Weeks 4-5: Judaism in the First Century of the Common Era

In Jerusalem with our professor, the late Ezri Uval, who invited us,

his students to celebrate Habdalla, the end of the Sabbath;

seen in the pic - Father Jean-Juste from Haiti and Father Dario from Argentina
Photo taken in 1997

A. Contents
Part I: Judaism as a Greco-Roman Religion
Part II: Political Crises in Palestine and their Ramifications
Part III: The Formation of Jewish Sects


B.  Required Readings
1. Ehrman, pp. 36-55 (see File Box); Quiz on July 5, review the Key Terms, p. 54.

2. Amy-Jill Levine, “Jesus and Judaism: Why the Connection Still Matters,” in Ethical Dimensions in the Teachings of Jesus and Paul (Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Convention of the Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines, 2004) – see File Box

3. The Pontifical Biblical Commission, The Jewish People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible (2001). Read esp. nos. (par.) 23-63 “Shared Fundamental Themes” and nos. 70-78 “Jesus in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles.”

C. Quizzes
1. July 5 -  Ehrman, pp. 36-55 (see File Box); review the Key Terms, p. 54.
2. July 12 - TBA

D. Helpful Materials

1. Rabbi Benjamin Blech, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Judaism, 2nd ed. (NY: Alpha Books, 2003).
2. _____________, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jewish History and Culture, 2nd ed. (NY: Alpha Books, 2004).

3. The Fiddler on the Roof  (The Movie, 1971) - Click here for the opening lines of the movie (Tradition!).

4. Amy-Jill Levine, The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (New York: HarperOne, 2006).

5. E. P. Sanders, Judaism Practice and Belief, 63 B.C.E.—66 C.E. (London: SCM Press; Philadelphia:Trinity Press International, 1992).-- “a full, detailed, and authoritative account of what it meant to be a Jew immediately before and during the time of the New Testament” (Ehrman).

6. James C. Vanderkam, “Judaism,” in The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible 3: 424-435.
Click here for the outline.

7. E. J. Schabel, "Pharisees," in The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible 4: 485-496. Click here for an excerpt. 

8. Felix Just, SJ, "Jewish Groups during the Time of Jesus."

E. PowerPoint Lecture Presentation -click here.

List of Articles in the Synoptics File Box

We have a Synoptics File Box located just outside Nica's Room. Loose articles relevant to our course will be placed there for your reading. Please check this post from time to time for updated list.

Seán Freyne, "The Roman World," in The World of the New Testament (New Testament Message 2; Wilmington, Delaware: Michael Glazier, 1980), pp. 45-78.

Amy Chua, "Tolerance in Rome's High Empire," in Day of Empire (New York: Anchor Books), pp. 29-58.

Fr. Wilhelm Schmidt, SVD

In our discussion of the Mystery Religions in the Greco-Roman World, I mentioned the idea of Fr. Wilhelm Schmidt, SVD (1868-1954),  influential ethnologist who "suggested that there had been a primitive monotheism before men and women had started to worship a number of gods. Originally they had acknowledged only one Supreme Deity, who had created the world and governed human affairs from afar" (Karen L. Armstrong, A History of God, p. 3).

From 1912 to his death in 1954, Schmidt published his 12-volume Der Ursprung der Gottesidee (The Origin of the Idea of God) -- his data coming from the reports of the SVD missionaries assigned in different parts of  the world.

His works available in English translation are: The Origin and Growth of Religion (1931), High Gods in North America (1933), The Culture Historical Method of Ethnology (1939), and Primitive Revelation (1939).

We can borrow Father Schmidt's idea as we appreciate the Mystery Religions which were very popular and attractive during the time of Jesus.

Powerpoint Presentation of Topic I: The Greco-Roman World

Click here "Greco-Roman World" . Please use your ID and Password to download the PDF attachment.

Reflection Paper 1: Divine Providence through the Greco-Roman World

Please click on the image read about the assignment.
Note: Deadline, June 28, 2010.