Judaizing Jesus: Radical Jewish Approaches to Christianity

Description

The relationship between Judaism and Christianity has been acrimonious throughout most of history. Often confronted with persecution, with arguments of Divine rejection, and with religious practices and beliefs that appeared pagan and even idolatrous to them, most rabbis viewed Christianity negatively. However, quite surprisingly, not all rabbis viewed Christianity in this light.

The Renaissance brought about an unprecedented interaction between Jews and Christians that caused many rabbis to reconsider age-old views. The positive aspects of Christianity, at least concerning non-Jews, were increasingly embraced by many rabbis. These reconsiderations set the stage for a new era of engagement and rapprochement between these two religious communities which continues into the present. Judaizing Jesus explores those views and the circumstances that forged them. The Italian rabbis represent one end of the spectrum in Jewish perspectives on Christianity.