Claude Goldsmid Montefiore (1858-1938) embodied the central dilemma of European Jewish Liberalism: how to judge Judaism by contemporary ethical standards while honoring its historical authenticity. As founder of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue of London, the Jewish Quarterly Review, and the World Union for Progressive Judaism, Montefiore forged a distinctive theological path characterized by intellectual honesty, religious tolerance, and autonomous Jewish thought. Historical analysis of his scholarly works, particularly his biblical criticism and comparative religious studies, reveals how he successfully bridged critical academic scholarship with devotional practice, challenging the assumed divide between intellectual inquiry and religious faith. Through examination of his institutional contributions and theological writings, Montefiore emerges as a pivotal figure who demonstrated that Judaism could engage seriously with Christian scholarship while maintaining its unique identity. Yet his theological framework, while groundbreaking for its time, has been largely superseded by contemporary Judaism's response to the Holocaust and the establishment of Israel. Modern Jewish identity now grapples with fundamentally different questions than those addressed by early twentieth-century liberal Jewish thinkers, making Montefiore's work both historically significant and a reflection of how dramatically Jewish theological concerns have evolved.