2020 Parting of the Ways, course

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The Parting of the Ways between Christianity and Judaism is a course (MIDEAST 335 / JUDAIC 335 / RELIGION 359) offered online by Gabriele Boccaccini in the Fall 2020.

Grader: Joshua Scott <scottjos@umich.edu>

Description

How and when did Christianity and Judaism become two separate religions? Christianity was born as a messianic movement within Judaism; only gradually has it become something else. And contrary to what is generally assumed, it did not come from the kind of Judaism we know today. Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity are not in a parent-child relationship; they are twin religions that emerged from the diverse world of Second Temple Judaism. The course will explore what each movement has kept from the ancient tradition of Israel and what each has changed and innovated. In a seminar format, there will be a midterm and a final exam, and an individual research paper.

Textbooks

  • Gabriele Boccaccini, Roots of Rabbinic Judaism (available on amazon.com)
  • Shaye Cohen, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah (2nd ed. freely available online)

The Literature

Proto-Rabbinic Literature

  • Daniel (2nd cent. BCE)
  • 2 Maccabees (2nd cent. BCE)
  • Psalms of Solomon (1st cent. BCE)
  • Pseudo-Philo (around 70)
  • 2 Baruch & 4 Ezra (around 100)
  • Targum Neofiti (around 150)
  • Mishnah (around 200 CE)
  • Pirke Aboth (around 250 CE)

Proto-Christian Literature

Syllabus

  • Tue Sep 1, 2020 - Introduction: The Diversity of Second Temple Judaism. Models of relation between Judaism and Christianity. Overview of the Literature of the Period.

Part 1

Readings: Gabriele Boccaccini, Roots of Rabbinic Judaism,

4 Enoch entries: Evil, Messiah, Son of Man, Son of David, Melchizedek, Mosaic Torah

  • Thu Sep 3, 2020 - Problem (1): The Origin of Evil (I) -- Zadokite Judaism, Sapiential Judaism, Enochic Judaism
  • Tue Sep 8, 2020 - Problem (1): The Origin of Evil (II) --
  • Thu Sep 10, 2020 - Reading sessions
    • The Fallen Angels and the Flood in Genesis and Enoch
    • The Fall of Adam in Genesis, Philo and Enoch
  • Tue Sep 15, 2020 - The Christian and the Rabbinic Answers (1)
    • The Original Sin
    • The yetzer hara
  • Thu Sep 17, 2020 - The Christian and the Rabbinic Messiah.
  • Tue Sep 22, 2020 - The "Biblical" roots of the concept of Messiah
  • Thu Sep 24, 2020 - Reading sessions
  • Tue Sep 29, 2020 - The debate in Second Temple Judaism
    • Jesus as the divine Messiah
    • The Pharisaic Son of David
  • Thu Oct 1, 2020 -

The Problem (3): The Christian and the Rabbinic Answers (3)

    • The Centrality and Preexistence of the Christ
    • The Centrality and Preexistence of the Torah
  • Tue Oct 6, 2020 - The "Biblical root" of the concept of Wisdom
  • Thu Oct 8, 2020 - Reading sessions
  • Tue Oct 13, 2020 - The Debate in the First Century
  • Thu Oct 15, 2020 - Exam

Part 2

  • Tue Oct 20, 2020 - Problem (4): The Temple and the Priesthood. The Christian and the Rabbinic Answers
    • Jesus as the Heavenly High Priest
    • Israel as a people of priests
  • Thu Oct 22, 2020 - The Debate in Second Temple Judaism
  • Tue Oct 27, 2020 - Problem (5): Jews and non-Jews
  • Thu Oct 29, 2020 - The Debate in Second Temple Judaism
  • < Election Day / No class / Tue Nov 3, 2020 >
  • Thu Nov 5, 2020 - Problem (6) - Salvation
  • Tue Nov 10, 2020 - The Debate in Second Temple Judaism
  • < Thu Nov 12, 2020 - International Seminar on the Gospel of Matthew >
  • Tue Nov 17, 2020 - Problem (7): Social justice
  • Thu Nov 19, 2020 - The Debate in Second Temple Judaism
  • < Thanksgiving Recess / No classes / Nov 24-26, 2020 >
  • Tue Dec 1, 2020 - Oral presentations (10 min each)
  • Thu Dec 3, 2020 - Oral presentations (10 min each)
  • Tue Dec 8, 2020 - Oral presentations (10 min each)
  • Thu Dec 10, 2020 - Oral presentations (10 min each)

Grading

  • 30% Attendance and participation in class
  • 30% Mid-term
  • 40% Oral presentation and final paper
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