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204 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Two ways of experiencing religion
1) personal experience, growing up
2) analysis of religion in an academic setting (what we're doing)
Origins of the word 'religion'
Comes from Romans. "Binding things", referring to ritual behavior. The term implies an outside look at something.
Smallish history of the comparative study of religion
-Enlightenment scholars, try to look at religion from the outside
-What matters is key ideas and ethics, thats IT
-Romantic era, v. exotic, wanted details of other religions (American transcendentalists)
Sacred Books of the East
Book. Comparative study of scriptures. Max Müller edited it.
philology
science of religions
eschatology
About things at the end, study of the afterlife, the apocolypse, etc
Emile Durkheim
Involved with the ideas of the sacred and the profane
Profane
Not sacred, ordinary
Rudolph Otto
Wrote "The Holy" (translated as "The Idea of the Holy")

Mentions the story of Moses and the burning bush

"The Holy" is pre-ethical
Examples of sacred time
Holidays (Sabbath)...the other six days are profane
Examples of sacred place
synagogue, Jerusalem, church, temple, Mecca, mosques, alter of the church
Examples of sacred objects
Bible, Qur'an, Torah, relics (cross), alter in church, bread and wine of the Euchrist
What makes things sacred versus profane?
Human perception of sacrality
Professor Wallace's Definition of Religion!
The perception of the sacred, articulated through beliefs and behaviors (morals and rituals), taking place in a community
cultus
morals and rituals (behaviors)
community (within context of the definition of religion)
-modern sense of religion is very individualistic
-but whatever you shape for yourself is against backdrop of community, even if you're rejecting traditions
-SOMETHING COMMUNAL THAT INCLUDES WHOLE SOCIETY
beliefs (within context of definition of religion)
-in modern cultures, religion was primarily beliefs, especially among Christians
-Orthodoxy important!
-Ritual behavior very important. Greek Gods didn't give a crap about morals.
Orthodoxy
Correct beliefs

In Judaism, more strict about LAW versus BELIEF
Ancient near east
Ancient area, eastern Mediteranian, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine,

In ancient world, 2nd milenium b.c.e.
cosmology
The study of rthe world/universe. The way that people situate themselves with an image of the big picture.
cosmos
the universeeeeee
The cosmological conviction
The conviction that the cosmos was a living organism
Animism
the concept of things being "alive" with an anima. Most obvious cases in humans, animals, and plants.
Anima
A soul, or a spirit. In Animism, it was believed that everything had an anima.
Paul Tillich
defines religion, "one's ultimate concern" and "religion is the soul of Culture"

definition opens it up too much
E.B. Tylor
Gave the name to animism. Saw everything through an evolutionary lens. He was an anthropologist.

Believed animism -> polytheism -> monotheism
Patterns of Religion in the Ancient Near East
1. sacrality of the earth
2. sky gods
3. myth
4. ritual order
5. creation
Sacrality of the Earth (a.n.e. religions)
-The earth is female. Nurturing, give birth to plants, etc. Associated with GODDESSES.

-Importance: We need to eat and drink. Earth isn't ALWAYS fertile. Spring took on special significance. Ancient religion not about morals or about afterlife, but about food supply.
Sky Gods (a.n.e. religions)
-bring rain that makes crops grow. Sexual analogy (men = water. woman = earth). Water, rain, thunder.
Sky Gods of Egypt (a.n.e.)
Osiris (god of river, waters of the Nile)
Sky Gods of Babylon (a.n.e.)
Enlil (Mesopotamian), god of rainstorms

Ea - waters under the earth

Shamash - the sun (Arabic and Hebrew words for 'sun' very similar)
Sky Gods of Syrian coast (a.n.e.)
Ba'al (rain)

Mot (also rain)
Myth
Ordinarily has a negative, false connotation. very dismissive.

BUT IN REALITY, myth is just sacred narrative.

In a.n.e., all is well, something introduces element of chaos. disorder comes from "bad" or "satanic" figure.

Seasonal change myths are all cyclical myths!
The myth of Isis and Osiris (seasonal change)
Set (bad god). He attacks Osiris. Set wins. Set stands for destructive rains. Cuts Osiris up into 14 pieces. Scatters pieces over earth. Isis, mourning Osiris, wanders around picking up pieces of Osiris to bring him back. Finds all pieces but one...his EYE. When Osiris is slain, Isis is preggers with his son, Horus. When Horus grows up, he attacks Set. Set has retains Osiris' eye. Horus defeats Set. Gives Osiris' eye to Isis. She puts Osiris back together again. Nile overflows with fertility.
The myth of Ishtar (Babylonian), seasonal change
Another god called Tammus. Youth god. Martly mortal. Young, advernturesome. Goes hunting. Likes ferocious boars. Just as he strikes bobar, boar gores him. Tammuz bleeds to death. Carried down to shadowy underworld. Weak, evanescent souls in underworld. Ishtar goes down to Tammuz. She gets him and brings him back. Once again, earth is fertile. Happens again and again.
Syrian seasonal change myth
Ba'al is god of gentle rains. Mot is destructive rains. They fight. First Mot wins. Then Ba'al wins, regions with Astarte, crops grow.

