When Did Christians Stop Being Jewish?

A Learning and Fellowship Opportunity
Led by Dr. Lawrence Stewart

Christianity began in Judaism. People often look for "the break," an event/time when the two became distinct traditions. Actually the two grew apart over time - the separation represents process rather than event. The debate from the first centuries of the church shapes what it means to be a Jew or Christian today.

Masada fell in 73/74. Some describe the Jewish War as "the break" between Christianity and Judaism.

Bar Kokhba had followers of Jesus driven from synagogues when they refused to recognize him as Messiah. Some call the Bar Kokhba Revolt, 132-135, "the break."

Major issues in the separation of followers of Jesus from other Jews include Paul's understanding of what Jesus meant for gentiles, the beginning of Rabbinic Judaism, and the legal status of Judaism and new religions in the Roman Empire.

As Judaism and Christianity became distinct traditions the New Testament began to be read as a collection of non- or even anti-Jewish writings. Knowing the historical context of the early church, however, enables us to better understand New Testament documents, controversies in early Christianity, ideas that Jews and Christians still share - as well as where they differ, and why a movement which began in Judaism took on its own distinct identity.

Please join us on Sunday evenings, 7:00 - 8:00 PM to study this fascinating topic.

Sept. 12 - Jesus and the Gentiles
A debate among the followers of Jesus. - details

Sept. 19 - The Start of Rabbinic Judaism
Life without the temple, personal Judaism. - details

Sept. 26 - Roman Law and New Religions
Life is easier if you are legal. - details

Oct. 3 - Early Dialogues and Disputes
Reading between the lines in the Church Fathers. - details

Lawrence Stewart has an M.Div. with an emphasis in Biblical Studies from Bethel Theological Seminary and took archaeology courses from Tel Aviv University while working on digs in Israel. He received a Ph.D. in the field of Early Christianity from Brown University in 1993. He has taught religious studies courses at William Jewell College, University of Missouri: Kansas City, St. Paul's Theological Seminary, and Baker University.