Traces the history of the Jewish religion and the communities that preserve its traditions, from its origins in ancient Israel to the present day. Consideration will be given to Judaism’s major ideas and practices as well as the diversity of Jewish cultures throughout the world. We will explore a range of classical and contemporary Jewish approaches to Biblical interpretation, theology and views of God’s nature, ethics, ritual and spirituality, and relations with Christians.
Students who feel called to engage the Jewish world for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will need to build trust among Jewish people and establish meaningful relationships based on mutual understanding and respect for each other’s beliefs and sense of spirituality. This course will prepare and equip students to engage their Jewish communities with an informed view of the history of the Jewish religion.
This course provides a historical perspective of Judaism so that students may have an informed voice in the marketplace of ideas wherein the Gospel may be effectively proclaimed.
The course begins with an overview of the texts and literary traditions of Judaism, including the TaNaKh (Torah, Prophets and Writings of the Hebrew Bible) as well as the post-Biblical Rabbinic texts.
Evangelicals who can articulate an understanding of Jewish religious history will be better equipped to communicate the truth claims of Jesus Christ among Jewish people.
Our increasingly globalized and pluralistic missional setting may include interactions within Jewish communities that value and take pride in their own history and contributions to the world of ideas.
“Jewishness” can describe many things, including an ethnicity and cultural identity, and this course lays the groundwork for students to gain an understanding of this culture.
Evangelical Christianity is often seen as intolerant towards and ignorant of contrary and competing ways of being, therefore the application of one’s respect for and knowledge about Jewish history may open doors of opportunity for building relationships of trust and mutuality wherein the Gospel can be presented.
This course seeks to inspire and facilitate a transformational experience made possible when, by God’s grace, the Gospel is proclaimed and received with saving faith.
