Product Description
Introduces the history, literature and ideas of Judaism in the era before Christ, from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the Herods, and even up to Masada.Fills in the "missing story" between the Old and New Testaments.Expands understanding of the New Testament world highlighting the ideas, subplots and characters that shaped the world of Jesus and the first Christians.Informed by the best of recent scholarship.Includes bibliographics for further reading.Features maps, glossary, time line and other helps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An easy read, but only partially satisfying to a Christian reader
Tomasino's book gets a lot of good reviews. I think they're merited, but I also think those reviews are as much a negative rating of most historical works that cover the intertestamental period (from around 400BC to 6 or so AD) as they are of Tomasino's work. That aside, he writes well, and is more engaging than many purely historical writers. He also formats the book well--there's a main line and then lots of sidebars. Additionally, the sidebars stand alone, and are good flip-through material even after reading the main line.

Tomasino is probably also going to appeal to many non-Christians who are casual historians, simply because he rarely takes a strong Christian position. He assumes to a large degree the truth of the Bible, but never seems theologically bent. In fact, he often discusses the heavy cultural and mythical influences he sees in both secular and non-secular works of the time, as well as the Bible itself. This lends some degree of credence to his work, and probably argues that he's done his homework and really is trying to appeal to a large audience.

Unfortunately, for a Christian--and especially a conservative one who reads the Bible as truth, rather than an amalgamation of stories--this creates some negatives. Tomasino keeps Jesus and Scripture at arm's length, and there are times where his belief in Scripture seems tentative. The Bible is often treated as an important historical source, simply a weightier Antiquities or Against Apion.

Finally, Tomasino is so obviously familiar with this period that his writing is sometimes difficult to follow. There are a lot of characters, obviously, and keeping up with them is non-trivial. History is always resplendent with names, but Tomasino could go a little further in making sure the absolute minimum are in view at any one time, making it easier to follow.

All that said, this is still a good introduction, and a readable one at that.

A good overview and a serviceable quick reference book
Anthony Thomasino's "Judaism Before Jesus" is a good overview of the historical events that occurred during the Intertestamental Period, but an overview is all that it is. A previous reviewer has already given an in-depth summary of the book (below), so I'll only add a couple of thoughts of my own to the discussions of this book found here.

The most interesting chapter in Thomasino's book is the one that deals with the Persian influence on Judaism from the time of the Babylonian exile onward.I was fascinated by some of the developments in Jewish theology that Thomasino attributes to the influence of Zoroastrianism. I was aware of the similarities between Judaism and Zoroastrianism, but I had not read anything previously about either religion influencing the other one to any great degree. I'm not sure that I'm entirely convinced by some of Thomasino's assertions, because I have not studied this topic much and because these assertions appear to be presented as his personal (though educated) observations, but I am certainly interested in pursuing further study of the ideas he has presented.

As for the rest of the book, it doesn't present anything new or give in-depth information about too many topics; as I said, it's simply a good overview. Frankly, if you have copies of the works of Josephus as well as 1 and 2 Maccabees, then you would do better to read those rather than Thomasino's book as he draws most of his material from these sources and presents it in summary form.

Thomasino does give suggestions for further reading at the end of every chapter, which I always appreciate (and I will most likely read some of the works he lists). This book will probably serve me well as a quick reference; however, with the exception of the chapter on the Persian influence, it's a bit long on well-known facts and short on ideas.

Just what I was looking for
I found Judaism Before Jesus to be exactly what I needed.Having just finished my fifth year in BSF in which we studied the history of Israel and the minor prophets and looking forward to studying Acts and the epistles, I wanted to know more about the history and culture from 525BC to the time of Jesus.JBJ provided the background.It is very enjoyable reading with many text boxes about subjects such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient writing, Greek military supremacy that were particularly interesting.I'd recommend this book for someone who is interested in gaining cultural context for studying the New Testament but doesn't want a seminary course on the subject or read through thirty footnotes per chapter.

Good for laymen, but . . .
With so many good treatments of Second Temple Judaism, the Intertestamental Period, and New Testament Backgrounds, every new author in these areas feels the need to justify another offering.So it is with Tomasino's handling of the same material which he styles as a description of what Judaism was like before and during the New Testament Period.He mentions that he originally conceived of his book as "an introduction that assumes almost no prior knowledge of the subject matter.It's an introduction for the uninitiated" intended for "Christian lay readers" (7,8).His editor, however, envisioned the book also as a text for classroom use and for scholars, so he added some textboxes and more documentation (8).In this reviewer's opinion, the editor should have left well enough alone and Tomasino's goal would have been achieved. As it stands, however, the book could serve well as an introduction for laymen, but it falls far short of being of great value to the student or scholar.

Not only does such an effort invite comparison to the many other standard works on this subject (Schurer and Grabbe, e.g.) the book that comes to mind most readily is the one quickly becoming a standard volume, The Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament by Julius Scott (Baker Academic, 2000).To be fair to Tomasino, the above books are directed to a more academic readership, but some of the expressed targets for Tomasino's book are classroom and scholarly readers.So some comparison is justified.

Tomasino covers the basic historical facts of the period leading up to the New Testament in a serviceable way.The book is well-written and easy to follow. A "Glossary and Pronunciation Guide" (329-336) is quite helpful to the beginner.The "textboxes" every few pages offer some additional information to the more serious reader.I was particularly impressed with the box on "Chronomessianism" (292,293).For a lay introduction, it is good.The reader who wants to be exposed to the issues presently under discussion in the subject, however, will be disappointed. The textboxes add information that a lay reader should also know.

