Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

God told Abraham He would bless him and make his people a blessing to the nations of the earth. That blessing was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, the descendant of Abraham. Many other blessings have also come to the nations through the Jewish people.

At least 210 Jews and people of half or three-fourths Jewish ancestry have been awarded the Nobel Prize (accounting for 22 percent of all individual recipients worldwide between 1901 and 2020 and constituting 36 percent of all US recipients during the same period).

In the scientific research field of chemistry, 36 prize winners were Jews. This makes up 19 percent of the world and 28 percent of the United States.

In the area of Psychology or Medicine, 58 prize winners were Jewish. This makes up 26 percent of the world and 38 percent of the United States.

Among women laureates in the four research fields, the Jewish percentages (world and US) are 29 percent and 43 percent, respectively.

Of organizations awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, 20 percent were founded principally by Jews or people of half-Jewish descent. From 2000 onward, Jews have been awarded 25 percent of all Nobel Prizes and 27 percent of those in the scientific research fields. Meanwhile, Jews currently comprise approximately 0.2 percent of the world’s population and 2 percent of the US population.

A small number of people have made an exceptionally large contribution to all the academic fields that have blessed and benefited everyone who lives on earth. (Continued on Day 232 ...)

Today’s Reflection

What is the greatest contribution of the Jewish people to your personal life?