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This course considers the “parting of the ways” between Judaism and Christianity, beginning with the tumultuous first century (the Jewish War and the beginnings of the Jesus tradition) and continuing through the synthesis of Christianity and Empire in late antiquity. Along the way, we will consider how Christianity and Judaism emerged from a common matrix, influenced and co-created each other, and Othered each other in their processes of self-definition. We will attend especially to the problems with the “World Religions” model, ancient identity formation, the origins of Christian anti-Semitism, the effects of empire and diaspora, and modern attempts to explain the “parting.”
Becker, Adam H. and Annette Yoshiko Reed, eds. The Ways that Never Parted: Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2007.
Berzon, Todd. Classifying Christians: Ethnography, Heresiology, and the Limits of Knowledge in Late Antiquity. Oakland: University of California Press, 2016. (available as an e-book through Iliff library)
Boyarin, Daniel. Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004. (Available as an e-book through Iliff library)
Drake, Susanna. Slandering the Jew: Sexuality and Difference in Early Christian Texts. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. (Available as an e-book through Iliff library)
Fredriksen, Paula. When Christians Were Jews: The First Generation. New Haven and London: Yale, 2018.
Kotrosits, Maia. Rethinking Early Christian Identity: Affect, Violence, and Belonging. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2015.
Leiu, Judith. Neither Jew Nor Greek: Constructing Early Christianity. London and New York: T&T Clark Cornerstones, 2015. (Available as an e-book through Iliff library)
Nongbri, Brent. Before Religion: A History of a Modern Concept. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 2013. (Available as an e-book through Iilff library)
Recommended Texts (optional for Masters students, required for Doctoral students):
Dunn, James D.G. Neither Jew Nor Greek: A Contested Identity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015.
Fredriksen, Paula. Augustine and the Jews: A Christian Defense of Jews and Judaism. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 2010.
Weekly Posts (50%): Students will make four weekly posts, including reasonable interaction with the posts of others. Since this is a hybrid class, this is the equivalent of attendance and class participation. In addition, attendance at Gathering Days is mandatory and not negotiable.
Paper Proposal (10%): Due in week 5. Students will write a prospectus on a research question for their final paper.
Final Paper (40%): A final paper of 12-15 pages will investigate some aspect of early Jewish-Christian relations. This is a research paper, representing original inquiry into the research question from the proposal. As such, it will be evaluated based on use of sources, argumentation, and adherence to standards of quality at Iliff (masters students) and the JDP (doctoral students).
Other Matters:
Requests to take the course pass/fail must be made to the instructor by the end of the first week of class. Pass/fail is not an option for JDP students.
Instances of academic dishonesty will be pursued in accordance with the Masters Student Handbook for Iliff students. JDP students are bound by the DU Honor Code in this and every course.
Our communities are enriched by individuals of many faiths that have various religious observances, practices and beliefs. In affirming this diversity, it is the policy and practice of the University of Denver to provide religious accommodations for students and employees unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship. Students seeking such an accommodation should discuss this with the professor, and a solution will be reached.
Date | Day | Details | |
Mar 24, 2020 | Tue | Say Hello! | due by 05:58AM |
Mar 24, 2020 | Tue | Week 1 Overview: The Study of Jewish-Christian Relations | due by 05:59AM |
Mar 26, 2020 | Thu | Week 1: Primary Source | due by 05:59AM |
Mar 28, 2020 | Sat | Week 1: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
Mar 31, 2020 | Tue | Week 2 Overview: Common Matrix, Rivalry, and Polemic | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 02, 2020 | Thu | Week 2: Primary Sources | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 04, 2020 | Sat | Week 2: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 07, 2020 | Tue | Week 3 Overview: Self-Definition and Counter-Definition | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 09, 2020 | Thu | Week 3: Primary Sources | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 11, 2020 | Sat | Week 3: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 14, 2020 | Tue | Week 4 Overview: Gender and Sexuality | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 16, 2020 | Thu | Week 4: Primary Source | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 18, 2020 | Sat | Week 4: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
Apr 23, 2020 | Thu | Gathering Days Schedule, Readings, and Zoom link | due by 06:59PM |
Apr 23, 2020 | Thu | Paper Proposal | due by 06:59PM |
May 05, 2020 | Tue | Week 7 Overview: Materialism | due by 05:59AM |
May 07, 2020 | Thu | Week 7: Primary Sources | due by 05:59AM |
May 09, 2020 | Sat | Week 7: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
May 12, 2020 | Tue | Week 8 Overview: Modern Categories | due by 05:59AM |
May 14, 2020 | Thu | Week 8: Primary Sources | due by 05:59AM |
May 16, 2020 | Sat | Week 8: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
May 19, 2020 | Tue | Week 9 Overview: Imperial Christianity | due by 05:59AM |
May 21, 2020 | Thu | Week 9: Primary Sources | due by 05:59AM |
May 23, 2020 | Sat | Week 9: In-Depth | due by 05:59AM |
May 26, 2020 | Tue | Week 10 Overview: Late Antique, Early Medieval | due by 05:59AM |
May 28, 2020 | Thu | Week 10: Primary Sources | due by 05:59AM |
May 30, 2020 | Sat | Week 10: A Concluding Primary Source | due by 05:59AM |
Jun 02, 2020 | Tue | Final Paper | due by 05:59AM |