Although suggested reading lists appear at the end of each chapter and include many of the standard works, I was shocked to see what books and subjects were omitted.For example, unless I missed it, Scott's influential work does not make a single appearance in the entire volume!An "Author Index" would also have been helpful to make sure I didn't miss his name!Not only was Scott ignored, but recent writers who have written extensively on the theological worldview of Second Temple Judaism (James Dunn and N.T. Wright, for example) are also ignored.Now one may respond that Dunn and Wright have not written so much about the events of this period as they have about the ideas in this period.But look again at the subtitle of this book: The Events and Ideas That Shaped the New Testament World.Whatever one thinks of Dunn's and Wright's perspective, they should not be overlooked simply because of the massive influence they have wielded.Even lay readers need to be aware to some extent of the currents of thinking swirling through this subject in the last two decades.

Did Tomasino fulfill his goal?If you are looking for an introduction to the events of the period that shaped the Judaism Before Jesus, this book will serve you well.If you are looking for an introduction to the ideas of the period that shaped the Judaism Before Jesus, then you better keep looking. ... Read more

Product Description
Weber’s classic study which deals specifically with: Types of Asceticism and the Significance of Ancient Judaism, History and Social Organization of Ancient Palestine, Political Organization and Religious Ideas in the Time of the Confederacy and the Early Kings, Political Decline, Religious Conflict and Biblical Prophecy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ian Myles Slater on: A Classic of Religious Sociology
There is a small problem with the English-language title of this volume, "Ancient Judaism." Weber produced the studies included in the book in the years leading up to the First World War, in the absence of much the material and textual evidence produced by archeology, and under the influence of the "Higher Criticism," which insisted that texts describing the earlier period were all late inventions. Despite this, he managed to produce a first-rate analysis of the social foundations of Biblical Israel. Not "Judaism," the religion of the synagogue, but rather the life of an ancient people of the eastern Mediterranean.

Indeed, the closing chapters, on the post-exilic period and the emergence of Second-Temple Judaism, are the weakest of the book. This is partly because he insisted on applying his theories of the social role of sects to the religion of the whole population of Persian and Hellenistic Judea, instead of treating it as a national religion fracturing into sects under the pressure of foreign occupation. Nor did Weber have time to reconsider his conclusions, or his presuppositions. "Das Antike Judentum" was published as it stood in 1921; the author's death in 1920 having prevented revisions, or the carrrying out of his planned analyses of Psalms and Job, which might have been included (along with related studies of Talmudic Judaism, and early Christianity, and Islam).

Max Weber was one of the founders of modern sociology, and although his reputation has fluctuated over the decades, his ideas and methods remain basic to sociological discourse, and appear frequently in other fields. It is not surprising that Weber's discussions of pre-Exilic Israel and Judah retain their value. Not greatly concerned with the absolute or relative dating of the texts, he studied them for what they revealed about economic conditions and social roles. A great familiarity with other pre-modern societies replaced Semitic philology or Christian theology as his guides. His brief analysis of the Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee as means of maintaining social equilibrium, and with it the population of free peasants to fill the militia, was based on his knowledge of ancient Greece, but has since found some confirmation in the concerns of early Babylonian rulers to prevent the impoverishment of the military class.

Besides its continuing value as a study of the Biblical period, Weber's "Ancient Judaism" is a particularly good example of his sociological method in action. The source material is readily available to the student, if not already familiar. In this it is unlike his fascinating studies of China and India, in which he not only drew on translations and secondary sources, but on materials not likely to be familiar to most readers, and in some cases is rather difficult to obtain. (Nineteenth-century Indology and Sinology not having a large place in most libraries, for example.) It is therefore much easier to pick up what he left out, what he considered significant, and to decide whether his conclusions now seem warranted by the evidence.

(Reposted from my "anonymous" review of September 12, 2003.) ... Read more

Product Description
Many people will be surprised to find that Judaism isfundamentally aligned with what we think of as the New Age. Many ofthe things we associated with the New Age are not new but are part ofKabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. New Age Judaism is not aboutJudaism modified to meet the needs of the moment, but rather it makesage-old Judaism, traditional and kabbalistic teachings accessible tothe modern person in a new way.

New Age Judaism is a very practical guidebook to Jewish spiritualitydrawn from the insights and personal observations of the author, awell-known meditation teacher and psychotherapist. Melinda Ribner hastaught Jewish meditation and meditative kabbalah for over 16 years andincorporates many of these exercises into her book. In 1989 she formedThe Jewish Meditation Circle which meets weekly in Manhattan. Her workdraws on the teachings and practices of the Musar, Chassidic, andKabbalistic schools within Judaism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

NEW AGE AND JUDAISM? IT'S NOT AN OXYMORON
On the surface, Judaism and the New Age movement would seem totally contradictory: Judaism is all about "tradition," right?(At least, that's what the play "Fiddler On the Roof" said...)

Actually, Melinda Gibson's (2000) book points out that the TRADITION of Judaism also includes a substantial MYSTICAL tradition; in particular, the Kabbalah, and its most famous book, the Zohar, that actually taught vegetarianism, holistic healing, and reincarnation in places, not to mention belief in angels. There are also more "experiential" branches of Judaism such as Hasidism.So the two religious traditions may not be as far apart as one would think.

Melinda was authorized to teach meditation by the famous late rabbi, Schlomo Carlebach, and she has taught it for many years in the "Jewish Meditation Circle."Her book covers Kabbalistic concepts such as the "Tree of Life," and also includes chapters on the "Divine Blueprint," and even sexuality.The book also includes a series of guided meditations.

