Magda Teter :: Professor of History

HIST 301: Jews in Christian and Muslim Lands

In contemporary world rife with religious conflicts many pundits project modern ideas of religion and religious divisions onto the past. Many commonly speak of anti-Semitism even when referring to the medieval period, or discuss of long centuries of conflict between Jews and Muslims. This course will explore a variety of topics concerning relations and attitudes between Jews, Christians, and Muslims. We will look at the process of religious separation that took place between these religious groups, reading both foundational texts of each of the group (Bible, Talmud, Church fathers, the Qur'an etc) and their religious polemic against the other groups (Christian and Muslim anti-Jewish polemic, Jewish anti-Christian and anti-Muslim polemic). At the same time, we will ask ourselves questions about real life interactions between these groups, to what extent real people were aware and affected by what religious elites were writing and reading.

Course Requirements Course Readings

Class Schedule:

1. Mon. 09/06 Introduction: Middle Ages and the Jews. Salo Baron "The Jewish Factor in Medieval Civilization" in Ancient and Medieval History of the Jews, 239-267; Mark Cohen "Myth and Counter Myth" and "Religions in Conflict" in Under Crescent and Cross, 3-29.

2. Mon. 09/13 Jews and the Other in the Bible: Morton Smith ""The Old Testament and Its Interpretation" in Palestinian Parties and Politics that Shaped the Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah 1-12; 30, 42-44; 48-49; 52, 53; 59; 61; Jeremiah 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 31, 32, 44; Psalms: 2, 8, 13; 15; 16; 18; 59; 84; 85; 86;111; 119;132;

Further suggested readings: Philip Davis In Search of Ancient Israel

3. Mon. 09/20: Jews and the Other in the Mishnah and the Talmud: Gerson Cohen "Rabinnic Heritage" in Studies in the Variety of Rabbinic Cultures, 61-97. Mishnah Avodah Zarah, TB Avodah Zarah: 22b-29b, 35b-40b, 44b-45a, 75b.

4. Mon. 09/27 Christianity and the Jews: Gospels and Epistles of Paul. FIRST ASSIGNMENT ANNOUNCED

Further suggested readings: Brandon "History of Theology? Basic Problems of the Evidence of the Trial of Jesus of Nazareth," D. Flusser "The Dead Sea Sect and Pre-Pauline Christianity; W. Meeks "Breaking Away" and M. Simon "History or Theology;" Lawrence Schiffman "Jewish Sectarianism in Second Temple Times" in Great Schisms in Jewish History.

5. Mon. 10/04 Christianity and the Jews II: Church Fathers and the Papacy: Augustine, Chrysostom, Gregory I (handout), Innocent III, Chazan Church, State and the Jew 15-43; 167-205, Grayzel pp. 92-95, 114-117, 198-203. DRAFT DUE-- please submit via blackboard, or email.

6. Mon. 10/11 Islam and the Other: The Qur`an: Anton Wessels Understanding the Qur'an, 1-8, 27-38, 123-142; Richard Bell Introduction to the Qur'an chapters II: "The Origin of the Qur'an" and III: "The Form of the Qur'an", 37-66; The Qur'an Suras: 1-5, 17, 24, 26, 56, 63, 68, 75, 112, 114.

THURSDAY 10/14 FIRST ASSIGNMENT DUE - please submit via blackboard, or email.

7. Mon. 10/18 NO CLASS MID-SEMESTER BREAK

8. Mon. 10/25: Jewish Attitudes to the Other in the Middle Ages-Polemic: Testimonium Flavianum - Josephus ; Celsus on Jesus- 2nd Century ;Tertullian Mocks Jewish 'Slanders' ; Yeshu and Joshua b. Perachiah ; Baraitha Sanhedrin 43a ; Toledoth Yeshu; (+Handout, Midrash), A Medieval Sourcebook: Judah Ha-Levi, The Kuzari, part I. ; A Maimonides Reader "Epistle to Yemen," 437-462, Sefer Nizzahon Vetus, Kuzari; Jacob Katz Exclusiveness and Tolerance, 3-113 TOPICS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES DUE

9. Mon. 11/01 Jews and Christians in Conflict: Crusades and Medieval accusations: The Chronicles: Chazan European Jewry and the First Crusade pp. 223-end; Grayzel, letters concerning host desecration accusations and blood libels.

10. Mon. 11/08 Cultural Influences: Christianity and Judaism: Ivan Marcus Rituals of Childhood (entire), Sefer Hasidim; Berakhiah ha-Nakdan (hand-out).

11. Mon. 11/15 Cultural Influences: Islam and Judaism: Camilla Adang Muslim Writers on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible "Al-Maqdisi's Description of Judaism", 257-263; Learning and Art (Poetry) Scheindlin, handout Sefer ha-Kabbalah. OUTLINES DUE

12. Mon. 11/22: Jewish Culture and Scholarship: Rashi (hand-out), The Maimonides Reader pp. 42-86; 99-108; 121-131; 135-139, 155-170, 174-179, 222-227, 235-358, 402-423, 478-480; Ethical Wills, Ibn Pakuda Duties of the Heart; Medieval Sourcebook: Rashi: Jewish Community in Troyes, c.1100 ; Medieval Sourcebook: Jewish Ethical Wills, 12th & 14th Centuries ; Medieval Sourcebook: Reciting the Grace after Meals: The Status of Jewish Women, from Berakhot, chapter 7 .

Mutual Attitudes:

13 Mon. 11/28 Coexistence: Church Fathers: Medieval Sourcebook: Saint John Chrysostom: Homilies Against the Jews ; rabbinic responsa (hand-out); Medieval Sourcebook: A Rabbinic Responsum: The Shabbat Goy: Angevin England; Medieval Sourcebook: Gilbert Crispin: Disputation of a Jew with a Christian about the Christian Faith (Before 1096) ; Medieval Sourcebook: Anselm of Canterbury: How to Treat a Convert (before 1100) ; Medieval Sourcebook: Contact between English Jews and Christians: Two Twelfth-century Views ; Medieval Sourcebook: Gerald of Wales: Two Cistercian Monks turn Jews (before 1200)Medieval Sourcebook: Medieval Converts to Judaism: France and Germany; Medieval Sourcebook: A Business Partnership between a Jew and Christian in Barcelona, 1235-1242 CE ; DRAFTS DUE.

14. Mon. 12/06 Jews Under Christianity and Islam: Reassessment

Monday December 20, 2004 FINAL PAPER DUE please submit via blackboard, or email.