Religious Roots of Europe: The Emergence of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

The focus of this course is the formative periods of rabbinic Judaism, Christianity and Islam—phases, which played a crucial role for their subsequent developments and manifestations.

The course covers the emergence of Christianity, rabbinic Judaism and Islam, focusing in particular on the role that interaction between them has played for their respective formation and development. We will study the major developments and concepts within each tradition during its formative period, addressing in particular the complex identity formation processes—from the “partings of the ways” between Judaism and Christianity to the emergence of Islam—and the role that interaction of various kinds played in these processes.