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Phil B37: World Religions
Instructor: Michael McNellis
Judaism
The Biblical Period
The Shema (Hebrew for ‘hear’): Hear O Israel! The LORD (Adonai) is our God, the LORD
alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your might.” (Deut. 6:4-5)
I. Judaic Creation Story (Cosmogony) and Myth
II. Judaism as the Chosen People
a. The Covenant as basis for “Chosenness”
i. Before Exodus (Covenant with Abraham and his descendants)
 Age of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 12 sons(1900-1600 BCE)
ii. After Exodus (Renewal at Sinai with Moses)
 Covenant established with “the people” and “the nation” (
b. Chosen People as Divine Election
i. 1) Conditional Choice, and Mutuality; 2) Service; 3)Love
III. Judaism: a race, a religion, or a culture? They are 1) a nation/land (Eretz Israel) & a
people (Beth Israel)
-Ashkenazic Jews (from Germany, France, and Eastern Europe) -Yiddish
-Sephardic Jews (from Spain, Portugal, N. Africa & Middle East)-Ladino
IV. Encountering the Hebrew G-d: “I AM WHO I AM” (transcendent & immanent)
c. Moses and the Burning Bush
i. YHWH (Yahweh) whom no human can experience face-to-face. (Repulsion and
attraction involving a profound response of worship) YHWH is a mystery
ii. Many names: El/Elohim, El Shaddai, Adonai, Ha Shem (the name) &YHWH
iii. Ethical call to do your duty by obeying the commandments as covenantal
iv. Events in history reveal the divine will.
v. Thus attributes of God: 1) Creator; 2) Revealer; 3) Redeemer (disobedience leads to
alienation, but can always be restored through God’s promise)
III. Moses, the Exodus (c. 1280 BCE), 10 Commandments
a. Moses: Egyptian name; brought up under Egyptian king; killed an Egyptian who was
beating up an Israelite; fled to land of Midian; married Zipporah of Jethro; experienced
burning bush; then with brother Aaron appealed to Pharaoh; Pharaoh struck hard
against Israelites; 10 plagues; Yhwh as pillar of cloud by day, pillar of fire at night led
Israelites to Red Sea; Miracle at red sea
i. Exodus: 40 years in wilderness of Sinai before being led to Mt. Sinai to
receive the Ten Commandments.
ii. Tabernacles (elaborate tents of worship)
 Exodus as a metaphor of going from slavery (by Egypt) to becoming a people
with a destiny and purpose (the people of Israel).
 Also, 1) defined human freedom (now they are free); 2) divine deliverance
IV. Conquest of Canaan: by Joshua and the Judges (1220-1020 BCE)
V. Rise & Fall of Israel’s Kingdoms, & The Babylonian Exile (1020-587 BCE)
a. United Kingdom: Rise of the Kingships (1020-922BC)
i. Samuel, a priest/seer, anoints Saul as first king, then recants and anoints David,
who makes Jerusalem the capital of united Israel; his son, Solomon builds temple
b. Divided Kingdom: After Solomon’s death, Kingdom breaks up into “10 lost
(northern) tribes” of Israel (922-722 BCE)& southern tribes of Judah (922-587 BCE)
i. The prophets (Jeremiah, Isaiah, Second Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, etc) & their message.
c. The Babylonian Exile & destruction of Solomon’s Temple by Babylonians (587 BCE)
 Marks transition from Hebrew and Israelite religion to Judaism,
that is, Jews from the Judean region (or genuine monotheism)
 The rise of the Synagogue (assemblies or congregational life)
 Focused: copying & editing of Pentateuch (5 books of Hebrew Scripture)
 Beginning of the Diaspora
Judaism
The Biblical Period (continued)
VI.
Postexilic Period & the Restoration: Priests, Torah, Second Temple (539-331 BCE)
a. Persians defeat Babylonians (539BCE)
i. Cyrus the Great, founder of Persian Empire, permitted Jews to go back to
Jerusalem (called Restoration)
ii. Rebuilding of Second Temple in Judea under Persian Rule (539-331 BCE)
b. Copying, editing, & interpreting of Torah (Hebrew:Pentateuch; Greek: Septuagint)
i. Ezra, priest & scribe, brought codified Torah to assembly in Jerusalem (458)
c. Beliefs:
i. “Messiah” (Christos in Greek) meaning “current anointed priest or king” changes
to indicate “an ideal expected king who would lead Israel to victory” in the absence
of the divinely sanctioned, Davidic line of kingship
 Interestingly, Cyrus the Great would be classified as a Messiah!
ii. Cessation of prophesy (instead focus on studying Torah)
d. Two main institutions emerge: Temple (Priests) and Torah study (Scribes). They will
become central to Judaism until destruction of 2nd Temple in 70 C.E.