Judaism - Lecture Notes - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | RELI 1001, Study notes of World Religions

Download Judaism - Lecture Notes - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | RELI 1001 and more Study notes World Religions in PDF only on Docsity! Casey Sharp- Casharp@uga.edu On ELC: -Religiology (Due Tuesday) -Attempts to define “religion” -Principles for the study of religion DAY 1 1.) Epistemology- how do we know what we know. Answer that you ttust your senses and what people do we trust. Teachers? Friends? Family members? Religion- bible- How do u interpret it? Baptist way? How do u trust for whatever you trust? 2.) Ontology-Don’t write on this. What is real? What exists? a. Theology-Is there a god? If so who is he and what is he like? God is the father son and holy spirit. What do u think about god? b. Cosmology- Whether or not u believe different levels of existence. Hell? Heaven? Pergulatory? Spirit? Ghost. c. Eschatology- End times? How or when? 2 elements- cosmic and personal. Personal- do you believe when u die that you reincarnate, heaven, hell, and how does it work and where you get in. 3.) Anthropology- who we are as people. Homo sapiens. Made in the image of god. Christian- sin. Animals. Something special about being human. What makes us humans. 4.) Teleology- Meaning of life? Go to heaven. Be a good person. Only purpose to have kids and pass genes on. Living for pleasure. Grand purpose for everyone? 5.) Methodology- How u get to teleology? Education. Religious community? Going to church or prayer practice. Studying scripture. 6.) Geography- What places and times are important to you? Holy to you. Judaism connects to Israel. Sense of home? Your house with your parents. What physical places are important to you. What times are important to you? *Why study Judaism -It is by far the smallest of the three religions we will discuss this semester (~14 million) -However, its influence far outweighs its number -It has a vast history and has outlived many other nations (are there any Hittites or Amalakites in the room? -Monotheism and most of our Western conception of God *Before Judaism -Henotheism- Know there are other gods but only focusing on one -Monotheism- One god -Polytheism- Belief in many gods (Much older) - Judaism radically rejected the religion and culture of its neighbors by worshiping in one god -Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all trace monotheism back to the figure of Abraham -First major movement in believing in one god *Major Doctrines: The Shema (Here or listen) -Rejection of the “gods: of Mesopotamia -Comes from Duet 6:4-9 -Fundamental statement of Jewish monotheism - God is ONE, all-powerful, benevolent, just, and the creator of the universe - His name is Y—H, but his name never spoken (YHWH) - Also known as HaShem (The name), Adonai (my lord)-during prayer, Elohim (God), in ancient times El (God), and El Shaddai (God The Most high) -When Reading: -LORD means YHWH -God means El or Elohim -Lord means Adonai *Major Doctrines: The Shema- God works in History - God speaks through history. Judaism is founded on its history - God freed Jews from slavery in Egypt, and est. them in ancient Israel - Israel destroyed, god brought Jews back from captivity in Babylon - God’s word is moral and he will protect his people - Holocaust made people question belief in god when 6 million Jews died. -It is possible to be a Jew and NOT believe in god. -Judaism is a religion, ethnicity, culture, and a nationality *Major Doctrines: Homeland/ Return to Zion - Ancient times there were a temple, and temple was destroyed twice. Holiest place in world for Judaism. (The Wailing Wall) - 12 tribes, and each had there own land. *Major Doctrines: The Covenant -God and the Jews have a special relationship, A covenant, with one another. - Does not mean god dislikes other groups of people - God loves all, and all righteous of the world can be “saved” according to Judaism - Jews are chosen by god for special purpose -Given them the law (Torah or first five books in the bible) - Judaism’s role as an ethnic group and nation distinguishes it from the Christianity and Islam - Special relationship between jews and god affords them to fight with god and argue. -Israel literally means, “He struggles with god” - Abraham IsaacJacob 12 Patriarchs (fathers of the tribe) - Jacob wrestles with god and that’s where we got the name Issreal -Abraham argues with god to save Sodom and Gomorrah -5.) 