There are other Jewish teachers who write books with a similar focus (e.g., David Cooper, God Is a Verb: Kabbalah and the Practice of Mystical Judaism, who with his wife Shoshana directs the Heart of Stillness Hermitage in the mountains in Colorado; Rabbi David Zeller The Soul of the Story: Meetings With Remarkable People--a psychologist and musician who studied with Schlomo Carlebach from the mid-1960s; Joseph Gelberman, Zen Judaism: Teaching Tales by a Kabbalistic Rabbi, as well as Tirzah Firestone With Roots in Heaven: One Woman's Passionate Journey into the Heart of her Faith).

Spiritual Nourishment that lights the soul
With the growing popularity of Kabbalah over the last few years, many people have eagerly sought after authentic voices that can reveal this ancient wisdom. People are longing for deeper meaning in their lives.They are looking for connection-connection with themselves, with each other and with God.
The path that leads to Jewish spirituality can have many false steps.But if you begin your journey with Mindy Ribner's splendid book, New Age Judaism-Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World, your feet will be firmly planted in the rich soil of divine wisdom.
From the first page to the last, New Age Judaism has something to teach.More importantly, it is an inspirational treatise that transports the reader beyond time and space with a gentle landing at the doorstep of enlightened awareness.
Ms. Ribner, who received a nonrabbinical ordination to teach meditation from the legendary Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, skillfully leads the reader to the deepest realm of Jewish meditative practice and Kabbalistic thought. From an illuminating discussion on how and why God created the universe to a thoroughly engaging examination of the tree of life, Ms. Ribner demonstrates her true genius by making the inner wisdom of Judaism thoroughly accessible. At the core of New Age Judaism, the reader is treated to an abundant array of meditative tools that make a direct experience with one's own soul obtainable. The shear variety of meditations offers the reader nothing short of experiencing Divine inspiration over and over again and in so many different ways.
New Age Judaism simply put is spiritual nourishment that emanates straight from the heart. It is a sweet and tender love song to God, one in which Ms. Ribner invites you to raise your voice and join in the chorus. New Age Judaism is an invaluable source for anyone who is interested in deepening his or her spiritual experience. I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone.

If you want a lesson on Jewish Morality...
The only reason I gave this book 2 stars was because the meditations were good.However, for the author to start drawing moral and philosophical conclusions based on circular questions is ridiculous.For the most part the book is filled with the same nonsense you may find in any book on Judaism.If you believe it, great, if not, reading this book will certainly subject you to it. It is a poor attempt of legitimacy for various biblical phrases and 'ancient texts' (that were by most scholarly accounts written 1,000 years ago) through bad proofs, and decent meditative experiences - although whether the origin of some is judaic or not is questionable. This book is comparable to any other occidental religion trying to 'adjust' to a new paradigm, regardless of how many times the author cries otherwise.

"A Tonic for the Soul"
Mindy Ribner's book, "New Age Judaism" is a tonic for the soul. The message is soothing and spiritually uplifting. By sharing examples ofthe meditation exercises that she practices and teaches, you are given arare opportunity to become more connected to your inner self. Through herextensive knowledge and wisdom of such subjects as reincarnation, kabbalahand angels, you will learn just how vibrant and relevant Judaism is in the21st Century - the "New Age". Mindy is the rare author thatcombines scholarship with first hand experience. She not only knows of whatshe writes, but will inspire you with all that living a faith based lifecan be. Suddenly, your own concept of a Jewish life has a beautiful,expansive new way to be expressed. She is truly a spiritual guide, and asyou travel with her in this wonderful book, you will most certainly feelGod's presence leading the way. ... Read more

Product Description
With clarity and passion, award-winning teacher, author and theologian Neil Gillman captures the power of Jewish theological claims and reveals extraordinary insights into Jewish identity, the purpose of religion, and our relationship with God.
Drawing from Judaism's sacred texts as well as from great thinkers such as Mordecai Kaplan, Abraham Joshua Heschel and Paul Tillich, Gillman traces his theological journey over four decades of study, beginning with his own understanding of revelation. He explores the role of symbol and myth in our understanding of the nature of God and covenant. He examines the importance of community in both determining authority and sanctifying sacred space. Topics include:

* How can we know anything about God?
* What can Judaism teach us about God?
* What is the source of authority for what we believe?
* What is Torah and how is it sacred?
* What, if any, is God's role in human suffering?
* What happens after we die? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Another classic from Neil Gillman
Rabbi Gillman explores a range of topics in Jewish theology.A good follow up for those who have already read his classic "Sacred Fragments: Recovering Theology for the Modern Jew".

Gillman's best book since 'Sacred Fragments'
A wonderful distillation of Gillman's thinking over the two decades since 'Sacred Fragments' was published. His honesty, rigor and authenticity are compelling. For anyone struggling with the tensions inherent in a liberal position, this is a must-read.

Doing Jewish Theology
Found in my local Library I could not not mark in the margins.The commentary is so compelling to one who has crossed over years ago into the new dispensation, that the humane understandings given boosted my faith and trust in a loving God.
Thus I had to quick order a replacement for the public library.The speed with which the order came through really saved my conscionably orthodox bacon, so to speak.
Should anyone of pre or post Easter persuasion want a fine treatment of Judeo- (and roots for) Christian hope in the One True Father/Mother/Godin the vein of the old Aramaic, I could only wish it would be one of any number of such revelations for us all to find through divine search and rescue.The Shepherd is still seaching out His Sheep.
Caution:this is not for the ridgid legalists among us---- or is it!
Foolish me:The Economy of this one True God is one that celebrates supreme inclusiveness.Praise God there are some who have not yet overtly crossed over into the new dispensation.By thatBCE Divine Economy, we all benefit in the exposure to it as Rabbi Gillman presents it. So comforting to have shaken hands with Source, through this book.
In the Beatific Vision I anticipate when my time is up here, I have that assurance that nothing Source has created good shall be missing.As one Body before the Throne, Praise God!
Harry Bright, Spokane, Washinton, 99201

An enthusiastically recommended read for anyone interested in Judaism
The religion of Judaism has evolved constantly throughout history. "Doing Jewish Theology: God, Torah, & Israel in Modern Judaism" is a wide scope look at modern Judaism, and what the religion means to its millions of followers around the world. Diving into ancient and sacred texts to probe for answers, author Neil Gillman looks into the evolution of modern Judaism, the impact of Israel, and much more. Acting as both a study of the religion and an inspiration to it, "Doing Jewish Theology" is an enthusiastically recommended read for anyone interested in Judaism, regardless if they follow it or not.

