Judaism and Christianity in the Age of Constantine

by Neusner, Jacob

• ISBN13: 9780226576527
• ISBN10: 0226576523
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1987-10-06
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

With the conversion of Constantine in 312, Christianity began a period of political and cultural dominance that it would enjoy until the twentieth century. Jacob Neusner contradicts the prevailing view that following Christianity's ascendancy, Judaism continued to evolve in isolation. He argues that because of the political need to defend its claims to religious authenticity, Judaism was forced to review itself in the context of a triumphant Christianity. The definition of issues long discussed in Judaism--the meaning of history, the coming of the Messiah, and the political identity of Israel--became of immediate and urgent concern to both parties. What emerged was a polemical dialogue between Christian and Jewish teachers that was unprecedented. In a close analysis of texts by the Christian theologians Eusebius, Aphrahat, and Chrysostom on one hand, and of the central Jewish works the Talmud of the Land of Israel, the Genesis Rabbah, and the Leviticus Rabbah on the other, Neusner finds that both religious groups turned to the same corpus of Hebrew scripture to examine the same fundamental issues. Eusebius and Genesis Rabbah both address the issue of history, Chrysostom and the Talmud the issue of the Messiah, and Aphrahat and Leviticus Rabbah the issue of Israel. As Neusner demonstrates, the conclusions drawn shaped the dialogue between the two religions for the rest of their shared history in the West.

Author Biography

Elizabeth A. Kaye specializes in communications as part of her coaching and consulting practice. She has edited Requirements for Certification since the 2000-01 edition.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction Religion and Political Change Judaism without Christianity The Judaic Sages' Canon in the Context of the Fourth Century Their Intent, Our Interpretation

Judaism and Christianity in the Age of Constantine Christianity and the Roman Empire in the Age of Constantine Jews in the Land of Israel in the Fourth Century Judaism in the Land of Israel

Genesis Rabbah and Israel's History: Christian and Judaic Theories of History and Its Meaning The Issue of History: Events, Patterns, Proofs Eusebius and the Beginnings of Christian Historiography Genesis Rabbah and Israel's Historical Crisis

The Talmud of the Land of Israel and the Messiah: Christian Triumph, Judaic Response The Messianic Crisis Chrysostom: Jewish Unbelief, Christian Wavering The Talmud of the Land of Israel and Israel's Messianic Crisis

Leviticus Rabbah, Genesis Rabbah, and the Identification of Israel Who Is Israel? Aphrahat and the People Which Is No Peoples Leviticus Rabbah and Israel's National Crisis Genesis Rabbah: The Claim of the Siblings Genealogy and the Political Crisis

Politics and Proof-Texts: Exegesis and Canon A Test of Falsification Same Topic, Different Program: No Encounter Jerome and the Christian Exegetical Tradition Sifreacute; to Numbers and the Judaic Exegetical Tradition The Christian Canon in the Fourth Century: Old and New Testaments The Judaic Canon in the Fourth Century: The Written and Oral Torah The Absence of Confrontation Epilogue: The Shape of the Initial Encounter and the Enduring Confrontation Sages' Success in the Initial Encounter The Enduring Confrontation

Appendixes

Genesis Rabbah on Israel's History

Aphrahat on Israel

Leviticus Rabbah on Israel

Genesis Rabbah on Israel

Bibliography

Index

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