1948: Post-Holocaust/ Modern State of Israel Period *Early Myths and Legends of Genesis -1.) Creation story (Gen 1-3)0 God is transcendent and personal (two sources= a more complete view of god) -God is the creator of all -There is no doctrine of the “Fall” in Judaism, nor a Satan figure (some Jews, at times, have believed in a “Satan”) -Cain and Abel… the first murder -2.) The Flood- has parallels in the Epic of Gilgamesh -The First Covenant with Noah -Before the Flood: Enoch and the nephilim -Where did the Kenites go (descendants of Cain)? -3.) Tower of Babel- an etiology for language and the division of nations -“Etiology”- a story that makes sense of the way the world is. -Can be literal or metaphorical EXTRA CREDIT- READ EPIC OF GILGAMESH AND WRITE A REFLECTION DUE BEFORE TEST MONDAY (7/16) *The Patriarchs, Moses, Exodus -1.) God calls Abraham- 2nd Covenant -2.) Binding of Isaac -3.) Jacob becomes father of the 12 Patriarchs… Know the tribes of Judah (Largest tribe and royal tribe- king David and king Solomon) and Levi (have no land, and they are the priests- minister at temple and perform sacrifices.) -4.) Enslavement in Egypt (Exodus) -5.) God calls Moses to free the Israelites- The Plagues… The Passover -The killing of the first born of Egypt -6.) The Law at Mt. Sinai (3rd covenant) -7.) The Israelites wander in the desert for 40 years before coming to the promised land/ Canaan/ Israel under the leadership of Joshua -Tensions between books of Joshua and Judges. Some problems archaeologically as well -Where did Jews come from?... *From Legend to History: Biblical Israel (~1700BCE-70CE) -A highly-controversial are of scholarship. It is here that we transition from legend/myth into literal history. Many of these dates are tentative -1.) ~1200BCE: 12 Tribes, the Israelites, settle in Canaan/ Israel/ Promised Land -Books of Joshua and Judges -2.) ~10000BCE David unites the kingdom of Israel. His son Solomon builds the First Temple in Jerusalem -3.) ~922BCE After Solomon, the Northern Kingdom of Israel breaks away from David’s Kingdom (Judah/ Southern Kingdom) -4.) 722BCE The Assyrians conquer the Northern Kingdom (10 “Lost Tribes”) The Southern Kingdom (Judah) remains -5.) -621BCE King Josiah’s religious reforms (Most important king besides David and Solomon because of the reforms) -6.) -586BCE The Babylonians conquer Judah (and its capital: Jerusalem). The Babylonian Exile begins… (Temple is destroyed) - Assyrians took over the Northern Kingdom and then the Babylonians took over the rest. DAY 3 -7.) -538BCE the Edict of Cyrus (Persian King) allows the Jews to return to Israel (Exile ends) -Second Temple is built -Return to Israel, but w/o a king or completely independent state -8.) -164BCE the Second Temple is rededicated after the Maccabean uprising against Hellenistic persecutions (in Book of Maccabees… in Catholic Bible) -Various sects arise within Judaism: Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Zealots (will matter a lot in Christianity section) -Sadducees- was upper class, bends rules of Judaism as long as we get along with rulers. Denied the existence of an afterlife. (Get along with everyone) -Pharisees- middle or lower class, did not control the temple, clergy, did not get along with romans, more puritans in some ways, defiantly affirmed and afterlife, wanted to stay away from worship of other Gods. (Be religious) -Essenes- completely left society and went out to the desert to practice their own religion (Get away from society and live pure life) -Zealots- Gods on our side so lets go to war, we can take the romans. Results were disasters. ~2nd Cent BCE: the latest portions of the Bible are written ~1st Cent CE: the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible is officially agreed upon (around the time of Jesus/ beginning of Christianity) -“Cannon”= What books are included in the Bible -9.) -70CE The Second Temple is destroyed by the Romans -Masada event -Zealots killed a bunch of roman officials and fled to palace near the Dead Sea. -Killed everyone in palace and took over it and