Thrilling story, eh?
Ritual Order (a.n.e. religions)
-Order of rituals people engage in to maintain stability of the cosmos. Works at the principle of sympathy. Like = like. Want rain to fall? Pour water on earth. Gives HUMANS very important role. Ritual not just about food, but about birth and death, too.
Creation (a.n.e. religions)
-Descriptions of how the cosmos came to be.

Have to BEGIN WITH DISORDER.

POLARITY: Cosmos versus Chaos
Babylonian creation story
Tiamat and Kingu, earlier gods. Gave birth to second generation, Ishtar, etc. Generational conflict. Younger gods too annoying. Tiamat suggests killing and eating them. Younger gods get wind of plot. Marduk is going to be their champion Bbecmes creator god. Slices defeated Tiamat lengthwise. Puts second slice on bottom, separated bby four pillars. Divide up world. Wanted someone on earth for sweet smell of [cocky net?]. Made humans out of slain Kingu's blood. Made Ziggurat temple and alter. Symbiotic relationship.
Themes around ancient near east
-Patterns of religion, built around the cosmos
-Cosmology is a myth that define things
Max Müller and myth
-thought of myths as explanatory
-etiological
-many stories ARE explanatory (ex. snakes have no legs becaues a snake tempted Eve)
An element of folkloric nature of myth)
etiological
relation to a cause or explanation
James G. Frazer
Englishman, classicist, applied an anthropological approach to his studies

myth and ritual closely interrelated

Ancient communities re-enacted creation myth once a year

The origin of myth was ritual! So, RITUAL came first.
ex. Primative tribal people depending on deer, simulate the desired result bebfore they go hunting. So this instinctively. In due time comes the myth.

Wrote "The Golden Bough"...ransacked mythology of the world to prove a point
Magic
You do something, result will INEVITABLY come. Coercive.
Religion (James G. Frazer), compared to MAGIC
More supplementary than coercive
Three types of myth
1) Cosmological Myth (nature myth)
2) Political Myth
3) Soteriological Myth
Cosmological myth
Hesiod's myths - The Theogony (the birth of the Gods)

Express an early stratum of greek myth

Focuses on agricultural cycle and the rituals that go with it

Hesoid's versions of myth important to FARMERS.
Political Myth
-In Babylonian myth, one god steps forward and leads victory (Marduk)

-Patron god of the city of Babylon

-Gives creator role to a political figure, patron of the city, etc

-Their god wasn't the original creator, but myth rewritten

-The Iliad and the Odyssey (gods taking sides in battle)

-Certain gods have lots of political clout (Apollo, god of civilization, has civic meaning, and Athena, patron goddess of Athens)

-Political myth important to aristocrats, kings, people who benefit from the BOOTY of water

-Varro
Civic religion
Worship gods of the city so it will remain strong
Varro and civic religion
-Roman writer, divided myth and religion into different classes:

1) Fabulous, from fables. earlier nature.
2) Allegorical religion. Gods connected to natural things.
3) Civic religion. MOST important. Makes people LOYAL to the state. Karl Marx in reverse! (Varro was an aristocrat)
Soteriology
Concerning onesself wtih salvation. Similar to eschatology, the things that come at the end.
Babylonian soteriological myths: Adapa
-part mortal, part god
-son of ea, god of the water
-boy god, very mischievous
-Got a dinner invitation, Ea told him not to eat anything
-Doesn't eat anything, the food was the food of immortality
-Missed opportunity!
-Human longing for immortality
Babylonian soteriological myths: Gilgamesh
-worries about death after death of a close associate
-King of Ur
-Wise man named Nupishtam
-Wise man put humanity in an arc, saved humanity from flood
-Noah story of Babylon
-Nupishtam gives Gilgamesh herb of immortality. "Take this back to the city!"
-He got thirsty, put the herb down, and a snake stole it.
-Then they invented pockets. With zippers.
Greek soteriological myths: Eleusinian myth
-Demeter (goddess of soil) and Persephone
-Persephone captured by Hades, Demeter mourns, Zeus responds
-Persephone ate pomegranate seed of the underworld

-In Eleusis, underwent transformation
-Beginning of mystery religion
-The new life of the crops inferred new life of mystery religion person
-Localized!
Greek soterioligical myth: Orpheus myth
-The orphic mystery
-Sand praises of Dionysis, pleases women (maenads), especially Erydice
-Orpheus goes down to underworld to get Erydice when she dies
-Must not look back! But...Orpheus slips on rock, Erdyce looks back, turns to stone
-So sad that he won't sing to Dionysis. Maenads in a frenzy, tear him apart and eat him.
Story of the Orphic mystery religion
Survives in Plato!

