Renowned scholar Alan F. Segal offers startlingly new insights into
the origins of rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. These twin
descendants of Hebrew heritage shared the same social, cultural,
and ideological context, as well as the same minority status, in
the first century of the common era. Through skillful application
of social science theories to ancient Western thought, including
Judaism, Hellenism, early Christianity, and a host of other
sectarian beliefs, Segal reinterprets some of the most important
events of Jewish and Christian life in the Roman world. For
example, he finds: - That the concept of myth, as it related to
covenant, was a central force of Jewish life. The Torah was the
embodiment of covenant both for Jews living in exile and for the
Jewish community in Israel. - That the Torah legitimated all native
institutions at the time of Jesus, even though the Temple,
Sanhedrin, and Synagogue, as well as the concepts of messiah and
resurrection, were profoundly affected by Hellenism. Both rabbinic
Judaism and Christianity necessarily relied on the Torah to
authenticate their claim on Jewish life. - That the unique cohesion
of early Christianity, assuring its phenomenal success in the
Hellenistic world, was assisted by the Jewish practices of
apocalypticism, conversion, and rejection of civic ritual. - That
the concept of acculturation clarifies the Maccabean revolt, the
rise of Christianity, and the emergence of rabbinic Judaism. - That
contemporary models of revolution point to the place of Jesus as a
radical. - That early rabbinism grew out of the attempts of
middle-class Pharisees to reach a higher sacred status in Judea
while at the same time maintaining their cohesion through ritual
purity. - That the dispute between Judaism and Christianity
reflects a class conflict over the meaning of covenant. The rising
turmoil between Jews and Christians affected the development of
both rabbinic Judaism and Christianity, as each tried to preserve
the partly destroyed culture of Judea by becoming a religion. Both
attempted to take the best of Judean and Hellenistic society
without giving up the essential aspects of Israelite life. Both
spiritualized old national symbols of the covenant and practices
that consolidated power after the disastrous wars with Rome. The
separation between Judaism and Christianity, sealed in magic,
monotheism, law, and universalism, fractured what remained of the
shared symbolic life of Judea, leaving Judaism and Christianity to
fulfill the biblical demands of their god in entirely different
ways.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(2)