A complex topic that Gillman deals with nicely
This book is dense, in the same way that Abraham Joshua Heschel's writing is dense.I found that I had to stop reading between section breaks to contemplate the writing. For me, that's a good thing, as it indicates a book that has challenged or enlightened me.

If you identify as a Conservative Jew I would consider this required reading. Gillman has the ability to make you think, regardless of whether you agree with his positions. ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1911Original Publisher: C. Scribner's SonsSubjects: BibleJewsHistory / JewishReligion / Biblical Studies / History ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very poorly written book....
I have several of the Beginner's Guide books so I'm familiar with the format, but found this one to be very poorly written and structured.

The author leaves several key points unexplained:

1) Conflict of Heritage is claimed as being important, but is not explained.
2) The writing down of the Oral Law was forbidden, yet it was done anyway.Why is this ok?Why was it forbidden in the first place?These points are not addressed
3) The history starts with Abraham...but surely he had parents, and they were probably important.The story of Jesus has his parents in it!

With these, and other key points missing, as well as some difficulty in getting the whole idea of the bits and peices of the Torah straight, I had REAL PROBLEMS with this book.

Great 'beginners series'
These books are designed like a comic book or 'for dummies' book, but the detail and explanation is excellent.

A must for people who want to learn about the Jewish culture. ... Read more

Product Description

Whether they fly airplanes into the World Trade Center or Pentagon; blow up ships, ports, and federal buildings, kill doctors and nurses at abortion clinics, exterminate contemporary Palestinians, or kill Israeli soldiers with suicide bombs, destructive religionists are all shaped by the same unconscious apocalyptic metaphors, and by the divine example and imperative to violence. In this condensed edition of a multivolume set covering how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all incorporate core metaphors that can spur violence, experts explain religious notions that fuel terrorism and other horrific actions. The contributors warn that until destructive metaphors are removed from the Western psyche, an end to religious violence will not be possible.

Hailed in reviews as unsettling but thought-provoking, compelling, and critical coverage, the set from which these chapters were drawn has a core theme that demonstrates the three major religions share the ancient notion that history and the human soul are caught in a cosmic conflict between good and evil, or God and devil, which cannot be resolved without violence, a cataclysmic final solution such as the extermination of nations, the execution of humans, or even the death of God's own son. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote, This is a groundbreaking work with tremendous insight.

Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting and Controversial--Review of 2004 4-Volume Set
The vision behind this effort belongs to the editor, J. Harold Ellens, who has written eleven of the fifty essays and whose words outline and define the questions and problems with which he and his co-writers struggle. Stating in the preface that he has been trying to reconcile the "abusive" God of the Old Testament with the Judaic, Islamic, and Christian God of "unconditional grace," Ellens has gathered a group of similarly minded scholars to write on various aspects of this riddle.

Ellens's premise is that the ancient Israelite religion, from which Judaism, Christianity, and Islam arose, centered on a dualistic cosmic conflict where good and evil, God and the Devil, were continually at war, thus contaminating Western thought and civilization with its "destructive power" through the development of all three religions and their "toxic texts." ("Toxic texts" is defined in vol. 1, 192-95.) These "negative archetypes" have also become part of the Western collective unconscious, infecting secular as well as religious culture. Because Western thought is so influential, humanity is under the influence of these texts; war and other miseries are the result.

The authors of the articles write on a wide variety of topics in support of this view. Some of the more unconventional themes include the desirability of analyzing the texts and eradicating their "violent core metaphors," and the idea that fundamentalist religion in general has direct ties to the human potential for violence and attracts "psychopathological persons." There is an extended discussion of Jesus's "cleansing of the temple" and what it says about his psychological stability, a theory relating Augustine's beatings as a child to the flavor of his theology and his neglect of his son (titled "Augustine: The Vicious Cycle of Child Abuse"), and an article on the psychological abuses of power by clergymen.

This collection clearly will be controversial. The interesting thing is that most of the contributors, including Ellens himself, are active Protestant clergymen and/or theologians and/or psychologists. (Ellens is all three, as well as a retired U.S. Army colonel with thirty-seven years of service.) They are looking into their own religions, into their own beliefs, to make sense of them. That is what makes this set of volumes worthy of close attention. One is reminded of the Old Testament Job, endlessly questioning yet keeping faith with his religion.

It is unfortunate, though, that the writers are such a homogeneous group. The contributor profiles suggest that they probably include only two Jews, one Catholic, and no Muslims. Most of them are American and only three are women. (The contributions of the psychologists remind us that this set is part of Praeger's Contemporary Psychology series.) It seems very unfortunate that there are no Muslim contributors and only two articles that focus on Islam. The foreword by Martin Marty begins, "Too bad this set of books is so relevant," but at this time in history, more illumination of the Islamic aspect of this worldview would have been useful.

At the end of the fourth volume, Ellens attempts to answer his own question about reconciliation between the idea of a violent god and a god of grace with the following: he defines "grace" as the "biblical word for unconditional forgiveness and acceptance of another person" and states that "it is a matter of recognizing the limitations of God. God is not in charge of the world. We are" (vol. 4, 235).

