Jews and Christians in the First and Second Centuries: the Interbellum 70‒132 CE

Jews and Christians in the First and Second Centuries: the Interbellum 70‒132 CE

By Joshua J. Schwartz

Book Description

This scholarly exploration delves into a pivotal seventy-year period that fundamentally shaped the spiritual landscape of Western civilization. Between 70 and 132 CE, following the destruction of the Second Temple and preceding the Bar Kokhba revolt, two major religious traditions underwent profound transformation and ultimately diverged onto separate paths.

Rather than accepting earlier assumptions about established rabbinic authority during this era, the contributing scholars present evidence for a more nuanced understanding. They reveal how rabbinic Judaism emerged gradually as a regional movement with initially limited reach, challenging previous "maximalist" interpretations of early rabbinic power and influence.

The work illuminates how Judaism evolved from its temple-centered origins into a new form organized around synagogue worship, Torah study, and rabbinic wisdom. Simultaneously, it traces the complex process through which Judaism and Christianity, once closely intertwined, began their historic separation during these crucial decades.

For readers interested in understanding the roots of interfaith dynamics and the development of religious identity, this comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights into how spiritual communities adapt, transform, and define themselves during periods of crisis and change. The book examines not just institutional developments, but the deeper questions of how religious movements establish authority, preserve tradition, and navigate relationships with both political powers and sister faiths.

Through careful examination of this transitional period, readers gain perspective on the forces that shape religious evolution and community formation.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~15 hours)

📄 Length: 548 pages

What You'll Discover

  • ✓ Strengthen your faith journey
  • ✓ Explore Primitive and early church
  • ✓ Explore Talmudic period
  • ✓ Explore Christians
  • ✓ Explore Christianity and other religions
  • ✓ Explore Church history
  • ✓ Explore Christianity and other religions, judaism
  • ✓ Explore Relations

Topics Covered

Interfaith relations Primitive and early church Talmudic period Christians Christianity and other religions Church history Christianity and other religions, judaism Relations Christianity Judaism History Jews

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