Jewish Studies Commons^™

Italian Jews: A Surprising And Understudied Influence In The Enlightenment, Lura Martinez

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The experience of Italian Jews during the Enlightenment is deserving of much more attention. Not only did Italian Jews such as Moshe Ḥayyim Luzzatto, a man born in a ghetto, later embrace a form of secularism, but his works and others written by his peers made an impact on the Italian Enlightenment and seemingly contributed to the practice of toleration that appeared in sporadic installments throughout Europe. While the Jewish experience in Europe hails from a long tradition of persecution, with sporadic and incomplete periods of toleration at various points in its history, it is clear that through a promotion …

The Seventy-Weeks Prophecy Of Daniel 9:24–27 And First-Century Ad Jewish Messianic Expectation, David J. Hamstra

Andrews University Seminary Student Journal

For Christians who interpret the seventy weeks of Daniel 9:24–27 by correlating the coming of the messiah with the arrival of Jesus Christ, the question of whether Jesus could have been identified as the predicted messiah at the time of fulfillment is theologically significant given biblical claims of prophetic intelligibility. There is a consensus among scholars affirming the view that interpretation of the seventy-weeks prophecy led to a climate of messianic expectation among certain sectors of first-century Jewish society. This position is supported by the explicit connection of the seventy weeks to the anticipated arrival of a messiah in Melchizedek …

Is It So Bad To Be Yourself?, Andrew S. Russell

Graduate Theses

Homosexuality has been a topic of recent controversial religious discourse, not only in America, but also world-wide. This begs the question: when did homosexuality become such a divisive issue in religious circles? The purpose of this thesis is to examine how ancient western cultures perceived homosexuality and treated homosexuals. Starting with the pagan civilizations of Greece and Rome, and then looking at how homosexuality was perceived in the ancient Judaic world and into the early Christian community, it seems that homosexuality only gradually became stigmatized as early Christians sought to distinguish themselves as unique in the ancient world.

Infancy Stories Of Jesus: Apocrypha And Toledot Yeshu In Medieval Europe, Natalie Latteri

Theology & Religious Studies

This conference proceeding was originally published by the University of San Francisco Press through the Joan and Ralph Lane Center for Catholic Social Thought and the Ignatian Tradition of the University of San Francisco. The Lane Center Series explores intersections of faith and social justice. Featuring essays that bridge interdisciplinary research and community engagement, the series serves as a resource for social analysis, theological reflection, and education in the Jesuit tradition.

Visit the Lane Center’s website to download each volume and view related resources at www.usfca.edu/lane-center

Spiritual Exploration: Gender, Human Frailty And Interfaith Realities, Elizabeth Iobst

Charles Rice Post-Graduate Research Fellowship

This collection of essays details personal experiences, religious beliefs, gender roles and interviews conducted during a research fellowship in England and Israel.

Ijcs News, Volume 8, The Institute Of Judaeo-Christian Studies

Newsletters

The 2020 issue of IJCS News, the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies' annual newsletter, Vol 8.

Jesus And The Mosaic Law: Agapic Love As The Foundation And Objective Of Law, Robert F. Cochran ,Jr.

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Turning “Bad Jews Into Worse Christians”: Hermann Adler And The London Society For Promoting Christianity Amongst The Jews, Robert Ellison

Robert Ellison

This paper explores how sermons contributed to Jewish-Christian relations in Victorian England. I begin with a rhetorical analysis of sermons preached on behalf of the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, the largest and best known missionary organization of its kind. I then examine a collection of sermons in which Hermann Adler, then rabbi of London’s Bayswater Synagogue and later Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, pushes back against their efforts, offering the “true explanations” of passages which, in his view, had been improperly employed by Christian preachers. Finally, I trace a kind of “feedback loop” in which …

“I Will Heal Their Land”: The Meaning And Significance Of Healing (רפא) In 2 Chronicles 7:13–16, Lian Mung

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This article explores the meaning and significance of Yahweh’s promise to heal the land of his people in 2 Chr 7:13–16 within its immediate context and also within the book of 2 Chronicles by exploring how the text is connected linguistically and thematically with other related texts. It argues that the meaning of healing in 2 Chr 7:13–16 extends far beyond the physical healing of the land that results in agricultural blessings, and the theme of healing plays a significant role in the Chronicler’s theology of retribution, repentance, and restoration.

