98964 - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students obtain a critical knowledge of the socio-cultural matrix of the main religious traditions and are familiar with the history of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They apply research methods to address issues relating to contexts characterized by cultural, linguistic, and religious pluralism, being capable to critically promoting their relevance. They are able to communicate in written and oral form the knowledge they have acquired, using communication methods appropriate to the above contexts and taking into account their audience.

Course contents

The objective of this course is to offer an analysis of the relations between Judaism, Christianity and Islam both from the perspective of their religious evolution in the first centuries of the vernacular era and from the perspective of their historical relations. Students will be introduced to the most current debates in the field of studies of the so-called 'Abrahamic religions,' to the methods and problems of comparison, and to the study of complex interactions that include conflict and coexistence.

Week 1 - Introduction: Defining religions: 'Abrahamic religions' or 'monotheisms'? A look at the contemporary debate. The characters of Jewish religion in the ancient world and the formation of the Bible. Second Temple Judaisms and the birth of Christianity.

The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions, edited by A.J. Silversten, G. Stroumsa, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015 (chapter selection).

Michael Satlow, And the Lord Spoke to Moses. How the Bible became sacred, Turin, Bollati Boringhieri, 2015.

Martin Goodman, History of Judaism, Turin, Einaudi, 2019 (part on the ancient world).

Week 2 - Interactions 1: The spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire: socio-political conditions, religious reactions, characters, authors, strategies, interpretations. The relationship with other religious traditions. The debate on 'the partying of the ways'. Late antique religious revolutions? Some historiographical perspectives. The birth and spread of Islam. Judaism and Islam: Cross-views and interpretive theories.
Guy G. Stroumsa, The Making of the Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

Daniel Boyarin, Border Lines: The Partition of Judeo-Christianity, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.

Carole Hillenbrand, Islam. A new historical introduction, Einaudi, Turin, 2016.

Alfred Louis de Prémare, At the Origins of the Qur'an, Rome, Carocci, 2015.

Week 3 - Interactions 2: Becoming minorities: Jews, Christians and Muslims in contact and conflict. Religious minorities and Islamic and Christian civilization. The case of Al-Andalus and Christian Europe.

Sarah Stroumsa, Andalus and Sefarad: On Philosophy and its History in Islamic Spain, Princeton & Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2019.

David Nirenberg, Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996.

Cristiana Facchini, Essays (Virtual).
Week 4 - Interactions 3: Becoming minorities: Jews, Christians and Muslims in contact and conflict. Conversion and knowledge: The European gaze on Islam and Judaism between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Guy Stroumsa, A New Science: The Discovery of Religion in the Age of Reason, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2010 (Ch. 6).

Mercedes Garcia Arenal, Gerard Wiegers, Eds. The Expulsion of Moriscos from Spain, Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2014.

Cristiana Facchini, Collection of Essays (Virtual).

Week 5 - Interactions 4 - the complex relationship with 'modernity'. The long nineteenth century: science, colonialism, empires, nation-states. Implementing 'religious tolerance' and building modern religions. Final reflections and a case study.


Guy G. Stroumsa, The Idea of Semitic Monotheism: The Rise and Fall of a Scholarly Myth, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021

Cristiana Facchini, Collected Essays, (Virtual).

Aaron Hughes, Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam, New York: Columbia University Press, 2013.

A Look at Jerusalem (texts listed in Virtual).

Readings/Bibliography

Studenti frequentanti

2 testi a scelta tra:

Guy Stroumsa, The Making of the Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2015

Aaron Hughes, Abrahamic Religions: On the Uses and Abuses of History, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012.

Daniel Boyarin, Border Lines: The Partition of Judeo-Christianity, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004

Katell Berthelot, Jews and their Roman Rivals: Pagan’s Rome Challenge to Israel, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2021.

Michael Satlow, E il Signore parlò a Mosè. Come la Bibbia divenne sacra, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2015.

Aaron Hughes, Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam, Columbia University Press, New York, 2013.

Carole Hillenbrand, Islam. Una nuova introduzione storica, Einaudi, Torino, 2016.

Alfred Louis de Prémare, Alle origini del Corano, Roma, Carocci, 2015.

Sarah Stroumsa, Andalus and Sefarad: On Philosophy and its History in Islamic Spain, Princeton & Oxford, Princeton University Press, 2019.

David Nirenberg, Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996.

Martin Goodman, Storia dell’ebraismo, Torino, Einaudi, 2019

Robert Louis Wilken, I primi mille anni. Storia globale del cristianesimo, Torino, Einaudi, 2021

Studenti non frequentanti

2 testi a scelta tra:

Guy Stroumsa, The Making of the Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2015

Aaron Hughes, Abrahamic Religions: On the Uses and Abuses of History, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012.

Daniel Boyarin, Border Lines: The Partition of Judeo-Christianity, Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004

Katell Berthelot, Jews and their Roman Rivals: Pagan’s Rome Challenge to Israel, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2021.

Michael Satlow, E il Signore parlò a Mosè. Come la Bibbia divenne sacra, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2015.

Aaron Hughes, Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam, Columbia University Press, New York, 2013.

Carole Hillenbrand, Islam. Una nuova introduzione storica, Einaudi, Torino, 2016.

Alfred Louis de Prémare, Alle origini del Corano, Roma, Carocci, 2015.

Sarah Stroumsa, Andalus and Sefarad: On Philosophy and its History in Islamic Spain, Princeton & Oxford, Princeton University Press, 2019.

David Nirenberg, Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996.

Martin Goodman, Storia dell’ebraismo, Torino, Einaudi, 2019

Robert Louis Wilken, I primi mille anni. Storia globale del cristianesimo, Torino, Einaudi, 2021

Teaching methods

Lectures based on seminar methodology focused on discussions of texts and sources. Students are required to read the material which is listed in the Syllabus. 

Assessment methods

Oral exam. 

The evaluation takes into account the soundness of preparation, analytical and synthetic skills, clarity of exposition and the ability to use appropriate terminology.
- The achievement of a comprehensive and synthetic view of the topics covered, combined with the ability to critically analyze them and the use of precise and appropriate language will be evaluated with grades 28-30L.
- Fair but not in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, limited ability to synthesize and analyze, and the use of imprecise language will be assessed with grades from 24-27.
- Poor knowledge of course topics, use of imprecise terminology, and lack of familiarity with the course bibliography will result in grades from 18-23.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint, primary sources, visual aid, historiography

Office hours

See the website of Cristiana Facchini