Title Who made early Christianity? : the Jewish lives of the Apostle Paul / John G. Gager

Published New York : Columbia University Press, 2015

Click on the following:
EBSCO eBooks

Copies

Description 1 online resource (203 pages) Series American lectures on the history of religions American lectures on the history of religions Contents Was the Apostle to the Gentiles the father of Christian anti-Judaism? -- The Apostle Paul in Jewish eyes : heretic or hero? -- Let's meet downtown in the synagogue : four case studies -- Two stories of how early Christianity came to be -- Turning the world upside down : an ancient Jewish life of Jesus Summary In this historical and theological study, John G. Gager undermines the myth of the Apostle Paul's rejection of Judaism, conversion to Christianity, and founding of Christian anti-Judaism. He finds that the rise of Christianity occurred well after Paul's death and attributes the distortion of the Apostle's views to early and later Christians. Though Christian clerical elites ascribed a rejection-replacement theology to Paul's legend, Gager shows that the Apostle was considered a loyal Jew by many of his Jesus-believing contemporaries and that later Jewish and Muslim thinkers held the same view. He holds that one of the earliest misinterpretations of Paul was to name him the founder of Christianity, and in recent times numerous Jewish and Christian readers of Paul have moved beyond this understanding. Gager also finds that Judaism did not fade away after Paul's death but continued to appeal to both Christians and pagans for centuries. Jewish synagogues remained important religious and social institutions throughout the Mediterranean world. Making use of all possible literary and archaeological sources, including Muslim texts, Gager helps recover the long pre-history of a Jewish Paul, obscured by recent, negative portrayals of the Apostle, and recognizes the enduring bond between Jews and Christians that has influenced all aspects of Christianity. (Publisher) Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index Notes In English Print version record Subject Paul, the Apostle, Saint -- Relations with Jews SUBJECT Paul, the Apostle, Saint fast Paulus Apostel, Heiliger gnd Paulus, van Tarsus, ca. 6 v.Chr-67. (NL-LeOCL)072288078 nta Subject Identification (Religion) Christianity and other religions -- Judaism. Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity. Christianity -- Origin. 11.51 early Christianity. RELIGION -- Biblical Studies -- New Testament. Christianity Christianity -- Origin Identification (Religion) Interfaith relations Judaism Relations with Jews Judentum Urchristentum Early christianity. Judaism. Kristendom och judendom. Identitet (religion) Form Electronic book LC no. 2014044886 ISBN 9780231539371 0231539371

  Permalink