RELG 316 - Rabbis and Fathers

Credits: (3)
College Curriculum: COLL 200
Domain (Anchored): CSI
Domain (Reaching Out): ALV

In this course we will trace the developments of rabbinic Judaism and catholic Christianity from the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 CE to the Muslim conquest of Caesarea in 640 CE, with a particular focus on the way each religion interpreted their scriptures. In the first half we track the rise of each group, as well as the posture of 2nd century catholic Christianity toward the Jews. In the second half, we make a detailed comparison of the ways in which each group interpreted their sacred literature, giving special attention to (a) talmudic and midrashic literature among the rabbis, (b) Old Testament commentary and hermeneutical treatises among the catholics, (c) the interpretive philosophies of four major figures of the period (Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Akiva, Origen and Augustine) and (d) each group’s views of the other, as espoused in the Babylonian Talmud (on Jesus) and Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History (on Jews of the apostolic age).