Finding A Common Ground Between Theology And Women’S Reproductive Rights: Assessing The Societal Levels Of Influence Of Religion On The Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Women, Natalie Montufar

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The principle aim of this study is to explicate and elucidate the intersection between religious beliefs and practices and Sexual and Reproductive Health throughout distinct levels of society in the developing world. A literature review identified relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature on religious beliefs held on sexuality and procreation, the landscape of influence of religion on laws and policies at a national and international level, the effects of religion on individual sexual behavior, and modern interventions aiming to be culturally and religiously sensitive. The intricacies and nuances of three Abrahamic faiths were assessed to highlight the dogma of sacred texts …

Who Is Like God? The Deer Hunter As Angelic Allegory, Nicholas J. Schaser

Journal of Religion & Film

Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter utilizes Christian contexts and biblical motifs in order to present an allegory in which Michael (Robert De Niro) represents an angelic being. While Michael displays powers that parallel those of biblical angels, his lack of religious reverence and divine self-perception lead to a metaphorical fall in Vietnam. Michael’s friend Nick (Christopher Walken) is also an allegorical symbol for imperiled humanity in need of salvation. When Michael is unable to rescue Nick from a Russian roulette table in Saigon, Cimino’s film emerges as a theological statement about the problem of human violence and the necessity for …

Ijcs News, Volume 7, The Institute Of Judaeo-Christian Studies

Newsletters

The 2019 issue of IJCS News, the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies' annual newsletter, Vol 7.

To Dust You Shall Return: A Theological Argument For The Human Compost Movement, Sydney N. Ederer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research paper analyzes Catholic, Daoist, and Jewish beliefs on death, the body, the soul, afterlife, and after death rituals in order to build a connection between these beliefs and human composting practices. It uses these three religious traditions to find support for and recognize potential opposition against the human compost movement. These conclusions are in turn used to make a claim for human composting. Thorough research and a careful analysis of religious beliefs and traditions surrounding death and the body provides theological support for human composting as a recommended method for body disposal after death. Therefore, this research is …

2018 Faculty Summer Seminar On Interfaith Relations: Day 3, Lawrence Frizzell

Selected Works of Lawrence E. Frizzell

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. Frizzell facilitated the 2018 Faculty Summer Seminar on Interfaith Relations at Seton Hall University. In this presentation, Fr. Frizzell reviews a key document from the Second Vatican Council, "The Declaration on the Church's Relationship to Non-Christian Religions" (Nostra Aetate), with a focus on the introductory sections (added for a revision of the draft in 1964) and attention to the Golden Rule in the religions of the world.

2018 Faculty Summer Seminar On Interfaith Relations: Day 2, Lawrence Frizzell

Selected Works of Lawrence E. Frizzell

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. Frizzell facilitated the 2018 Faculty Summer Seminar on Interfaith Relations at Seton Hall University. In this presentation, Fr. Frizzell continues his review of a key document from the Second Vatican Council, "The Declaration on the Church's Relationship to Non-Christian Religions" (Nostra Aetate), with a focus on the Church's encounter with the Jewish people.

2018 Faculty Summer Seminar On Interfaith Relations: Day 1, Lawrence Frizzell

Selected Works of Lawrence E. Frizzell

The Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. Frizzell facilitated the 2018 Faculty Summer Seminar on Interfaith Relations at Seton Hall University. In this presentation, Fr. Frizzell reviews a key document from the Second Vatican Council, "The Declaration on the Church's Relationship to Non-Christian Religions" (Nostra Aetate), with a focus on the Church's encounter with the Jewish people.

Liberating The Imago Dei: An Examination Of Jewish And Christian Feminist Biblical Anthropology, Carissa S. Wyant

Doctor of Philosophy Theses

This study provides a comparative analysis of the work of Roman Catholic feminist theologian Elizabeth Johnson and that of Jewish feminist theologian Judith Plaskow, who have both sought to reconstruct the Imago Dei (“image of God”) within their respective traditions. By way of this analysis, it makes a methodological and a substantive contribution. Methodologically, it expands on Elizabeth Schüssler-Fiorenza’s feminist critical approach to reading Scripture by relating it to Francis Clooney’s comparative theological approach to reading texts in religious traditions other than one’s own. Although there have been attempts at comparisons of various religious traditions from a feminist perspective, this …

Hurtado's "Ancient Jewish Monotheism And Early Christian Jesus-Devotion: The Context And Character Of Christological Faith" (Book Review), Kenneth Litwak

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Wright's "Exile: A Conversation With N. T. Wright" (Book Review), Deborah Mcconkey

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

20th Anniversary Of The Vatican Document On The Shoah (Holocaust), Lawrence Frizzell

Selected Works of Lawrence E. Frizzell

In light of the 20th anniversary of the Vatican document, “We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah” (March 16, 1998), the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Frizzell analyzes this and other related Church publications and presentations and reflects on what lessons have been learned over the past two decades and what challenges still lie ahead.

