What makes someone Jewish? What makes someone Christian? Judaism and Christianity are two major religions of great importance today, but how did they emerge to become global phenomena? Together in this course, we will explore how Judaism and Christianity formed within the context of the Ancient Mediterranean world, attending to their points of continuity and their moments of conflict. Surveying the period of history that spans from the Maccabees (2nd century BCE) to the rise of Muhammad (7th century CE), with particular attention to textual, archeological, and material evidence, we will ask: How did Jews and Christians confront social issues like gender, ethnicity, imperial power, and poverty? What aspects of their religious worlds did Jews and Christians share? When does “Judaism” emerge as a religion with a self-defined identity? Likewise, when does “Christianity” emerge as a religion independent from Judaism? How do figures like Jesus, Paul, and Constantine, and their interpretive histories, unify these religions and fortify their separation? Finally, what attitudes did Jews and Christians develop toward one another as they sought to differentiate, and how did those attitudes sometimes translate into harsh rhetoric about the other? No prerequisite.

Intended Audience:

Students who are studying Religion, History, Judaic Studies, or Middle East Studies