Emunat omen (The True Faith)

Sebastian Münster was a German Christian Hebraist, born in Mainz, who taught as a professor at the University of Basel. He was also a prominent cartographer and cosmographer, whose world map, Cosmographia was printed in 24 editions after its first publication in 1544.

A physician of German descent, Meyer Schomberg settled in London in 1721. Initially, the Great Synagogue employed him to tend to poor members of the community. However, he subsequently established a profitable practice. In 1746, he composed his (unpublished) essay Emunat omen (The True Faith), in which he defended his way of life and attacked the hypocrisy of London’s Jewish elite. Not religiously observant himself, Schomberg decried the false piety of Jews who outwardly observed Jewish law but were “sinners” at heart. His deist-humanist work argues that moral behavior is more important than Jewish law. Schomberg began his work with seven articles of faith (of the thirteen listed by Maimonides). Ultimately, Schomburg cut all ties with the Jewish community. In his will, he asked to be buried as an Anglican, and some of his children converted to Christianity.