With the conversion of Constantine in AD 312, Christianity began a period of political and cultural dominance that it would enjoy until the twentieth century. Jacob Neusner contradicts the prevailing view that following Christianity's ascendancy, Judaism continued to evolve in isolation. He argues that because of the political need to defend its claims to religious authenticity, Judaism was forced to review itself in the context of a triumphant Christianity. The definition of issues long discussed in Judaism - the meaning of history, the coming of the Messiah, and the political identity of Israel - became of immediate and urgent concern to both parties. What emerged was a polemical dialogue between Christian and Jewish teachers that was unprecedented. In a close analysis of texts by the Christian theologians Eusebius, Aphrahat, and Chrysostom, and of central Jewish works such as the Talmud of the Land of Israel, the Genesis Rabbah, and the Leviticus Rabbah, Neusner finds that both religious groups turned to the same corpus of Hebrew scripture to examine the same fundamental issues. As Neusner demonstrates, the conclusions drawn in these texts shaped the dialogue between the two religions for the rest of their shared history in the West.

About the Author
Jacob Neusner is Distinguished Service Professor of the history and theology of Judaism and senior fellow of the Institute for Advanced Theology at Bard College. He is general editor for the Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism - The Talmud of the Land of Israel series, published by the University of Chicago Press.

Reviews
"The immense output of Jacob Neusner is equaled only by the enjoyable vigor and independence of his mind.... [His] books reflect contemporary Jewish-Christian dialogue in the twentieth century and illustrate the way in which the comparative serenity of that conversation makes easier a sympathetic understanding of ancient historical problems." - Times Literary Supplement"



Book Information
ISBN 9780226576534
Author Jacob Neusner
Format Paperback
Page Count 262
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 397g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 16mm * 2mm