-Dionysis was a child-god, favorite of his father Zeus
-Enemies of Zeus (Titans) want revenge
-Attract Dionysis away from Zeus with toys.
-And then they eat him.
-Zeus is ripshit. Destroys titans with thunderbolt.
-Creates humans out of the ashes
--> We have good side (dionysian), and bad side (titanic)

-Orphic mystery religion, initiation rites, purge of evil impulses
-Certain taboos, foods to eat, etc.
-When you complete this, you get a blessed immortality, soul goes to Zeus
Greco-Egyptian Religion
-Isis, goddess of the Nile, becomes center of soteriological religion
-life-giving powers associated with immortality
-Merging of Greek and Egyptian motifs (in the Hellenistic era, after Alex conquered Egypt, 325 b.c.e.)
When did mystery religions emerge?
After Hellenstic era

Not just greek like Eleusinian and Orpheus

Isis was a Hellenistic mystery religion
The Mystery of Mithra
-Persian god associated with the sun (Greco-Persian myth)
-Priests called "magi".
-Mithra was sun god of Arayan people
-Temples of mithra found many places in roman world
-Astrological elements, observed the stars
-built around series of initiation rites (7 rites = 7 plants...before Neptune)
-Birthday of Mithra is winter solstace
-Temples of mithra underground (holes in ceiling to see the stars. kept sacred fire burning. Called mithraeum)
-Emphasized martial virtues (fraternity, loyalty, etc.)
-Excluded women, attracted soldiers, found mithraeums wherever soldiers stationed.

Christians built churches (St. Clement's) over mithraeums.
Magi
Names of priests associated with mithra mystery. Gifts of the Magi = three wise men. Etymologically related to "magic". Zarathustra or Zoroaster known as a great magic user.
Mithraeum
Temple of the mithra mystery. Underground, has holes in ceiling to see stars, and kept sacred fire burning.
Etymology of philosophy
"philos" = love, "soph" = wisdom. "love of wisdom" in Greek
Theology
Reflections on religious traditions

Ancient greek philosophy also a theology. Concerned with nature of the divine.
Wisdom literature (a.n.e.)
Reflection on meaning of life, meaning of things.

One part consisted of proverbs and sayings, telling you how to live life
-found its way into the Hebrew scriptures
-the Book of Proverbs, gives proverbs similar to a.n.e.
-don't bring gods into proverbs in a.n.e., but Jews connected them to god
The story of Job
-book in hebrew scriptures
-Raises question of the why of suffering. why do the righteous suffer if there is a loving god? (theodicy)

Babylonian Job: ancient poem. babylonian guy with his god. god points out that he did some things wrong.

...doesn't really answer the question.

Biblical Job: bonplex book. Job argues with friends. An Etymite, living in desert separate from Israelites. Has family, riches, etc. misfortune befalls, loses everything. Friends say that he must have done something wrong.

--> God shows up and says "Where were you when I made everything? How can humans understand the ways of God?"
Theodicy
Question of suffering. Why do the righteous suffer if there is a loving god?
Greek and Roman Philosophy continued: Xenophanes
600 bce

The anthropomorphic principals

Anthropos = man, morphic = shape... "man-shape"

Gods of all peoples look just like them

Clearly they've just human shapings of Gods

BUT

Doesn't mean that there are no gods

Our ideas about them are just too little.
Greek and Roman Philosophy continued: Euhemerus
Euheremism

The gods were just diefied ancient heroes?
Greek and Roman Philosophy continued: Socrates
Was put to death byb the government

Corrupted the youth in religious terms

Teaching people atheism (OH NOOO)

Denial of worship of the gods
Greek and Roman Philosophy continued: PLATO
Wrote "The Republic". Wanted to ban poets, specifically Homer, because gods were less moral than the people that worshiped them

-Had profound influence on western religions. Plotinus was the version of Plato most frequently carried on

-The physical realm is not the most real. Ultimate reality is spiritual. Physical world is a shadow world (made into a whole cosmology by Plotinus)

-The One
The One (Plato)
-Pure being
-The most real being there is
-So splended that it overflows like a pebble in a pool (ripples)
-One of these eminatations is our world
-We are ensouled (we have a soul, and our soul is the real us)
-Inner self has greater relationship with "the one"

Plotinus:
-Had experience with The One
-Ecstacy
-Had a mystical experience: Connection between inner self and ultimate being
The Stoics
-"stoical", show no emotion

-Hellenistic period

-Zeno, warrior princess! (happiness is to have desires fulfilled. world isn't built for desire-fulfilling. so, desire the inevitable. grin and bear it!)

-Fatalism about what happens connected to a divine future. Stoic hymn, treats Zeus like the only god, the supreme god

-When Christianity arose, many pagans were already monotheistic. Lesser gods, angels, etc. I've got no idea what that next bit says, but I'm pretty sure it's not "things farted".

-belief in immortality of the soul. Souls of the righteous will be rewarded.
Stoic virtues
1) Justice
2) Temperance
3) Prudence
4) Fortitude

+ Paul's three virtures

1) Faith
2) Hope
3) Love

= Medieval Christian cardinal values
Epicurus
Good food, "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die"

Gods don't give a damn

Live as through they're not there

Religious people took stoic side.
Structured empathy
the humble yet critical attitude of the outsider who wishes to attain an insider's perspective (ninian smart)
Smart's six dimensions of religion
1) Experiential (religious feeling, religious experiences. the numinous)

2)Doctrinal (prosaically stated beliefs. teachings of a religion. dogma, theology)

3) Ethical (morality?)