These books seem unique to me in their attempt by thirty writers to make sense out of their common religion and from an unusual viewpoint--that of theology, psychology, and politics together. I recommend them to most libraries for that reason and because of the currency of the overall topic.

Bibliographies (ranging from brief to extensive) follow each article, and indexes (also ranging from brief to extensive) accompany each volume.

God's Crimes
This series was inspired by the events of 9/11 and the mayhem caused by religious zealots in the Middle East. Most of this work, however, is about the religious violence spawned by Christianity. Harold Ellens, a theological researcher at the University of Michigan assembled thirty psychologists, pastors, and theologians, who, in fifty essays spanning four volumes, delve into the causes of religious violence.
In eleven of the essays, Ellens introduces and expands issues that others explore in depth. He begins by saying that even though the Bible sounds a clear and singular trumpet about the good news of God's unconditional love, our religious traditions, are greatly infected with ambiguity. "The greatest tragedy," he writes, "is religion that sounds the trumpets of violence and champions the metaphors of abuse, exploitation, legalisms, and a merely conditional grace."
The traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all share a common root, the Old Testament, in which we find the most explicit stories of divine violence. Those stories, in turn, reflect a violent metaphor, borrowed from Persian Zoroastrianism, of a cosmic contest between the forces of absolute good and absolute evil. "That metaphor," Ellens claims, "has become the Master Story of Western culture. It has settled into the center of the psyche of the communities of faith we know as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam."
According to Ellens, apocalyptic evangelists and producers of violent films and video games are all in the same category as Muslim suicide bombers "in terms of the unconscious metaphors by which they are shaped, to which they appeal, and that they constantly reinforce in our cultures.... The Western world will need to decide whether it wishes to change this destructive story and its vicious metaphors, or continue to wreak increasing psychospiritual havoc upon itself until the metaphor becomes so pervasive that we all feel relieved with the impending prospect of a final cataclysmic Armageddon, closing out history."
The worst examples of violence in the Old Testament were in the practice of the herem, or ban, by which the Israelites were instructed to destroy a whole village, including every man, woman, and child, along with all the cattle, food, and property. Included in the ban were two demands: 1. Worship only one god, and 2. Kill those who do not obey the first demand or those who interfere with it.
The effect of these images of biblical and historical violence on the modern mind is the subject of several essays. The thought of Freud, Jung, and Adler runs like a river through these works, which is not surprising. As the first to boldly explore the dark recesses of the human mind, they found unmistakable evidence of religious doctrine, speaking as forcefully as it did to Abraham and the Prophets.
Appearing in many essays is the work of Jacques Lacan and Ren? Girard, the recently retired Roman Catholic professor of French and Religion at Stanford. Central to Girard's work is his concept of mimetic desire. Taking Aristotle's famous concept of mimesis, or imitation, Girard shows how culture transforms our desires and fears. We want what others want and fear what they fear. Mimetic desire invariably leads to mimetic rivalry, in which two opponents trade insults and blows, each one thinking that the other has gone over the line. Such rivalry is always a danger to the community and can even destroy it. One mechanism used to defuse such rivalries is scapegoating, in which the killing of innocent third parties restores community harmony.
In two essays, Ellens and Grant R. Shafer briefly take up the violent history of Jesus' church. Soon after the Jewish Wars, Christians began assembling a hierarchical priesthood, a sacrificial theology, and the most brutal form of thought control the world had yet seen, applying herem on a scale the Jewish prophets never dreamed of. Along with the good news they brought to the nations, Christians also brought the message of God's mighty wrath.
Prompted by bishops such as Ambrose, the religious persecutions conducted by Christians were not limited to pagans, but also extended to Christians who dissented from orthodox teaching. These religious cleansings, Ellens notes, "tended to be on a scale that approached genocide. The Christian Emperor Heraclius would certainly have exterminated the entire Egyptian (Coptic) Christian church in the 7th century if the Muslims had not invaded Egypt and saved the Coptic Christians and their church from extermination by their Christian brothers."
The full extent of Christian violence, covered more completely in books such as Ellen Ellerbe's The Dark Side of Christian History, is hard to imagine. It includes the centuries-long persecution of pagan religions and Christian heretics, the Crusades, the persecution of American Native religions, the Spanish and Roman Inquisitions, and the Thirty-Years War. As Nietzsche lamented: "God on a cross?are the horrible secret thoughts behind this symbol not understood yet....Christianity was a great victory; a nobler outlook of it perished?Christianity has been the greatest misfortune of mankind so far."
Psychologist Donald E. Sloat argues that the shame imposed on children by adults mechanically applying biblical texts is also a form of terrorism, one that cripples them emotionally and leads to further violence. Donald Capps writes about Augustine and the cycle of child abuse?the most poignant essay of the series. Augustine justified the beatings that he received as a child at the hands of his teachers. They no doubt contributed to his later pessimistic theology. Capps writes, "If there is a moral to this story, it is that an otherwise praiseworthy act of self-revelation--The Confessions--has legitimized the shaming of defenseless children. And for this, it seems to me, no amount of self-reproach could be too excessive."
If there is anything missing from this extraordinary series, it is the lack of ecumenical input from members of other religions. Especially helpful would be more input by Jewish and Islamic scholars on how their religions have handled toxic texts. Also lacking is a discussion of the devil, mind-body dualism (the afterlife), and homosexuality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Outstanding look inside Judiasm from a Christian perspective
Hans Kung is a historian that is skilled in separating fact from fiction or theology. His volume on Christianity and Islam are some of the best books I have read, but his book on Judaism comes with a distinctive Christian perspective. It is still very much worth reading.

