The Transformation of Judaism: From Philosophy to ReligionAn eminent scholar of the history of Judaism, Jacob Neusner shows in this work how Judaism changed from a philosophy to a religion between 200 and 400 C.E. 'The Transformation of Judaism' is a work both revolutionary in its method and unprecedented in its results. Comparing earlier and later sets of Judaic writings, Neusner sets forth how philosophy - abstract, elegant, orderly, and intellectual - turned into religion - tangible, down-to-earth, chaotic, and concrete. In the process, he offers an account of the birth of Judaism that has become normative. Moreover, Neusner's methodology can be applied to the study of religions other than Judaism because it examines the underpinnings of how a society sees the world (philosophy), orders itself (politics), and sustains itself (economics). |
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
From Philosophy to Religion | 27 |
Philosophical Economics Reproduced | 57 |
From Hierarchized Foci | 83 |
Part Two The Formation | 107 |
Learning and the Category Torah | 117 |
The Transvaluation of Value | 151 |
Empowerment and the Category The People Israel | 185 |
Comparison and Classification of Systems | 215 |
The Gnostic Torah | 225 |
The Political Economy of Zekhut | 253 |
Enchanted Judaism and The City of God | 284 |
Modes of Making Connections | 315 |
339 | |
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Common terms and phrases
answer appeal Aristotle authority authorship chapter character Christian claim classification component conception concerning context contrast counterpart deeds defined definition distinct documents economics entirely evidence example explain expression fact formation framers Genesis give given God's hand Heaven holy important indicative initial issue Judaism king knowledge Land of Israel learning legitimate Leviticus living material matter means merely Mishnah mode natural particular passage patriarchs person philosophical politics present Press produced proposition question Rabbah rabbis rational received refers relationship religion religious represented requires rhetoric Rome rules sages scarce resources Scripture sense serves Sifra simple single social entity social order specific standing statement story structure successor system supernatural symbol Talmud theory things thought Torah tractate traits transformation violence wealth whole writings Yerushalmi zekhut