4) Ritual (sacrifice, rite of passage

5) Social

6) Mythical
numinous
that sense of awe-inspiring wonder, which one might feel in certain places or situations where one senses the presence of God or spiritual beings - the sense of 'other-ness' about the situation (Rudolph Otto)
dogma
Results when a community finds it necessary to give a more previse definition of a point.

These dogmas can turn into creeds.
theology
study, analysis, and reflections on the doctrines, dogmas, and creeds of a religion. a "second order activity".
ethics
second-order reflections on morality
Emile Durkheim
Functionalism

"religion is society's self-worship"

social glue = civil religion. In America: About America and its something. Holy days (4th of July, etc)
Two ways of understanding time
Cyclical (ancient greeks and a.n.e.) and linear
What part of our world is cyclical?
Nature.
View of time in the modern west?
Linear. With technical advancements, we think in terms of progress.
What part of the world is linear?
Human life/age

Generations

History
Why have we come to think about the world in linear terms?
Religion, creationism. started with Judaism. And...the technical advancements, I guess.
First five books of the bible (the books of Moses, the Torah)
-Genesis (means 'beginning')
-Exodus (named after an event, Jews led out of slavery by Moses)
-Leviticus (named after a tribe named after Levi)
-Numbers (Census of Israelites in the desert)
-Deuronomy ("second law", story of the 10 commandments told again)
The Wellhausen Hypothesis
Defined authors of books by J, E, D, and P
J
Yahwist
E
Elohist
JE
1000 bce

Two tellings of story from Abraham to Moses (story of the patriarchs [abraham, isaac, and jacob], term 'children of abraham' refers to Jewish people. arabs too.) (time of moses, gets law from god. If abraham father of JEWS, moses father of JEWISH RELIGION)
The Doublets
Two tellings of the same story, with minor differencnes. Found in J and E.
The Name of God
Yahweh = the "proper" name of God

Elohim - the "generic" name of god (the Hebrew word for 'god')

In Yahwist version, used all the way back to story of Abraham. In Elohim version, name 'Yahweh' not known until Moses and he burning bush. It's a sacred name.

Word "Yahweh" means "I am who I am" or "I am that which causes things to be".

Name Jehovah, was misunderstanding by Christian translators. Name Yahweh was so sacred, was simply known as YHWH. Put in the margins the vowels for 'the LORD'.
The Pentateuch
First five books of the bible.
Josiah
620 bce

-A neglected scroll of the law found in a temple
-Only one Jewish temple, built byb Solomon in 10th century bce
-In year 70bce, temple destroyed forever
-Gathered people around scroll, people pledged that they would keep the laws
D
Deuteronomic interpretation of history

-Told story of monarchy of kings
-Saul, David (unified monarchy), and Solomon
-Other leaders simply "Judges"
Theme through Jewish history (D)
-Israelites come into Canaan (Israel) began to worship false gods of Canaanites. False gods were gods of agriculture, needed the crops to grow

-God bbrings up another people to conquer them, Israelites cry out to Yahweh for salvation. Yahweh sends a king, or judge, to save them.

Same story over and over and over again. Struggle between Yahweh (god of history) and Ba'al and Astarte (gods of nature).
Boring-ass story of Elijah (D)
Elijah the prophet. Queen Gezibelle, canaanite princess. She brings worship of Ba'al to Jerusalem. King Ahab can't stand up to his wife. Elijah tells Ahab to worship Yahweh. Elijah challenged priests to make it rain down fire. They can't do it. Elijah douses his animals in water. He makes Yahweh rain down fire. Elijah orders them to kill all 400 priests.
P
Consists entirely of the Book of Leviticus.

Concern with priestly ritual

When this was produced, there WAS a temple.
***Periodization of Jewish History***
1) Pre-Mosaic
2) Mosaic Yahwism (1200 bce. Yahwist and Elohist)
3) Prophetic Wisdom (Era of the Prophets) - 1000 bce, Deuteronomic.
4) Exilic/Post-exilic Judaism (586 bce) --> Jerusalem conquered by Babylonians (P)
5) Hellenistic - 325bce - 70ce
6) Rabbinic - 70ce - 700ce
7: Medieval - 700ce - 1700ce
Pre-Mosaic Era
We don't know too much about it.

We can read between the lines.

Reflects period when they weren't only worshiping one god.

And...that's it, basically.
Mosaic Era
-monolatry
-aniconism
-covenant relationship
-law
Monolatry
The worship of one god. BUT, did any other gods exist?
Aniconism
"icon"

rejection of images

Yahweh not to be represented by any image
Covenant relationship!
-special relationship with this God
-They pledge to worship Yahweh alone
-Yahweh will make you prosper
-Closest you will get to a theme in Hebrew bible
-"Testament" another word for "covenant"...old covenant and new covenant in Christian bible
Law (mosaic yahwism)
Hebrew word for "law" is "Torah"

"Torah" can mean 5 boboks of Moses

Can refer to whole body of Jewish law

They are the THINGS YOU CAN DO TO FULFILL THE COVENANT.

