BARD COLLEGE

Comparative Theology: Classical Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism

Professor Bruce D. Chilton

CHILTON@BARD.EDU

Professor Jacob Neusner

JNEUSNER@LUNA.CAS.USF.EDU

Monday, 3:30-5:30 P.M.

Office hours: After lunch on Mondays or Tuesdays

Reading:

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God (McGill-Queens University Press, 1999)

Chilton & Neusner:

Christianity and Judaism: The Formative Categories I. Revelation. The Torah and the Bible. Philadelphia, 1995: Trinity Press International.

Christianity and Judaism: The Formative Categories II. The Body of Faith: Israel and Church. Philadelphia, 1997: Trinity Press International.

Christianity and Judaism: The Formative Categories. III. God in the World. Philadelphia, 1997: Trinity Press International.

Judaeo-Christian Debates. God, Kingdom, Messiah. With Bruce D. Chilton. Minneapolis, 1998: Fortress Press.

 

I

Introduction

Principia Theologica: Thinking Philosophically about Religious Myth

1. Monday, September 6

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, PP. iii-xvi

2. Monday, September 13

Monday, September 20: No class. Yom Kippur

II

Mythic Monotheism: Creation, the Nature of Man, the Fall

3. Monday, September 27

4. Monday, October 4

TO BE READ BY OCTOBER 4:

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, PP 3-89, 409-508.

Christianity and Judaism: The Formative Categories. I. Revelation. The Torah and the Bible. COMPLETE.

Judaeo-Christian Debates. God, Kingdom, Messiah. With Bruce D. Chilton. Minneapolis, 1998: Fortress Press. PART ONE.

Monday, October 11: No class, Reading week

III

Torah and Christ

6. Saturday, Oct 16

Study Conference: Religious Belief and Economic Behavior. Students are expected to attend the papers of this conference, two of which (those of Prof Neusner and Prof Chilton) will be integral to the course.

7. Monday, October 18

TO BE READ BY OCTOBER 18

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, PP 509-645.

Judaeo-Christian Debates. God, Kingdom, Messiah. PART THREE

8. Monday, October 25

IV

The Body of Christ vs. Holy Israel

a. City of God and City of Man vs. Israel and the Nations

9. Monday, November 1

TO BE READ BY NOVEMBER 1

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, PP 90-191.

Christianity and Judaism: The Formative Categories II. The Body of Faith: Israel and Church

V.

The Body of Christ vs. Holy Israel

b. Imitation of Christ

vs.

"You Shall Be Holy, for I the Lord your God am Holy"

10. Monday, November 8

11. Monday, November 15

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, PP 239-408

VI.

Sin and Atonement, Resurrection and Eternal Life

Monday, November 22: No class. Professors attend American Academy of Religion meeting

12. Monday, November 29

13. Monday, December 6

TO BE READ BY DECEMBER 6

Neusner, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, PP 639-670.

Christianity and Judaism: The Formative Categories. III. God in the World.

Judaeo-Christian Debates. God, Kingdom, Messiah PART TWO.

VII.

Conclusions

14. Monday, December 13