Bibliography
| Title: Principia politica. The political dimensions of Jewish and Christian self-definition in the Greco-Roman period Type: Thesis Year: 1982 Abstract: "Professor George Herbert Mead wrote: (On Social Psychology, page 255 note 4). If we are right, this fundamental principle which he (Plato) was unable to discover was simply the principle of social integration and organization in terms of rational selves, and their reflection, in their respective organized structures, of the patterns of organized social behavior in which they are involved and to which they owe their existence. The political self-definition of the Jews within Greco-Roman society is marked by the process/principle described above by Professor Mead. The social and political integration and organization of the Jews in the Greco-Roman period reflected the organized social behavior in which they were involved and to which they owed their existence; Greco-Roman society. This political integration and organization is clearly reflected in the general policy of participation and unity as found in the reports of Philo, Josephus, extant papyrological and epigraphical materials and the literature of the Rabbis. Jewish participation in the State guaranteed certain political privileges and exemptions necessary for the continuation of Jewish life. Jesus' message of political eschatology appears to represent a different political self-definition of the Jews in Greco-Roman society. Paul and the followers of Jesus defined themselves vis-a-vis an imminent coming kingdom of God. As the Christians began to be differentiated from the Jews, Paul's definition of Christianity began to reflect a new, independent, organized structure. This structure reflected the patterns of organized behavior in which Christians were involved and to which they owed their existence; Judaism, Greco-Roman society, and the Coming Kingdom. This emerging Christian self-definition helps explain the apparent lack of evidence for a Jewish-Christian debate in Jewish sources from the first two centuries of the Common Era. The definition of the Jews and Christians in society was ultimately decided not by the Jews or the Christians, but rather by the Roman authorities. The Christian challenge, therefore, may be directed more towards the Romans than the Jews. The Christian literature of this period, which does indicate a debate between Jews and Christians, is more reflective of the Christian process of self-definition than the actual debate of religious differences between Judaism and Christianity". Keywords: Cultural and Religious History of Ancient Judaism |