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Mythos and LogosMythos and Logos

We tend to assume that the people of the past We tend to assume that the people of the past were (more or less) like us, but in fact their were (more or less) like us, but in fact their spiritual lives were rather different. In spiritual lives were rather different. In particular, they evolved two ways of thinking, particular, they evolved two ways of thinking, speaking, and acquiring knowledge, which speaking, and acquiring knowledge, which scholars have called scholars have called mythosmythos and and logoslogos. Both . Both were essential; they were regarded as were essential; they were regarded as complementary ways of arriving at truth, and complementary ways of arriving at truth, and each had its special area of competence. each had its special area of competence.

Karen Armstrong, Karen Armstrong, The Battle of GodThe Battle of God

Huston Smith: “The Revolution in Western Thought”in The Saturday Evening Post, August 26, 1961

…… if exists, may if exists, may not be intelligiblenot be intelligible

…… is understanding is understanding & using natural laws& using natural laws

……is following is following GodGod’’s wills will

ReligionReligion: : fulfillmentfulfillment

…… may just as may just as well be chaoswell be chaos

…… has inner logic, has inner logic, comprehensiblecomprehensible

……exceeds exceeds human human

comprehensioncomprehensionScienceScience: : NatureNature……

……is clearly is clearly impersonalimpersonal

……is not necessarily is not necessarily personalpersonal

……is deeply is deeply personalpersonal

PhilosophyPhilosophy: : RealityReality……

PostPost--modernmodernModernModernPrePre--ModernModernFocusFocus

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Jesus (personal name)Jesus (personal name)Christ (the Messiah)Christ (the Messiah)

CE (Common Era, CE (Common Era, starting in year 1)starting in year 1)

AD (AD (anno anno dominidomini, year , year of the Lord)of the Lord)

BCE (Before the BCE (Before the Common Era)Common Era)BC (Before Christ)BC (Before Christ)

Christian ScripturesChristian ScripturesNew Testament New Testament

Hebrew BibleHebrew BibleOld Testament Old Testament

Neutral Neutral TerminologyTerminology

ChristianChristian--centered centered TerminologyTerminology

Time Scope of Jewish TraditionTime Scope of Jewish Tradition

•• Biblical Biblical ???? ???? ±±200 BCE200 BCE•• RabbinicRabbinic ±±200 BCE 200 BCE ±±600 CE600 CE•• MedievalMedieval ±±600 600 14921492•• PrePre--ModernModern 1492 1492 18001800•• ModernModern 1800 1800 19481948•• Contemporary Contemporary 19481948 NowNow

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Was Abraham Jewish?Was Abraham Jewish?

•• NoNo. Abraham was a . Abraham was a HebrewHebrew

•• ““HebrewHebrew”” עב ר י עב ר י means means ““the migrantthe migrant””

•• AbrahamAbraham’’s children were also Hebrews, migrantss children were also Hebrews, migrants

•• AbrahamAbraham’’s grandson, s grandson, JacobJacob was also called was also called IsraelIsrael

•• JacobJacob’’s sonss sons were were BB’’neinei IsraelIsrael ““IsraelIsrael’’s childrens children””

•• As a As a peoplepeople, , BB’’neinei IsraelIsrael came to mean came to mean ““IsraelitesIsraelites””

Was the Exodus Was the Exodus about the Jews?about the Jews?

•• No. Those who left Egypt were No. Those who left Egypt were bb’’neinei IsraelIsrael, , the the IsraelitesIsraelites, Jacob, Jacob’’s descendentss descendents

•• One of the twelve tribes of the Israelites One of the twelve tribes of the Israelites was Judah, but its members were also was Judah, but its members were also IsraelitesIsraelites

•• After the Exodus, each tribe settled in a After the Exodus, each tribe settled in a part of Canaan. part of Canaan. The tribe of JudahThe tribe of Judah settled settled south of nowadayssouth of nowadays’’ Jerusalem, known as Jerusalem, known as the the Land of JudeaLand of Judea

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Was King David Jewish?Was King David Jewish?

•• NoNo. Although King David came from the tribe of . Although King David came from the tribe of Judah, and could be called Judah, and could be called a Judeana Judean,,

•• only after King Davidonly after King David’’s son, King Solomon, the s son, King Solomon, the kingdom was split into kingdom was split into IsraelIsrael and and JudeaJudea

•• The The Northern KingdomNorthern Kingdom was was IsraelIsrael

•• The The Southern KingdomSouthern Kingdom was was JudahJudah

•• The southerners were known as JudeanThe southerners were known as Judean

So, Who Were the First Jews?So, Who Were the First Jews?•• 721 BCE: Assyria hit the Northern Kingdom, 721 BCE: Assyria hit the Northern Kingdom,

exiled its people and settled others in their placeexiled its people and settled others in their place

•• All trace of the ten northern tribes were lostAll trace of the ten northern tribes were lost

•• 568 BCE: 568 BCE: BabylonBabylon hit Judah and exiled its leadershit Judah and exiled its leaders

•• The exiled Judeans were known as The exiled Judeans were known as yehudimyehudim, Jews, Jews