THE Book on the subject
Kung's ability as a Historian makes his in depth knowledge of the Theological development coherent and a good read. See his books on Christianity and Islam alsoChristianity: Essence, History, and FutureIslam: Past, Present and Future

An excelent way to introduce to other religions.
This is the kind of book that open our minds to other ways of behavior and let us undertand the way of thinking of other religions.It is not a matter the religion you have, you can find answers to many questions from your own perspertive with independece of wath you belive.I'm cristhian, but it let me undertand the Jews.

A Very Helpful Introduction
On the topic of Judaism, this is the first book of any great substance that I have read, so I have nothing with which to compare it.However, Kung offers in this book a comprehensive look at Judaism's incredible past and its multi-dimensional present -- specifically addressing its relationship to Christianity, and the problems and opportunities for Judaism in the post-modern world.Critical yet sympathetic, Kung writes as a thoroughly Christian theologian, yet as one who is committed to partnership and dialogue.Highly recommended for any serious reader who wants a glimpse into the vast treasures of the Jewish faith. ... Read more

Product Description
Among the many in this century who explored the relationship between the New Testament and rabbinic Judaism, David Daube must certainly be designated as among the pioneers. And in the literature of that exploration, along with works such as Paul and Rabbinic Judaism by W. D. Davies and Joachim Jeremias' Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, Daube's The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism must be awarded "classic" status. Whether one is examining the social and religious history behind the New Testament text or analyzing the text itself, The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism will illumine the interpreter. Daube's work stands of the shoulders of no one, and has itself become a cornerstone for future study in this field. This volume is a must for every library. ... Read more

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Great Information Worth the Wading
Reviewed by Ed Vasicek, Author of The Midrash Key: Pinpointing the Old Testament Texts from Which Jesus Preached

This book is not particularly readable.It was originally written in 1956 in a tedious and uninviting style, almost reminiscient of the 19th century.

Despite the book's format, the information it contains makes it extremely valuable to the New Testament interpretter.It helps open up several passages and concepts.

My favorite chapter deals with the "Laying on of Hands."It distinguishes between the two Old Testament words, one of which means to lay ones hands upon another lightly (as in a blessing), the other meaning to press with weight; this second term was used for sacrifices, and signified the creating of a substitute and the transfer of sin by leaning into the sacrifice. One is pressing oneself into another. You can see how this sets the stage for the New Testament teaching regarding how Christ bore our sins as our substitute. Faith, then, becomes a matter of "leaning" upon Christ.

Perhaps this might be considered more of a reference work or a book to skim through in search of tasty nuggets.But for the serious student, there are some diamonds to be mined here. ... Read more

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By linking New Testament scholarship to the Shoah, Christian liturgical life, and developments in the church, Seeing Judaism Anew addresses important questions at the heart of Christian identity, such as: Are only Christians saved? Why did Jesus die? Why is Israel so important to Jews, and what should we think about the conflict in the Middle East? How is Christianity complicit in the Holocaust? What is important about Jesus being a Jew? ... Read more

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review
This book presents several highly philosophical and intellectual discussions. Yet it is written in a very beautiful and readable style. A layman such as myself obtained much knowledge and pleasure from this book.

Refreshingly revisionist vs. "the golden age of Moorish Spain"
Rémi Brague, a French historian, seeks to revise our notions of medieval thought, or what we mistakenly perceive as that era's lack of reason. His essays collected as "The Legend of the Middle Ages," explore philosophical intersections of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian pursuits of truth.

Modern intellectuals look at science differently than their medieval, yes, predecessors did. It's not that they did not study it, but that they studied it with an eye, literally, to seek another reason why to study natural phenomena. Here's a summary of key arguments Brague makes.

The Jewish scholars of the time looked to the world as they did to the heavens. There was not the separation from the Creator that distinguishes for most moderns who enter the laboratory or the observatory today the walling off of God from matter. Modernity itself would not have emerged, the professor opines, without the tremendous push from the medievals who sought in Aristotle the summa of knowledge, next to the Prophet, for the Arabic translators in Spain who transferred Greek wisdom and ancient knowledge into their own language. Once carried over, the Greek could be discarded by the Arab: their sacred tongue then subsumed that of the infidel's vernacular.

Certainly, this differed from those Jews who learned Arabic to rescue, as it were, the Greek storehouse of Aristotelian science, or the Catholics who did the same by learning Hebrew to delve more deeply into the shared scholarship of their own times. Brague goes on to insist that the legacy of Aristotle we inherit comes from Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians who turned the texts into Latin for dissemination across Christian Europe. The Arabs, contrarily, held that once the Greeks had been rendered into the language of the Qur'an, that no more transmission was needed. Perfection had been attained in the tongue of the Prophet.

For the Jews, they bridged the divide opened in Spain by their expulsion fromthe southern part of Iberia by the Almohid dynasty in the twelfth century. The Spanish Jews fled north and brought with them fluency in Arabic and a knack for polyglot survival. The Christians learned what the Jews had learned from the Muslims, who had found what they wanted in Aristotle's Greek.

Brague contrasts the relative openness of Jews and Christians towards their "pagan" inspirations with the rather more smug confidence of those in power and tenure, as it were, over Moorish Spain. The Arabs threw away the Greek corpus, so to speak, once it was safely transformed into the holy Arabic. The context fell away; the core remained intact, if approved for incorporation into what jibed with Islamic understanding.

Greeks gained commentary, line-by-line, when edited by Jews and Christians, contrarily. By keeping a sense of the original source texts along with what the Spanish intellectuals added or remarked upon, they allowed greater interaction between the Greek and Arab contexts and their own application of such complex frameworks to a wider European audience.

