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

Aim of this course is to offer an analysis of the relationships between Judaism, Christianity and Islam both from the point of view of their religious genealogy and their historical relationships. Students will be introduced to the most current debates about 'Abrahamic religions', to methods of comparison, and to the study of the complex interactions that include conflict and coexistence.

Week 1 - Introduction: What are 'Abrahamic religions'? An overview to the scholarly debate.

The characters of the Jewish religion in the ancient world (sources, methods, problems). Sociological interpretations (Max Weber, Shmuel Eisenstadt, Robert Bellah).

Facchini, Note introduttive.

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

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

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

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

Week 2 - Interactions 1: Second Temple Judaisms and the rise of Christianity. 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'.
Guy G. Stroumsa, The Making of the Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity;
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.

Week 3 - Interactions 2: Late antiquity and religious revolutions? Some historiographical perspectives. The birth and spread of Islam. Judaism and Islam: Cross-views and interpretive theories.

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

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

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

M. Botticini - Z. Eckstein, The Chosen Few. The role of education in Jewish history, Milan, Università Bocconi Editore (chapters 6 and 7).

Week 4 - Interactions 3: Becoming minorities: Jews, Christians and Muslims in contact and conflict. 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, Polemical Comparisons [collection of essays in Virtual].

Week 5 - Interactions 4. The complex relationship with 'modernity'. Conversion and knowledge: The European gaze on Islam and Judaism between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The long nineteenth century: science, colonialism, empires, nation-states. Implementing 'religious tolerance' and building modern religions. A controversial twentieth century: secularization, fundamentalism, multiculturalism. Final remarks.

Cristiana Facchini, Collection of essays [in Virtuale].
Enzo Pace - Renzo Guolo, I fondamentalismi, Rome, Bari-Laterza, 2002
Talal Asad - critique of the concept of secularization.
[on the construction of modern religion: Liora Batnisky, Aaron Hughes, Cristiana Facchini].

 

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