The Emergence of Judaism: Classical Traditions in Contemporary Perspective

This brief survey text tells the story of Judaism. Through the lens of modern biblical scholarship, Christine Elizabeth Hayes explores the shifting cultural contextsthe Babylonian exile, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine period, the rise of Christianitythat affected Jewish thought and practice, and laid the groundwork for the Talmudic era and its modern legacy. Thematic chapters explore the evolution of Judaism through its beginnings in biblical monotheism, the Second Temple Period in Palestine, the interaction of Hellenism and Judaism, the spread of rabbinic authority, and the essence of ethno-religious Jewish identity.