Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Unit

Synopsis

Jesus was born, lived and died a Jew, as did many of his earliest followers. Beginning with an exploration of the Roman context, the geopolitical character of Judea and Galilee, and the sectarian and apocalyptic cast of first-century Judaism (e.g. the Dead Sea Scroll communities), the unit then concentrates on how the Jewishness of Jesus was represented by rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. Relevant issues include Jesus the Jew, the Gospels and anti-Judaism, Paul's view of Judaism, the relationship between the New Testament and the Hebrew Scriptures, rabbinic depictions of Jesus, and modern scholarly debates about "the parting of the ways" between Judaism and Christianity.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. locate "Jesus the Jew" in the context of first century Palestinian Judaism
2. understand how Jews and Judaism are represented by New Testament writers
3. understand how Jesus is represented in rabbinic literature
4. understand traditional and new scholarly accounts of Paul's view of Judaism
5. understand the historical processes that led to the parting of the ways between Judaism and Christianity
6. critically appreciate different scholarly approaches to the subject
7. analyse evidence from primary sources.

8. demonstrate evidence of wider reading and greater reliance on primary sources
9. understand the complexity of various issues addressed in the unit, including reflection on the relationship between orthodox theology and historical events.

Chief examiner(s)

Michael Fagenblat

Contact hours

One 2 hour lecture per week
One 1 hour tutorial per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Religion and theology
Jewish civilisation
History