Where we stand : issues and debates in ancient Judaism

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Where we stand : issues and debates in ancient Judaism

edited by Jacob Neusner and Alan J. Avery-Peck

（Handbuch der Orientalistik = Handbook of Oriental studies, 1. Abt. . Der Nahe und Mittlere Osten = The Near and Middle East ; Bd. 40-41, 53 . Judaism in late antiquity ; pt. 3）

Brill, 1999-

  • v. 1
  • v. 2
  • v. 3

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Description and Table of Contents

Volume

v. 1 ISBN 9789004111868

Description

This collection of systematic Auseinandersetzungen articulates difference and spells out what is at issue. Learning atrophies when political consensus substitutes for criticism, and when other than broadly-accepted viewpoints, approaches, and readings find a hearing only with difficulty, if at all. The editors therefore have invited colleagues systematically to outline their views in an Auseinandersetzung with contrary ones. The several participants explain how, in broad and sweeping terms, they see the state of learning in their areas of special interest. The editors invited leading players in the USA, Europe, and the State of Israel, in the study of ancient Judaism, both in Second Temple Times and after 70 C.E. The work commences with a thoroughly fresh perspective of a theoretical question: what, in a religion so concerned with social norms and public policy, can we possibly mean by "law" when we speak of law in Judaism. It then proceeds with two chapters on Second Temple Judaism, and two on the special subject of the Dead Sea library. The two papers in the present part provide an overview of matters and a systematic, critical account of the fading consensus, respectively. The next set of papers ought to stand as the definitive account of the diverse viewpoints on a basic question of method. Because of the willingness of contending parties to meet one another in a single frame of discourse, the work is able to portray with considerable breadth the presently-contending viewpoints concerning the use of Rabbinic literature for historical purposes. Then proceed a number of other accounts of how matters look from the perspective of major participants in scholarly debate. At the same time as the requirements of historical-critical reading of the Rabbinic literature precipitated sustained and vigorous debate, other problems have attracted attention. Among these a critical issue emerges in the hermeneutics to govern the reading of the documents for the purposes of other-than-historical study, feminist interests, for example.

Table of Contents

Preface Fundamental Questions I. "Law"in Early Judaism, Philip R. Davies, Sheffield University Second Temple Judaism II. Sadducees and Pharisees, Lester L. Grabbe, University of Hull III. Issues in Samaritanism, R.J. Coggins, University of London Debates on the Dead Sea Scrolls IV. Theories of Qumran, Johann Maier, University de Cologne V. The Current State of Qumran Studies: Crisis in the Scrollery. A Dying Consensus, Albert I. Baumgarten, Bar Ilan University Rabbinic Judaism: The Debate about "Talmudic History" VI. Rabbinic Sources for Historical Study: A Debate with Ze'ev Safrai, Jacob Neusner, University of South Florida and Bard College VII. Rabbinic Sources as Historical: A Response to Professor Neusner, Ze'ev Safrai, Bar Ilan University VIII. Rabbinic Sources for Historical Study, Gunter Stemberger, University of Vienna IX. Rabbinic Literature of Late Antiquity as a Source for Historical Study, Richard Kalmin, Jewish Theological Seminary of America X. Rabbinic Sources for Historical Study, David Kraemer, Jewish Theological Seminary of America XI. Rabbinic Sources for Historical Study, Louis H. Feldman, Yeshiva University Rabbinic Judaism: Literature XII. The Butchering of Jewish Texts to Feed the Masses, Herbert W. Basser, Queens University.
Volume

v. 2 ISBN 9789004112827

Description

This collection of systematic Auseinandersetzungen articulates difference and spells out what is at issue. Learning atrophies when political consensus substitutes for criticism, and when other than broadly-accepted viewpoints, approaches, and readings find a hearing only with difficulty, if at all. The editors therefore have invited colleagues systematically to outline their views in an Auseinandersetzung with contrary ones. The several participants explain how, in broad and sweeping terms, they see the state of learning in their areas of special interest. The editors invited leading players in the USA, Europe, and the State of Israel, in the study of ancient Judaism, both in Second Temple Times and after 70 C.E. The work commences with a thoroughly fresh perspective of a theoretical question: what, in a religion so concerned with social norms and public policy, can we possibly mean by "law" when we speak of law in Judaism. It then proceeds with two chapters on Second Temple Judaism, and two on the special subject of the Dead Sea library. The two papers in the present part provide an overview of matters and a systematic, critical account of the fading consensus, respectively. The next set of papers ought to stand as the definitive account of the diverse viewpoints on a basic question of method. Because of the willingness of contending parties to meet one another in a single frame of discourse, the work is able to portray with considerable breadth the presently-contending viewpoints concerning the use of Rabbinic literature for historical purposes. Then proceed a number of other accounts of how matters look from the perspective of major participants in scholarly debate. At the same time as the requirements of historical-critical reading of the Rabbinic literature precipitated sustained and vigorous debate, other problems have attracted attention. Among these a critical issue emerges in the hermeneutics to govern the reading of the documents for the purposes of other-than-historical study, feminist interests, for example.
Volume

v. 3 ISBN 9789004118928

Description

What, in Judaism - a religion so concerned with social norms and public policy - can we possibly mean by "law"? That is the thoroughly fresh perspective with which this work commences. It proceeds with two chapters on Second Temple Judaism, and two on the special subject of the Dead Sea library. Learning withers when criticism is substituted by political consensus, and when other than broadly accepted viewpoints find a hearing only with difficulty, if at all. The editors, therefore, invited colleagues from the USA, Europe, and the State of Israel to systematically outline their views in one account and set it alongside contrary ones. The several participants explain how, in broad and sweeping terms, they see the state of learning in their areas of special interest. The volume provides first an overview, followed by a systematic, critical account of the fading consensus. In a number of accounts, the different perspectives are presented in scholarly debate. *** Because of the willingness of contending parties to meet one another in a single frame of discourse, the work is able to portray with considerable breadth the presently contending viewpoints concerning the use of Rabbinical literature for historical purposes. *** Besides this sustained and vigorous debate, precipitated by historical-critical reading of the rabbinical literature, other issues have attracted attention, such as, for example, feminist interests.

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