2020 Parting of the Ways, course
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
- Book of Dream Visions (2nd cent. BCE)
- Parables of Enoch (1st cent. BCE)
- Paul & James (around 50-60)
- Synoptics (Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke) (60-100)
- Gospel of John (100 CE)
- Justin, Dialogue with Trypho (around 150)
- Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews (around 200 CE)
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
- 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 - Problem (2): The Messiah and the Word to Come (I) - Book of Daniel, Book of the Parables of Enoch, Psalms of Solomon
- Tue Sep 22, 2020 - Problem (2): The Messiah and the Word to Come (II)
- Thu Sep 24, 2020 - Reading sessions
- Tue Sep 29, 2020 - The Christian and the Rabbinic Answers (2)
- Jesus as the divine Messiah
- The Son of David
- Thu Oct 1, 2020 - The Problem (3): The Torah and Its Interpretation. The canon (I)
Wisdom & Torah
- Tue Oct 6, 2020 - The Problem (3): The Torah and Its Interpretation. The canon (I)
- Thu Oct 8, 2020 - Reading sessions
- Tue Oct 13, 2020 - The Christian and the Rabbinic Answers (3)
- The Centrality and Preexistence of the Christ
- The Centrality and Preexistence of the Torah
- Thu Oct 15, 2020 - Exam
Part 2
- Tue Oct 20, 2020 - Problem (4): The Temple and the Priesthood
- Thu Oct 22, 2020 - Reading sessions
- Tue Oct 27, 2020 - The Christian and the Rabbinic Answers
- Jesus as the Heavenly High Priest
- Israel as a people of priests
- Thu Oct 29, 2020 - Problem (5): Jews and non-Jews
- < Election Day / No class / Tue Nov 3, 2020 >
- Thu Nov 5, 2020 - Reading sessions
- Tue Nov 10, 2020 - Answer
- Christianity as a "universalistic/exclusive" religion
- Rabbinic Judaism as a "particularist/inclusive" religion
- < Thu Nov 12, 2020 - International Seminar on the Gospel of Matthew >
- Tue Nov 17, 2020 - Unsolved Problems: Women, Slaves
- Thu Nov 19, 2020 - Reading sessions [with Joshua Scott]
- < 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)