•• Jews exist from the Babylonian exile in 568 BCEJews exist from the Babylonian exile in 568 BCE

•• This name remained even after their return to their This name remained even after their return to their land 70 years later under Persian King Cyrusland 70 years later under Persian King Cyrus

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Biblical ErasBiblical ErasPatriarchs, Egypt, Exodus, Patriarchs, Egypt, Exodus,

Conquest, confederation, early Conquest, confederation, early monarchy monarchy

Mythical/ParaMythical/Para--HistoricalHistorical

Second TempleSecond Temple

First TempleFirst Temple

ca 200 BCE ca 200 BCE –– 70 CE Rabbinic70 CE Rabbinicca 500 BCE ca 500 BCE –– ca 200 BCEca 200 BCE

Babylonian ExileBabylonian Exile

ca 1000 ca 1000 –– ca 500 BCEca 500 BCEDivided KingdomDivided Kingdom

united kingdom?united kingdom?

People of the BookPeople of the Book•• Biblical Tradition Biblical Tradition

–– Patriarchs Communicate directly with the DivinePatriarchs Communicate directly with the Divine

–– From Moses, communication through prophetsFrom Moses, communication through prophets

–– HagaiHagai, Zechariah and Malachi: the last prophets, Zechariah and Malachi: the last prophets

•• ““End of ProphecyEnd of Prophecy””

–– Priests continue sacrifices until temple destroyedPriests continue sacrifices until temple destroyed

–– Then only written records left from GodThen only written records left from God’’s words word

–– Authority passes to Literati (scribes, rabbis)Authority passes to Literati (scribes, rabbis)

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Rabbinical ErasRabbinical Eras

From +1000From +1000RabbisRabbisWrittenWrittenResponsaResponsa

From +1000From +1000RabbisRabbisWrittenWrittenCodesCodes

From +600From +600RabbisRabbisWrittenWrittenCommentariesCommentaries

+200 +200 -- +600+600AmoraimAmoraimSvoraimSvoraim

Oral/WrittenOral/WrittenTalmud Talmud (Aramaic)(Aramaic)

--200 200 -- +200+200TannaimTannaimOralOral writtenwrittenMishnah Mishnah (Hebrew)(Hebrew)

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Political & Spiritual CrisesPolitical & Spiritual Crises•• Until 135 CE, Jews enjoyed a certain autonomy under Until 135 CE, Jews enjoyed a certain autonomy under

the dominant power: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persiathe dominant power: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia

•• Surviving the Babylonian exile and consequent series Surviving the Babylonian exile and consequent series of conquest was phenomenalof conquest was phenomenal

•• 70 CE: 170 CE: 1stst revolt against Rome revolt against Rome destruction of 2destruction of 2ndnd

Temple & end of sacrificial cult as form of worshipTemple & end of sacrificial cult as form of worship

•• 135 CE: 2135 CE: 2ndnd revolt against Romerevolt against Rome extermination and extermination and dispersion of the remnants of Jews in the DIASPORAdispersion of the remnants of Jews in the DIASPORA

•• Loss of political autonomy and territorial Loss of political autonomy and territorial center center

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Early DiasporaEarly Diaspora

Jewish DiasporaJewish Diaspora•• Dispersion of by successive exiles and voluntary Dispersion of by successive exiles and voluntary

expatriation due to persecutionexpatriation due to persecution

•• Result of massive Jewish expatriations in 722 Result of massive Jewish expatriations in 722 BCE, 568 BCE, 70 CE, and 135 CEBCE, 568 BCE, 70 CE, and 135 CE

•• 11stst——2020thth century Jewish communities around the century Jewish communities around the world with limited or no civil rights and subject world with limited or no civil rights and subject to repeated persecutions and exterminations, to repeated persecutions and exterminations, culminating with the Holocaustculminating with the Holocaust

•• 2020thth--2121stst century Jews outside Israelcentury Jews outside Israel

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The Art of Being Different

• Definition of “definition”: – TO DEFINE, from: de- (completely) + finire (to

bound, limit)• Self definition = setting boundaries• Definitions show differences, not similarities• Jewish Identity = based on distinction• Jewish Identity ≠ monolithic

Biblical Narrative & “truth”• Religious reading of the Bible – not dependent

on scientific proof.• Even with critical reading, Bible can provide

insight as to– The collective memory of a group– Its values, their evolement and power balance– Normative guidelines, whether followed or not

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The Patriarchs were Hebrews

Exodus transformed the descendents of Jacob to a people: the Israelites

The divided monarchy distinguished between Israelitesand Judeans

Israelites disappeared with the Assyrian exile

Judeans exiled to Babylon and returned Jews

From Hebrews to Jews

What are the Jews?

• Hebrews = clan / tribal organization• Israelites

– In Egypt: oppressed populace, no organization– In Sinai: developing religious identity & organization– In Canaan: increased ethnic identity & organization– United monarchy: centralized religious/national identity– Divided monarchy: conflicted identity

• Judeans & Jews– Exile: Identity focused on religion and origin (Judea)– Return: Religion plays increased role in politics