destroyed the snake trail up to it. -Romans built a mountain to the Palace to get them. Zealots picked people to murder each other and the families and then kill themselves. -Humongous fortress built on mountain and guarded trade routes. -With no more Temple and with the beginning of Diaspora, the religion adapts: The Talmudic Period *Major Texts -The Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament. Tanakh -TaNaKh (an acronym)= -1.) Torah “Teaching”- the first Five Books- Humashl Pentateuch: - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy -2.) Nevi’im “Prophets”- books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, etc. -3.) Ketuvim “Writings”- Proverbs, Psalms, etc -The entire TaNaKh was composed between 1,200 and 100BCE (Nearly thousand years!) -“Torah” can refer to Law in general or the first 5 books -When Moses receives the “Torah” is it the “Law” in general or actual first 5 Books of the Bible? Could mean either. *Oldest Copies of the Tanakh/ Old Testament -Leningrad Codex (in Hebrew) -Oldest complete copy of the Hebrew Bible (1008CE) -Septuagint (Greek translation from Hebrew) -First copy of the Bible in Greek (completed late 2nd cent BCE) by Hellenized Jews -Dead Sea Scrolls (in Hebrew) -Portions of most books in the Bible except Esther (2nd cent BCE to 1st CE). By the Essenes in Qumran near the Dead Sea Most scholars think there are 4 main sources in the Torah: -1.) J- “Jawhist” -2.) E- “Elohist” (Genesis 2) -3.) D- Most of book of Dueteronomy -4.) P- Priestly Source (Genesis 1) -All of theses sources may have drawn on older texts and traditions. They were all combined soon after the Babylonian exile; into one cohesive holy work we call the Torah/ Pentateuch/ Humash -How does this resemble the writing of the Gospels? How different? *Torah: Exodus 19 -Exodus 19:1-8 *Nevi’im: Jeremiah -Jeremiah 20:7-9 -Does Jeremiah want to be a prophet? -No -Does prophets only predict the future? - Explain the present, your not right with god here and you need to be doing this and when and how. What they need to be doing to get the relationship right with God. *Ketuvim: Psalm 23 *Holidays -The Two “High Holidays” -Rosh Hashanah- Jewish New Year -Mysticism- an emphasis on experience and/or union with God in this life, which often transcends our senses, emotions, or intellectual abilities -1492- Christian royal authorities expel the Jews from Spain *Texts: The Zohar -Contains secret wisdom… once reserved for few. It was said that premature study of the Zohar would make one go insane -Describes God’s Shekinah (“indwelling”) in terms of light and God’s mystical body -10 Sefirot - Often describes God in feminine terms -God “contracts” himself/Herself/Itself so that creation can exist -All of creation (including ourselves) contains pieces of God’s light trying to get back to the Source (God) *The Modern Period (1700-1948) -A second mystical movement begins: Hasidism (18th cent) -Based around the figure of the Israel ben Eliezer or The Baal Shem Tov (“master of the Good Name”) -A charismatic Jewish movement that seeks the presence of God everywhere through love, charity, and community. -Chabad cines from this movement -3 Divisions: During this period Judaism was defined in terms of three major divisions: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform -Zionism begins as a reaction to severe European anti-Semitism (1800s) -Zionism- A movement advocating the establishment and protection of the Jewish state of Israel *Reform Judaism -Roots trace back to Enlightenment-era Germany during a time of relaxed persecution and exclusion by gentles -Major concept: God- The principle of moral conscience that unites humanity -Torah- Historical record of Israel’s discovery of universal morality. Revelation is a moral experience rather than a historic event -Israel- A people bless with unique moral insight -The Law and its interpretation must adjust, maybe even radically, to meet modern needs -Bring holiness into life- Life cycle moments -Popular in USA *Orthodox Judaism -Became a cohesive movement to counter the radical changes made my Reform Judaism -God- emphasis on moral and ritual law. God is an ethnical being who trains humanity in the principles of virtue -It never says in the Torah don’t mix meet and dairy, but says but