This course is designed to cover the history of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions, emphasizing their common background but also highlighting the differences, including those of Scriptures, understanding of God, the significance of religious law in every-day life and the structure of the community of the believers in each of these religious traditions. Moreover, throughout the course we will explore the relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims in various times and places, up to the Early Modern period.

The course will be structured chronologically and thematically. We will start by exploring the significance of the written Scripture for the three faith and discuss their common Scriptural back-ground. We will then move on to analyze how each group developed certain religious precepts in specific ways over time and space. This will allow students to acquire an understanding of the external factors, such as historical events or interaction between the three faith communities, that may have influenced the process. The themes to be discussed during the course include: the community of believers and religious hierarchy; religious law vs secular law; diverse understandings of God within Monotheism; the creation of tradition; ethics; religious space, worship and ritual; religion and renunciation; concepts of holy war and martyrdom; religion and politics.

Course Procedure

Students are given reading assignments prior to lectures on a given topic. This should enable them to participate actively in class-room discussions. Moreover, students are encouraged to take an active approach to the material read and/or discussed in class.

Participation in class: This means that you: a) have done the readings and thought about them; b) are in class; c) express your views and questions orally in class; d) are able to recall what went on in the previous class and relate it to the topic(s) under examination for the current class. If any of these elements are missing you receive no credit for participation for that day. I assume that occasionally students will be absent or have less to say than usual, however, persistent absence, unwillingness to speak in class, or having failed to do the reading will affect your overall participation grade.

Writing Assignments

There will be two analytical essays based on the reading of primary sources discussed in the class. The first essay will focus on one source, while the second essay will explore a variety of texts of the students' choice. Further instructions will be posted on MyJCU.

Plagiarism

Students must provide appropriate footnotes and a bibliography of ALL sources used in their papers in order to avoid plagiarism. Students may consult the internet (e.g. Wikipedia et al.) only for their own information. General information found on the internet is not acceptable as a source for academic papers. However, students are encouraged to research academic databases, such as J-Store or Academic Search Premium, or primary sources from different religions published on the internet. Students should feel free to discuss the acceptability of specific internet resources with me should they have any questions on the matter. Cases of intentional or unintentional plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with the university policy. Students may fail the paper or the entire course depending on the gravity of the situation.

If you have questions about how to cite material properly, refer to the appropriate sections of the MLA Style Manual or Chicago Manual of Style (or make an appointment to speak with me). There are copies of both in the reference section of the library downstairs.

Please note that your papers will be submitted to turnitin.com to check their content for plagiarism.

Exams

The mid-term and the final exams will combine essay writing with short questions.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course students will be able to:

• understand the common Scriptural background of Jews, Christians and Muslims;

• appreciate the differences and similarities in dogma, ritual and ethics within these religious traditions

• acquire skills in reading and critically evaluating the most important primary sources of these religious traditions

Students are allowed two excused absences. Any further absences will result in subtracting two points from your attendance and participation grade (20% of your final grade). Late arrivals will be noted and will affect your grade. Any student who is more than 15 minutes late may not enter the classroom as this will disturb the lecture and those class-mates who have made an effort to arrive on time. Students cannot leave the classroom before the end of the lecture.

Course Schedule

NB: This is a preliminary schedule. Specific Readings will be added later

Week 1 Introduction to the Class

Law, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, Babylonian Exile and return.

Readings: Gen. 11:26-28:22, Exodus, Numbers 22-25.Deuteronomy 5:1- 9:6, 13-15; 1 Kings 4:29-9:9; Ezra; Nehemiah 13.

Week 2 Judaism during the Second Temple and after its destruction. Jewish communities under Greek, Persian, and Roman rule.

Readings: Macabees; 1) Community Rule; 2) War Scroll; 3) Selections

from Tacitus; 4) Selections from the Talmud on destruction of the Temple

Week 3 Jewish Christians, Christian Jews and Jewish-Christian polemic

Readings: Class is divided into 4 groups: Each read one gospel (in the Bible/New Testament: 1) Mark; 2) Matthew; 3) Luke; 4) John, plus everyone should read Epistle to the Hebrews and

Each student select ONE of the following: 1) Gospel of the Ebionites; 2) Infancy Gospel of Thomas; 3) Protoevangelium of James; 4) Gospel of Mary Magdalene; 5) Gospel of Phillip; 6) Gospel of Nicodemus

Week 4 Jewish Christians, Christian Jews, Jewish-Christian polemic and the emergence of Islam.

Analyic paper #1 Due.

Readings: Cohen, Under Crescent and Cross, pp. 17-36, 52-74; Qur’an, suras 2 and 3 1) Chrysostom, Sermons against Jews and Judaizers; 2) Selections from the Talmud and Midrash; 3) Selected early Roman and Christian laws; 4) Version of the Pact of Umar; 5) Selected Hadith; 6) Doctrine of Jacob the Recently Converted; 7) John of Damascus, “Heresy of the Ishmaelites”.

Class divided into groups and students select one section of the following from the Qur’an to read: 1) (About Abraham) 11:71-95, 37:99-111; 2) (About Noah) 11:25-49, 23:23-71; 3) (About Moses) 7:100-171, 11: 97-123; 4) (About Mary) 19: 1-40

Week 5 Introduction to “high” Middle Ages, Crusading and Jihad.

Cohen, Under Crescent and Cross, pp. 36-51, 77-103.

Week 6 Discussion of Readings.

Review for Mid-Term exam.

Week 7 Mid-Term Exam

Crusades and Jihad

Readings: Usamah ibn Munqidh, An Arab-Syrian Gentleman; Kinoshita, “The Pagans are wrong and the Christians are right.”

Week 8 Concept of God

Week 9 Worship, Ritual, Space

Week 10 Ethics

Second Analytical Paper is due

Week 12 Religious Hierarchies

Week 13 Religion and Renunciation

Week 14 Readings from Sources

Review for the Final Exam