• Christian views on the Old Covenant
• Early Christianity
• Ebionites
• Judaizers
• Nazarene (sect)
• New Perspective on Paul
• Paleo-orthodoxy
• Restorationism