2 kinds of law: case law and apodictic law
Case law
causitry. Ex. If ox gets lose and tramples tomato plants, you shall pay blah blah.
Apodictic law
commandments. "thou shalt not".
What is a prophet?
Messenger of the word of God. (NOT "fortelling the future")
What do prophets do?
They get people to give up idolitry, worship Yahweh
How do you tell a real prophet from a fake one?
Fake prophets bring good news. Real prophets bring doom.
After SOLOMON, what was the northern kingdom? What was the southern kingdom?
Northern = Israelites
Southern = Judea
Cycle of stories about prophets (example)
Elijah/Elisha

-Elijah tries to get people to give up idoltry
-Elijah goes into heaven on a chariot of fire
-Elisha picks it up
How many written prophets?
4 major ones and 12 minor ones
The 4 major prophets
Isaiah, Jerimiah, Ezekial, Daniel (doesn't really belong to the book of prophets, very lately written)
Messages of prophets: Amos
-early in the 8th century
-"prophet of social justice"
-"let justice roll down like waters" (quoted by MLK)
-get rid of festivals, give me justice
Messages of prophets: Hoseah
-covenant fidelity
-You have violated covenant with Yahweh!
-If you repent and return to Yahweh, he will forgive
-Eternal compassion and love
-Always opportunity to repent
Messages of prophets: Isaiah
-composite book
-Isaiah of Jerusalem (First 40 chapters, 8th century)
Message of holiness of God (vision of God in temple, overwhelmed by transcendency and majesty of God)
-Remnant of Israel (always a remnant of Israel that will remain steadfast)

Second Isaiah, chapters 40 - 55, is the Exilic era
Messages of prophets: Jerimiah
-long, unified, autobiographical book
-get in the inner mind of prophet
-prophet of DOOOOM
-word of God is like fire in the belly. MUST say it.
-Doom for Judea!
Historical sketch of the exilic/post-exilic period
-Kingdom of Judea
-Independent Jewish kingdom for over 400 years
-Northern Israel destroyed by Asyrians
-Judea eventually conquered by Babylonians, in 586 bce
-temple destroyed
-Jews carried into Babylon, they were in exile!
-last 70 years
-Survival of Judaism clung to exiles
-Zerubbabel/Zecurbabel
-Nehemian
-Erza
Zecurbabel (Zerubbabel?) (exilic period)
Return of the exiles!
520bce
Temple rebuilt under him
Nehemian (exilic period)
About 450 bce

Another group comes back and rebuilds walls of Jerusalem

Persians conquer Babylonians and let Jews come back
Erza (exilic period)
400 bce

last of the prophets

first of the scribes

-scribes = copying and putting otgether texts

-grand covenant-reviewing ceremonies
scribe
copying and putting together texts
Developments of Jewish religion during exilic/post-exilic period
1. monotheism
2. theodosy
3. law
4. temple worship
Developments of Jewish religion during exilic/post-exilic period: monotheism
-Before this time, it was monolotry
-now they don't believe in other gods (versus only supposed to worship Yahweh instead of other gods)
-Second Isaiah, Yahweh laughs at other gods, which are just wood and stone (meanie!)

a) the force of divine providence (only one god, he rules the universe!)

b) divine transcendence (god is not walking among humans, etc. Appears in Isaiah, Ezekial. Distant god, not embodied)
Developments of Jewish religion during exilic/post-exilic period: theodosy
The failure of the deuteronomic theory
-If you obey God's law, you will be rewarded
-Under Josiah, revival of Yahwism (620bce)
-Continued to worship Yahweh...and then they were conquered by Babylon in 586 bce. wtf.
The deuteronomic theory
If you obey God's law, you will be rewarded
Exilic/post-exilic theories about theodosy
a) Suffering for the suns of our fathers? Ezekial says no. That's dumb.

b) Book of Job's answers...where the fuck were you when I created the world?

c) In servant songs of 2nd Isaiah. Servant of the Lord who suffers for the whole people. Remnant of Israel suffering for the whole of Israel.
Developments of Jewish religion during exilic/post-exilic period: Law
-with Ezra, Pentatuch has been re...redacted? redated?

-Jews had Torah in written form

-have law and scripture
Developments of Jewish religion during exilic/post-exilic period: Temple worship/Priesthood
-earlier temple had been filled with pagan stuff. NO MORE!
Beginning of Hellenistic Judaism
Roughly 325bce. Book says 331bce, when Persian Empire takes over. Jews can return to lands. Persia gives them freedom!
Political situation of Hellenistic judaism
Alexander died in 323bce
Empire divided up among his generals.

2 generals: Ptolemy in Egypt ruling from Alexandria, AND Seleucid dynasty in Syria, from Antioch

Border of these two empires, roughly where Jews lived.

For first bit of Hellenistic era, lived under Ptolemy.

200 bce, went to Seleucid.

In 63bce, went under roman rule. 120 years later, rebellion against Romans!

