Within Judaism? Interpretive Trajectories in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from the First to the Twenty-First Century

Neil Elliott

ISBN 10: 1978715064 / ISBN 13: 9781978715066

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, US, 2023

About this Item

This book charts the shifting boundaries of Judaism from antiquity to the modern period in order to bring clarity to what scholars mean when they claim that ancient texts or groups are "within Judaism," as well as exploring how rabbinic Jews, Christians, and Muslims have negotiated and renegotiated what Judaism is and is not in order to form their own identities. Belief in Jesus as the Messiah was seen as part of first-century Judaism, but by the fourth or fifth century, the boundaries had shifted and adherence to Jesus came to be seen as outside of Judaism. Resituating New Testament texts within first- or second-century Judaism is an historical exercise that may broaden our view of what Judaism looked like in the early centuries CE, but normatively these texts remain within Christianity because of their reception history. The historical "within Judaism" perspective, however, has the potential to challenge and reshape the theology of contemporary Christianity while at the same time the long-held consensus that belief in Jesus cannot belong within Judaism is again challenged by the modern Messianic Jewish movement.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781978715066

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Within Judaism? Interpretive Trajectories in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from the First to the Twenty-First Century
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, US
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1978715064
• ISBN 13: 9781978715066
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 785 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book charts the shifting boundaries of Judaism from antiquity to the modern period in order to bring clarity to what scholars mean when they claim that ancient texts or groups are “within Judaism,” as well as exploring how rabbinic Jews, Christians, and Muslims have negotiated and renegotiated what Judaism is and is not in order to form their own identities. Belief in Jesus as the Messiah was seen as part of first-century Judaism, but by the fourth or fifth century, the boundaries had shifted and adherence to Jesus came to be seen as outside of Judaism. Resituating New Testament texts within first- or second-century Judaism is an historical exercise that may broaden our view of what Judaism looked like in the early centuries CE, but normatively these texts remain within Christianity because of their reception history. The historical “within Judaism” perspective, however, has the potential to challenge and reshape the theology of contemporary Christianity while at the same time the long-held consensus that belief in Jesus cannot belong within Judaism is again challenged by the modern Messianic Jewish movement.

About the Authors

William S. Campbell is Reader in Biblical Studies, University of Wales, UK, is author of 'Paul's Gospel in Inter-Cultural Context' (1992) and is Editor of Journal of Beliefs and Values.

Kathy Ehrensperger is Research Professor New Testament in Jewish Perspective, Abraham GeigerCollege, at the University of Potsdam, Germany.

Isaac W. Oliver is a professor of religious studies at Bradley University, USA.

Anders Runesson is professor of New Testament at the University of Oslo.