I wonder if the commonplace observation of Islamic stagnation intellectually under centralized power and fear of unorthodox opinions that would run counter to the Qur'an can be traced back to such diasporic forces? These foreshadow, in their institutional arrogance and clerical domination, the dispersion of both the Jews and the last Muslims from Spain. That final conquest by Christians ended in 1492 with the great Sephardic scattering-- when some fleeing Jews found themselves back in Salonika, speaking of Greece, at the source again?
... Read more

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This illuminating study is about the absence of a concept of time in ancient Judaism, and the predominance instead of process in the ancient Jewish world-view. Sacha Stern draws his evidence from the complete range of Jewish sources from this period: mainly early rabbinic literature, but also Jewish Hellenistic literature, Qumran sources, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, and inscriptions.Following a methodological introduction drawing on anthropological studies, the author starts by focusing on the word used for time in early rabbinic literature, zeman. He shows that it means only 'points in time' or finite periods of time, but that the concept of time as a continuum-of time as a whole-is totally absent from rabbinic texts. It is unknown even in such obvious contexts as discussions of age, accounts of the creation of the universe, and in other matters relating to timing and time reckoning, the calendar, and chronology. He shows convincingly that although timing was central to early rabbinic halakhah, it was not conceived of as a measuring of the time dimension, but rather as a way of co-ordinating different processes (e.g. co-ordinating the reading of the Shema with sunrise or dusk).The calendar, likewise, was not a measurement of time but an astronomical scheme, and therefore only process-related. Similar conclusions apply to early rabbinic notions of chronology, history, and even ethics: the notion of time as an entity or a resource, so familiar in modern society, is completely unknown in rabbinic ethics.Further confirmation emerges from the author's study of non-rabbinic ancient Jewish sources in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, including Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphic works and Dead Sea Scrolls, sources that are also concerned with the calendar and chronology but without any notion of time per se. The absence of a concept of time is also attested in other Near eastern cultures, but stands in contrast to Graeco-Roman culture with its pervasive concept of chronos. The ancient Jewish view also stands in contrast with medieval Judaism, when the concept of time became well established in ethics, philosophy, biblical exegesis, and halakhah, a development which Stern attributes partly to the influence of Greek philosophy on medieval Jewish thinkers.He concludes with reflections on the wider implications of these findings, especially regarding the limited Hellenization of ancient Judaism and its cultural isolation within the Graeco-Roman world.This perceptive work, clearly, cogently, and convincingly argued, offers a new perspective on the world-view of ancient Judaism and its links with other cultures in the Near East of late antiquity. ... Read more

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Emil Fackenheim is one of the country's most distinguished philosophers. In this highly readable volume, he presents both an introduction to Judaism and an analysis of its essence in light of the Holocaust and the creation of the state of Israel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Uneffective
Possibly owing to fact that I have no religious background especially in Judaism, I found this book a disaster.You truly need to be Jewish to understand over half the book.He rarely if ever explains most of the hebrew terms he is using so you are left in the dark about there meaning and importance.He jumps around a lot and rarely seems to have a cohesive idea that is easily discerneable.

An excellent introduction in modern Judaism
This is a book that should be thoroughly studied by everyone who wants to learn something not only about modern Judaism, but also about modern Christianity. It gives a broad introduction in aspects of jewish traditionand life nowadays, as well as it is an excellent example of modern jewishhermeneutics. This book should be required reading in every theologicaleducation. ... Read more

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This book introduces the complex reality of Judaism in ancient times using an approach grounded in the interdisciplinary framework of the comparative study of religions.The aim of the book is to immerse students in theoretical problems regarding the interpretation of religious life as they master the diverse details of the forms of Judaic religion that thrived in antiquity. ... Read more

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Concise, up-to-date and very well-written intro text
This book is extremely well-written and covers ancient Judaism from the earliest times up through the beginnings of merkavah mysticism in the Talmudic period. It's not a huge book, and one might think it too slender to effectively cover the topic. But the writing is economical and very readable, and the opinions presented are contemporary and take advantage of the latest scholarship.

It's unfortunate that this title is so expensive -- especially considering the binding is of the cheapest kind. For this money we deserve signature binding, or at least better glue. Still recommended, most highly! ... Read more

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Valuable Resource for the Intertestamental Period
Grabbe's primary purpose is to provide a synthesis of resources for illuminating the reader's knowledge of the conditions in Judea during the Second Temple period (539 BC-AD 70).His secondary purpose, which is basedon and is necessary for achieving the first goal, is to discuss the generalhistory of the Near East-Israel's neighbors.

At the outset, Grabbe doesnot fail to mention the scarcity, and on some accounts, the uncertainty ofsources that pertain to some of the periods he addresses, particularly thePersian and Hellenistic (2,3, 111).Says Grabbe, "Any history of thePersian Empire must acknowledge that the sources are few, often biased, andleave out large periods of time" (119).This is especially true ofthe history of Judea during this particular time frame. Before oneattempts to study this history, it is necessary to understand thatPalestine's geographical location put her in the middle of a hot bed ofgeopolitical turmoil.It is also important to understand the concept ortheological importance of being "in the land," or as Grabbe putsit, the concept of "remnant" (143).These two factors havealways played a dominant role in Jewish history.Beginning a history ofJudea during the initial stages of the Persian Empire provides for one ofthe most intriguing studies.Conditions in Judea at this time were mostinteresting on the social level.This was a precarious time for the Jewsand the Jewish state.That there were internal socioeconomic problems isseen in the fifth chapter of Nehemiah.Again, this was related to theissue of land.Grabbe points out that the internal struggles are clearlyalluded to by the lack of productivity between the arrival of the firstwave of Jews around 539/38 BC and the time of Nehemiah's reform (93).Whywas the city still in such a terrible state?