Jerusalem destroyed in 70ce.
Alexander's two big generals
Ptolemy, Egypt, ruled from Alexandria (let Jews go their own way)

Seleucid dynasty in Syria, from Antioch (not as nice)
Antiochus Epiphanes
Ruler of Seleucid
-Gave himself name to make himself seem divine
-Make himself important, gives himself more authority
-Jews did not want to recognize Antiochus as divine
-He wanted to put his own image and the image of Zeus in the temple

REBELLION!
-Under the leadership of the Macabees, successful at fighting against Seleusis. Govern independent state from 165 bce to 63 bce
Macabee Rebellion
Fought Antiochus Epiphanes of Seleucid because he wanted to put his image and the image of Zeus in the temple of Yahweh.

They won, and governed their own independent state from 165 bce to 63 bce.
Roman Rule (hellenistic judaism)
Ruled Jewish lands through puppet rulers.

ex. Herod the Great (40 - 4bce) -> Jesus born under this time. Born in 5 or 6 bce.

Jews hated Herod. He was a cruel ruler. Slaughter of the innocents. Hears from wise men that a king has been born in Bethlehem. Josephus records bad things about him.

After Herod's death, Romans divided up kingdom.
-Judea put under role of Roman procurator (ex. Ponchous Pilate)
-Northern area turned over to another Herod
Herod the Great
40 - 4bce) -> Jesus born under this time. Born in 5 or 6 bce.

Jews hated Herod. He was a cruel ruler. Slaughter of the innocents. Hears from wise men that a king has been born in Bethlehem. Josephus records bad things about him.
Division of Jews into two groups in HELLENISTIC era
1) Palestinian Jews. Spoke Aramaic (part of the book of Daniel is in Aramaic). Lived in provinces, Galilei, Judea, etc.

2) Diaspora Jews. "Scattering". More lived outside the homeland than in it. Why? Babylonians carrying off the Jews, didn't go back. Alexandria, cultural hub of Jewish diaspora.
Diaspora Jews
"Scattering". More lived outside the homeland than in it. Why? Babylonians carrying off the Jews, didn't go back. Alexandria, cultural hub of Jewish diaspora.
Institutions of the hellenistic era
1) The temple
2) The synagogue
Institutions of the hellenistic era: the temple
-became important hub of Jewish religious life
-even diaspora Jews wanted to pilgrim to Jerusalem and worship there
-When Herod rebuilt it, it was a GORGEOUS structure
-Sadducees

-remnant of temple worship: remembering sacrificial victim, Euchrist
Sadducees
-priesthood
-conservative approach to religious matters
-grew up around the temple
-rejected all of the apocalyptic stuff
-focused on ritual
-rejected belief in resurection of the dead
-vanish when the temple vanishes

scriptures: Torah, books of Moses
Institutions of the hellenistic era: the synagogue
-new institution
-"an assembly, a gathering together"
-v. new kind of cultus
-not a place for animal sacrifice
-centered around transmission, reading, teaching of sacred text
-Involved prayer and instruction
-Pharisees

-CREATES PATTERN OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP FOR ALL THREE RELIGIONS
Pharisees
-appear hypocritical
-at odds with Jesus
-bad rap in the new testament
-new religious ideas
-strict keepers of the law - dress, diet, etc.
-taught in the synagogues (NOT a priestly class!)
-apocolyptic overtures (style of writing was very other worldly, full of dreams and symbols
-believed in afterworld: good go to Paradise, bad go to Gahenna

scriptures: Torah, books of Moses, Prophetic literature, historic, etc. Much larger canon of literature.
New religious ideas of the pharisees
-eschatological and apocalyptic
-believed in coming of Mesiah
-restore Israel to former greatness
-descendent of David
Scriptures of the sadducees
-Torah, books of moses
Scriptures of the pharisees
-Torah, books of Moses, Prophetic literature, historic, etc. Much larger canon of literature
prophetic eschatology
historic reference
apocalyptic eschatology
angels, demons, much more supernatural
Escenes
-accounts of two Jewish writers: Josephus, and Philo of Alexandria
-group/party who lived a strict asetic life (self-denial)
-lived in desert, rough clothing, etc.
-dead sea scrolls!
The Dead Sea Scrolls (background)
-discovered in mid-to-late 1940s
-rolled up for almost 2000 years!
-some just fragments
-put fragments with scrolls, over 10,000 pieces!
-John the Baptist might have been an escene...no proof, but it's plausable
What was on the dead sea scrolls?
1) Portions of the Hebrew bible. Isaiah scroll most notable. Some have more accurate account of the Bible.