20th Anniversary Of The Vatican Document On The Shoah (Holocaust), Lawrence Frizzell

Department of Religion Publications

In light of the 20th anniversary of the Vatican document, “We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah” (March 16, 1998), the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Frizzell analyzes this and other related Church publications and presentations and reflects on what lessons have been learned over the past two decades and what challenges still lie ahead.

The Problem With David: Masculinity And Morality In Biblical Cinema, Kevin M. Mcgeough

Journal of Religion & Film

The King David of the Bible, and especially as portrayed in the books of Samuel, is one of the most complex characters in ancient literature. We are told his story from his youth as a shepherd until his death as king of Israel. He kills a mighty warrior with a slingshot, goes to war with his king and later his son, and has an affair that threatens to throw his kingdom into disarray. The stories surrounding David seem perfect for cinematic adaptation yet what makes this character so compelling has been problematic for filmmakers. Here, three types of Biblical filmmaking …

Turning “Bad Jews Into Worse Christians”: Hermann Adler And The London Society For Promoting Christianity Amongst The Jews, Robert Ellison

English Faculty Research

This paper explores how sermons contributed to Jewish-Christian relations in Victorian England. I begin with a rhetorical analysis of sermons preached on behalf of the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, the largest and best known missionary organization of its kind. I then examine a collection of sermons in which Hermann Adler, then rabbi of London’s Bayswater Synagogue and later Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, pushes back against their efforts, offering the “true explanations” of passages which, in his view, had been improperly employed by Christian preachers. Finally, I trace a kind of “feedback loop” in which …

Theology, Phenomenology, And The Divine In King Lear, Kent R. Lehnhof

English Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"In what follows, then, I would like to think through Levinas's ideas on transcendence and ethics in such a way as to map out a new pathway for approaching Shakespeare's great tragedy. As unorthodox as it may sound, I propose to shed light on the darkling religiosity of King Lear by turning-not to the theological doctrines of early modem Christians-but to the postmodern ethics of a twentieth-century Jew."

Ijcs News, Volume 6, The Institute Of Judaeo-Christian Studies

Newsletters

The 2018 issue of IJCS News, the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies' annual newsletter, Vol 6.

Gallaty's "The Forgotten Jesus: How Western Christians Should Follow An Eastern Rabbi" (Book Review), Lindsay Hallam

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Exodus As New Creation, Israel As Foundling: Stories In The History Of An Idea, Christopher Evangelos John Brenna

Dissertations (1934 -)

This study surveys the development of two literary phenomena in early Jewish and Christian tradition. The first is the birth story of a portentous child, exemplified by the birth stories of Moses, Noah, Melchizedek, and Jesus in biblical and Second Temple period literature. The second is the mythical expansion of the exodus tradition, which interprets the crossing of the Red Sea as a recreation of the people of Israel. I examine the appropriation of these two phenomena in the late antique Hellenistic story, Joseph and Aseneth. I contend that (1) the early Jewish birth story paradigm is influenced by the …

Four Case Studies In Teaching Sermons At A Public University, Robert Ellison

Robert Ellison

In this paper, delivered at the March 2017 meeting of the Northeast Modern Language Association, I discuss my experience with teaching sermons at Marshall University, a public institution in Huntington, WV. I have done this in four classes over the past several years: “Good Essays” (a 200-level general-education course in the English Department); “God Talk” (another gen-ed course, team-taught with a faculty member in religious studies); “Sermon: Text and Performance” (a 400-level class in the Honors College); and “The Victorian Spoken Word” (a graduate seminar in English). The audiences were very different, as were the texts we used (Newman, Spurgeon, …

Rubin's "The Complete Jewish Study Bible: Insights For Jews & Christians" (Book Review), Jill Botticelli

The Christian Librarian

Rubin, B. (Ed.). (2016). The complete Jewish study Bible: Insights for Jews & Christians. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. 1990 pp. $49.95. ISBN 9781619708679

The Metaphorical Use Of Marriage In Scripture: A Pentecostal Exploration, Stetson Glass

Masters of Theological Studies

The biblical writers utilize the metaphor of marriage to describe the relationship between God and humanity. Within this imagery, the people of God are often depicted as a bride. This thesis contributes to an understanding of the metaphor of marriage in Scripture by analyzing the socio-historical wedding practices of ancient Judaism. The use of the metaphor in both Old and New Testaments is examined, followed by an analysis of bridal language in early Pentecostal periodical literature. It concludes with a constructive Pentecostal ecclesiology structured on the characters and the stages found within the typical Jewish wedding.