For those "returningto the land" and those already "in the land," thepost-Exilic period would pose many unforeseen problems.Grabbe paints agood picture by pointing out the awkwardness between those who remained"in the land" after 586 BC and those who returned following thedecree of Cyrus.Those who remained comprised the bulk of the population,consisting primarily of the lower classes.They would have had theadvantage of procuring and working the land (possibly large estates)vacated by the upper classes, which made up the primary contingency fortransportation to Babylon (120,121).Those left behind were notnecessarily enthusiastic to see the owners return.Likewise, those whocame home did not expect to find their ancestral property occupied. "Land ownership" became a prominent issue (24).Economy in Judeawas primarily based on farming, and what trade did exist was for immediatelocal consumption.Although Grabbe does not state this, it is probablethat much of the merchant class either remained in the flourishing citieseast of the Euphrates, having built up a successful reputation, or movedelsewhere.Others state that there would have been no substantial marketin the ruins of Judea.However, it is clear from Nehemiah that"goldsmiths and merchants" were a part of the Jewish corpus thathelped rebuild the city (Neh 3:32).

When discussing the social reformof Nehemiah, I think Grabbe highlights the major focus of the book. Restoration was important, especially the rebuilding of the centralreligious establishment.The Jews were very aware of the circumstancesthat led to the seventy-year exile.They most certainly contemplated thiswith the laying of each new brick.How would they prevent past mistakesfrom recurring?How would they remain pure and separate from the pollutedworld around them?Born from this are such topics as the supposed"sectarianism" (103,111) or "exclusivist" socialtemperament (608,609) that was so prominent in Jewish society.This helpsexplain the rise of the different social movements, sects and parties suchas the Maccabean revolts, Hasidim, Pharisees, Essenes, zealots and thesacarii.Many of these groups grew out of the concept of"socio-religious purity." Their aim was to maintain not onlyJewish independence, but also a theocratic tradition or superiority, keptunadulterated from the outside world.This most certainly contributed tothe internal social climate during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.Itis unnecessary and perhaps historically irresponsible to categorize all ofJudea's problems as solely religious in nature.For example, Grabbe pointsout that not all so-called "Judaizers" (orthodox) were opposed toevery aspect of Hellenistic culture (169).Many of the problems during theOniad-Tobiad crises were rooted in the political sphere.However, one mustask, "What was the primary spark that ignited the Maccabeanuprising?" It certainly was not a revolt against Hellenism as such,but was due to the religious oppression from the Seleucids (268). Eventually the revolt evolved into a fight for independence, in the hopesof improving the socioeconomic conditions in Judea.

This separatistattitude of the Jews later caused anti-Jewish sentiment on the part of theGreeks and Romans.The anti-Semitism that emerged during theHellenistic-Roman periods was fostered under Hasmonean rule, for it wasthen that a major Judaizing or proselytizing campaign was carried out amongthe surrounding peoples, especially the Itureans and Idumeans.To theGreeks and Romans, the Jews demanded religious tolerance but denied it toothers (411).It must be stressed that it was not uncommon to explainsocioeconomic conditions in religious language (122).Apocalytpic became apopular style of writing and messianism characterized general socialexpectations.It is little wonder that the first major building projectduring the administration of Herod the Great was a new and grandiose Templecenter.Although Grabbe's book is in no way a theological treatise on theSecond Temple period, he does allude to Israel's spiritual condition onseveral occasions, and never fails to tie this in with the overallevaluation of the period.Grabbe's two volume series is a valuableresource for anyone's Intertestimental history library. ... Read more

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This collection of original materials provides a sweeping view of medieval and early modern Jewish ritual and religious practice. Including such diverse texts as ritual manuals, legal codes, mystical books, autobiographical writings, folk literature, and liturgical poetry, it testifies to the enormous variety of practices that characterized Judaism in the twelve hundred years between 600 and 1800 C.E. Its focus on religious practice and experience--how Judaism was actually lived by people from day to day--makes this anthology unique among the few sourcebooks available.

The volume encompasses the broad scope and complex texture of Jewish religious practice, taking into account many aspects of Jewish culture that have hitherto been relatively neglected: the religious life of ordinary people, the role and status of women, art and aesthetics, and marginalized as well as remote Jewish communities. It introduces such remarkable personalities as Moses Maimonides, Leon Modena, and Gluckel of Hameln, and presents extraordinary texts on festival practice, Torah study, mystical communities, meditation, exorcism, the practice of charity, and folk rites marking birth and death.

Representing state-of-the-art scholarship by distinguished academics from around the world, the volume includes many materials never before translated into English. Each text is preceded by an accessible introduction, making this book suitable for college and university students as well as a general audience. Whether read as a deliberate course of study or dipped into selectively for a glimpse into fascinating Jewish lives and places, Judaism in Practice holds rich rewards for any reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Selection of Articles
This book has a little of everything. Articles on History, Jewish Practice, Mysticism, and Biographies, to name a few of the topics presented. The articles are scholarly but easy enough for pleasurable reading.
Accompanying each article is section which provides sources for additional reading on the topics touched upon. Also accompanying each article, are a selection of the actual sources being discussed, enabling the reader to get a good feel of the material.

All in all, the interesting topics in addition to the two features listed above make this a good book. ... Read more

Product Description
Part of the INTRODUCING RELIGIONS series, an introduction to Judaism which provides information on the main beliefs, festivals, customs, ways of worshipping, history and key figures as well as photographs, maps, artwork and words boxes. Published in hardback in 1997. ... Read more

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An introduction to the principles and practives of Reform Judaism. Pages: 86; 7" x 5" ... Read more