2) Books written by the Scenes.
-The War of the Children of Light with the Children of Darkness
-community rules
-Manual of Discipline
-even more apocolyptic than Pharecees
Three main groups/parties of Palestinian Judaism
-Sadducees
-Pharisees
-Essenes
Alexandria, Egypt
-capital of ancient Egypt
-very cosmopolitan city
-cultural center in ancient Mediterranean
-big library that got burned down!
-had a Jewish quarter
-Jews absorbed culture they were in (not so much Egyptian culture, but Greek culture.)
The Septuagint (still hellenistic judaism!)
-by this period, Jews were a people of the book, and needed it translated
-folk tale that 70 people translated it, and every copy was identical
-very authoritative book, had to be reproduced with exactness
-we have complete copies!
-as early as 400ce, which is wicked early
-earliest copies of Hebrew texts were 10th century (except dead sea scrolls)
-important to determine which versions of the bible were first
What was in the septuagint?
-more than just sacred scripture
-70ce, rabbinic period starts, temple destroyed
-90ce, rabbis met in Jamnia
-Tanakh

-also included 12 more boboks
-First and second Macabees, Wisdom of Solomon (lots of greek philosophy)
-some additions to existing books (The Rest of Ester, because the first Book of Ester never mentions god)
Jamnia
In 90ce, rabbis met there, decided what belonged in the scripture, what is included in the canon of Jewish scripture

-Three parts: Law (Torah), Book of the Prophets (Deuteronomic history, etc. included), and Writings (miscelaneous..psalms, proverbs, wisdom, literature.)
Tanakh
Three parts: Law (Torah), Book of the Prophets (Deuteronomic history, etc. included), and Writings (miscelaneous..psalms, proverbs, wisdom, literature.)

Tanakh is the acronym created from these three parts
Early Christians (in relation to hellenistic judaism, and their bibles)
-spoke Greek (after a while)
-adopted Septuagint as their Bible
-Christians didn't know they were writing scripture when they wrote New Testament. The only scripture they knew was the Hebrew scripture.
-Old Testament differs whether you accept Jamnia canons or the Septuagint
Catholics use THIS old testament
Septuagint!
Protestants use THIS old testament
Jamnia canons! This is what Jews use too.
Apocrypha
Name given to additions to Septuagint by Protestants.

Sometimes they stick this in the middle, between the Old and the New.
Palimpsest
If you write on velum (stretched animal skin), people erased what was on a book to write new things. A palimpsest is a text that has been erased and written over, but not erased well.
Philo Judeas
-Early part of 1st century ce
-Jew in Alexandria, wrote in Greek
-"What is the relationship of Jewish religion to Greek philosophy?"
-Was neoplatonist
-Thought that Plato represented the truth
-Tried to reconcile the truth of Plato to Jewish bible (2 different worlds of thought)
-Allegorical interpretation
Allegorical interpretation
What Philo Judeas used to apply neoplatonism to the Jewish bible

example (not done by Philo): "Bafibesheth, though he was lame, ate at the king's table", where Bafibesheth is man, lameness is original sin, and the king's table is God's grace

-You can really make anything say anything

-Since Plato is later than moses, the ideas first appear with Moses, and then Plato borrowed ideas from scriptures (according to Philo)

-Temporary dead end, has survived because of Christians. In Medieval Judaism, we find people who liked Aristotle (Maimonidas)
Key point of Rabinic Judaism
-There were lots of schools of thought in Jellenistic Judaism
-After 70 ce, only the Pharesees survived
-Many schools get funneled down to one
-No temple, no Qumran
-the religion of the synagogue
The religion of the synagogue
Portable! You only need 10 men

Persists in diaspora

Religion of Tanakh, not of ritual
Religious law (rabinic judaism)
-the law they study becomes religious law
-they don't govern themselves anymore
-their law can't prevail, only religious law survives
Priesthood in Judaism
continues, but religious functionaire is the rabbi
Rabbi
learned scholar and scribe

doesn't do ritual or preach. they're teachers!
Rabinic literature
-although scripture has come to end, it's still a living tradition
-you have to apply it to new situations!
-keep it ALIVE, with interpretation and commentary

-Midrash, Mishnah, Gemara, Talmud

-discussions between rabbis. They were always paired up because they disagreed. ex. Hillel and Shammai.
Midrash
-commentary, take the biblical text and write comments ON it
-stories that had found their way into literature?
Mishnah
-"the topical method" Organized by TOPIC.
-focused on legal material
ex. The Sabbath...all the material about keeping the Sabbath holy all in one place.
-But it didn't stop there...you read to interpret the Mishnah!
Gemara
-finishing of the Mishnah
-may be incorporating Midrash
-basically, this was when the Jewish scholars debated and disagreed on stuff
-Developed in Jerusalem and Babylon
-By 7th century, combo of these two parts (Gemara and Mishnah) became the Talmud
Talmud
-The Gemara and the Mishnah
-7th century
-Two Talamuds: The Babylonian one adn the Jerusalem one. Same mishnah, different gemara.
-It's a frickin' huge book.
In medieval times, where were Christians primarily?
Mediterranian, Europe (minus Spain)
In medieval times, where were Muslims primarily?
Spain, Middle East, and East (minus Russia and eastern Europe)
Shephardim
Jews in Muslim lands. Includes Jews of Spain (Moors were in Spain until Reconquista in 1400s), and Holland/Netherlands, since they were part of the Spanish empire.
Ashkenazim
Jews in Christian lands (includes Russia and eastern Europe)
Three religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism) have this in common:
-all monotheistic
-some ideals, rules, and laws
-where there are differences, Jews and Mulsims are alike

Their conflicts are so bitter because they are so closely related, like family quarrels.

