Along with the Bible and the Talmud, The Zohar was one of the pillars of medieval Judaism. Unlike those earlier works, however, The Zohar (or “The Splendor”) purports to provide a mystical path to God. This class will read and discuss portions of The Zohar, in order to both learn about Kabbalah and about the connections between this and the other pillars of Judaism. No prior knowledge or experience of any kind is required. Continue reading
Although “Christianity” is often thought to have been part of God’s plan from the beginning of time, the historical emergence of religions centered on Jesus Christ looks in hindsight to have been anything but foreordained. On the contrary, the emergence of “Christian Judaism” and its transformation into “Jewish Christianity” and beyond entailed several hundred years of creative and contentious development by a number of schools of proto-Christian thought. In this course, we will examine the formation of what we know today as Christianity through a close reading of early Christian texts — some of which made it into the victors’ New Testament and some of which did not. Continue reading
Although 27 books were included in the fourth century anthology known as the New Testament, early Christians produced a great many more books considered sacred by various communities. Among these other books were additional gospels, acts of the apostles, epistles and apocalypses. In this course, we will read and discuss a selection of the surviving “lost books” that did not make it into the Bible (as well as several of the canonical books that did) in order to get a sense of the works themselves, the similarities and differences among them and between them and the canonical works, and of the process that led to the creation of the Christian canon. Continue reading
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This course will provide a brief introduction to one of the most important — and yet one of the least accessible and least read — texts of the Jewish tradition. After a brief overview of the origin and history of this monumental work, the course will focus on reading and discussing a few important sections and considering their connection with the Hebrew Bible. No background knowledge of any kind is required. Continue reading
Despite the traditional belief that it has remained unchanged since its fundamental principles were given to Moses at Mt.Sinai, what is today known as Judaism is the product of several thousand years of evolution. During this time a number of distinct “Judaisms” have come into being, some of which (including “Christianity”) survive until this day. Beginning in ancient times and concluding in the present, this course will survey the development of these various forms and the people associated with them by examining a range of primary and secondary sources. The course will consist of both lectures and class discussions. In addition, students will be required to write three short papers on assigned topics and to make a presentation related to the themes of the course. Continue reading
This course is designed both to introduce students to some of the major texts of the Western tradition and to help students develop their critical thinking skills, including the ability to understand, assess and formulate logical arguments. To pursue these goals we will read, discuss and write about works loosely organized around two themes: 1) god(s); 2) power. The oldest of these texts was composed almost 3000 years ago; the most recent was composed about 300 years ago. Continue reading
Although discovered in the late 1940s, the Dead Sea Scrolls — a collection of Judaic texts dating from roughly 200 BCE to 100 CE — have only recently become fully available to scholars and the public. In this course, we will explore these ancient documents both by reading a selection of them (as well as secondary texts that put them in context) and by comparing them to traditional biblical texts from the same era. In addition to seeking an appreciation of the scrolls themselves, we will also seek greater understanding of various strands of thought current at the dawn of both rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity. No prior knowledge or experience of any kind is required. Continue reading
Though many people think of God as something fixed and unchanging, a careful study of scripture reveals that this is not so. Rather, it seems that the Western conception of God — and indeed the very notion that there is only a single God – has evolved over the millennia. This course will introduce students to some of the varying conceptions of God found in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an through careful reading and discussion of primary materials in English translation. Readings will be drawn primarily from the Torah (especially Genesis and Exodus), the Book of Job, the Gospels, and key suras (chapters) of the Qur’an — though we will begin by looking at Mesopotamian and Greek conceptions of the gods as manifested in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Hesiod’s Theogony. Students will be responsible for doing close, thoughtful reading of each assignment and actively participating in each class discussion. In addition, students will be asked to write three papers (about 6 pages in length) and to make a presentation related to the themes of the course. The second essay is to be revised based on class and instructor feedback. Continue reading
This course is designed both to introduce students to some of the major texts of the Western tradition and to help students develop their critical thinking skills, including the ability to understand, assess and formulate logical arguments . To pursue these goals we will read, discuss and write about a number of works loosely organized around the themes of morality and the relationship of the individual and society. Continue reading