CLS 230 - Judaism and the Origins of Christianity

Course Units: 1

(Not offered in 2013-14) We know that Jesus of Nazareth was Jewish, so how is it that Christianity and Judaism became separate religions? This course attempts to answer this question by investigating the nature of the relationship between earliest Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism, drawing out their shared roots in the religion and literature of ancient Israel, and exploring the diverse expressions of second temple Judaism among which the two religious traditions emerged. It also explores their distinctive religious teachings and scriptural interpretations with a particular interest in understanding how and why Christianity and Judaism, despite their commonalities, parted ways and became independent religions. LCC