do not cook a calf in its mother milk and only law in there 3 times -Because it is said 3 times Jews think the shouldn’t mix meet and dairy. -Torah- An unchangeable record of divine revelation given to Moses at Mt. Sinai -Alahah- all the commandments -Attempts to keep all the commandments, including ritualistic ones, and their traditional interpretation -Israel- Biblical story of Israel’s closeness is affirmed in all respects. There is a stress on Israel’s mission to share its moral insights with the non-Jewish nations -Above all TRADITION. Keep Judaism distinct from modern world -Most Jews in Israel are members of orthodox and most Jews in USA are reform -Haredim- an Ultraorthodox sect. Radically conservative/traditional in practice. This group has many tensions with the Israeli government *Conservative Judaism -A middle path that developed between Reform and Orthodox Judaism -God- Takes an evolutionary approach to Biblical and Talmudic views of God and affirms that the Jewish concept of God continues to develop as Jewish moral sophistication increases -A careful but define “evolution” to Law and its interpretation to meet today’s needs -Torah- Torah is the record of Israel’s growing awareness of what it means to live in relation to God -Israel-Israel is a historic civilization that links Jews together in a common community of faith -Messiah- Belief in a personal messiah and a Messianic Era are both common. In siddur they pray for a redeemer and/or redemption from God- 2 vastly different concepts *Both Reform and Conservative Judaism allow women Rabbis. DAY 5 DUE MONDAY-KABBLAH REFLECTION AND BRING BOOK & READING GUIDE *Jewish Mysticism -Not necessarily a distinct group in Judaism, though some Hasidic communities are distinct -A way of approaching any form of Judaism (Reform, Orthodox, or Conservative, etc.) -2 main forms: -Kabbalah Judaism- mystical textual study -The Zohar -Hasidism- focus on God’s hesed (“loving-kindness”) -Baal Shem Tov (AKA Israel Ben Eliezer) *Ritual and Life Cycle Moments -Ritual: Recognizes that human beings are creatures of habit. Rather than overcome this tendency, Judaism transforms it into worship -Psychologist Carl Jung (contemporary of Freud), humans are “by nature religious.” Whether we like it or not -Along with moral codes, Judaism (in various ways) emphasizes ritual. Some of the most important ritual comes at key life cycle moments: major points of change in a person’s life: -Birth: circumcision for boys, and a special ceremony for girls -Puberty: Bar Mitzvah for boys and Bat Mitzvah for girls. Becoming responsible for yourself as an adult -Marriage- Under a huppah -Death- sitting shiva (7 days of ritual mourning) -Ritual transforms each moment that one lives into a sacred experience -“You shall be holy, for I your Lord am Holy”: Leviticus 19 -Put into practice the attitude that the world is possessed by God -Ritual reminds Jews of God’s constant presence and His actions in history *Conversion to Judaism -Today, Jews do not proselytize, that is, attempt to convert others to Judaism -However, they are willing to receive converts who truly desire to join -There are three conditions: -1.) Male circumcision -2.) Ritual immersion (similarities w/ Christian Baptism) -3.) Acceptance of the commandments -Converts are given complete Jewish names, indistinguishable from those of other Jews *Religious Education -Though women were often literate in the vernacular language, education was confined to men until the modern period -The first subject was the Bible, followed by the medieval commentators -Advanced education took place in Yeshiva, where the young men worked with acknowledged Talmudic masters to understand the difficult text of the Talmud -Most contemporary North American Jewish Families do not adopt the traditional curriculum and have children attend after school classes three or four days a week to learn Jewish literature -Today even more conservative ceremonies *20th Century Theology -Existentialism- a philosophy that denies an inherent (or knowable) purpose in life and emphasizes radical free will. Began as a Christian philosophy, but became more atheistic. However, these two philosophers saw Judaism as approach to existentialism -Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929)