-Both Christians and Muslims assumed that Jews would "see the light" and follow their path
personality of the law
law applies differently to different people. This was COMMON and accepted in the middle ages, so it wasn't anything particularly horrible that the Jews had laws applying differently to them.
territoriality of the law
"this law applies to all of the people in this particular land". Relatively new. Not really around in the middle ages.
the ghetto system
Restrictions on where Jews were to live. Arose out of the middle ages. People were walled in. You might be able to leave, but you had a curfew.
Some examples of medieval restrictions on Jews
Roman empire became Christian:
-couldn't cross bridges
-can't repair synagogues
-ghetto system

-sometimesm had to wear a special badge or marker
-Jews could not go outside during holy week for fear that Jews would ridicule mourning Christians
-Christians said that Jews killed the son of God

-All of these laws acknowledged that Jews HAD THE RIGHT TO EXIST.

Muslim examples:
-couldn't inherit from Muslims
-couldn't repair synagogues
-if you commit apostacy, you die.
"The wandering Jew"
A folktale that said that a Jew scoffed at Jesus at the crucifixion, and Jesus said that he shall wander and never die. Always suffers, but never dies. Christians can help along with the suffering. Jews always had to be there, but suffer.
apostacy
When you convert to one religion, and then you revert back to your old religion.
The Era of the Crusades
-efforts of Christians to take back lands once theirs (Palestine, Syria, Egypt)
-very complicated alliances and stuff, but always bad for the Jews
-Shouldn't we take care of the Jews first?
-sacked Jerusalem, Jews got slaughtered
-medieval
The Plague
-1347 to 1350
-1/3 of medieval population dies!
-looking for someone to blame....oh look! It's the Jews!
-said that Jews poisoned wells because Jews were dying less than Christians
-really, they just had better sanitation.
-tortured Jews, Jews said that they'd been poisoning wells, blah blah blah
Religious developments of medieval Judaism
1) Legal traditions (masoretic text, continuing rabbinic commentary)

2) Jewish religious philosophy (Maimonides, Ihn Gabirol, Saadya)

3) Mystical tradition (Kabbalah, Gematria, Abraham Abulafia, self-identify with divine)
Masoretic text
-Around the 10th century, Hebrew bible received definitive form
-Group called Masoretes
-They pointed the text...put the vowels in
-This is the date from which our oldest copies of Hebrew scriptures (until dead sea scrolls)
Masoretes
-compiled the masoretic text
-pointed the bible...put the vowels in
Rabbinic commentary in medieval judaism
-further commentaries on the Talmud
-Had effect of adding official commentary to legal text
-Expanding the law gets WICKED complicated
-Prepared compendia, simplifying this

-All this commentary took place in religious academies called Yeshiveh
Compendia
Jews simplifying their complex interpretations of the Talmud and other texts.

Yosef Karo, in 16th century, made it fit into one book
Yosef Karo
16th century rabbi, made all of the commentaries fit into one book
Yeshiveh
Religious academies where a lot of this commentary on scriptures and legal texts took place.
Saadya
-engaged in philosophical debate with Christians in Mudlisms
-Baghdad, 10th century
-example. Revelation to Moses better attested than revelations to Jesus or Mohammed. Moses gets it in front of huge crowd, but Jesus only with 12 people and Mohammed basically alone in a cave

-Greek philosophy huge in the Muslim world at this point
Ihn Gabirol
-Jewish philospher, 11th century
-Jewish platonist
Maimonides
-tried to reconcile Jewish faith with teachings of Aristotle
-Aristotle said that the world was always there, BUT, Jews had a creation moment
-Wrote "A Guide for the Perplexed", a guide to Judaism.
-developed a sort of creed (monotheism, anidolitry, expectation of a Messiah, etc.)
-very rational explanation of things. Did not see a contradiction between reason and faith
Mysticism
-you see it mostly in Hellenistic religions and mystery religions
-And in Plato
-Inner soul being one with the supreme being, when you self-identify with the divine

-BUT, you have to be careful in Judaism to keep distinctions between creator and created
Mysticism in Medieval Judaism
-Keep distinction between creator and created
-Began as movement of interpretation
-Look in Bible for mystical experiences
-Believed that mystical ideas went all the way back to Moses
-secret teachings of Moses

Ezekial:
-some in Isaiah too
-elaborate descriptions of God
-had that vision of God's awesomeness overflowing

-You shouldn't meditate on numbers associated with YHWH until you're 40 years old and you're well-versed in the legal traditions
Abraham Abulafia
-Meditated in Hebrew
-used letters for numbers (Gematria)
-Meditated on numbers associated with YHWH
-"HOLY FUCK I'M GLOWING LIKE A LIGHT BULB"
-realized that all three religions taught the same thing. Went and told the Pope about it
Gematria
-using letters for numbers, you can turn words into numbers. You can turn them into mystical significance.
The Zohar
The Book of Splendor

by Moses de Leon

-describes God as an unlimited divine principle
-produced the universe indirectly as series of emanations called spherot
-??