The renewed perception of Judaism's influenceJudaism today is too often thought to represent a religious backwater, a highly particularistic, religion with its own esoteric tales and traditions, practices and norms. First Christians, then Jews themselves, have succumbed to this characterization, resulting in dismissal of Judaism's universal religious significance. Bereft of its religious import, Judaism is increasingly thought merely an ethnic designationand a quickly dissipating one at that. Neusner pleas for vindication of "the universal character and appeal of Judaic monotheism in the mainstream of humanity." Of the three great monotheistic religions, only Judaism has survived without political power, military might, or great numbers of adherents and has done so because its method and message aim to persuade the world of God's dominion and the marks of God's rule.
Jacob Neusner is Distinguished Service Professor of the History and Theology of Judaism at Bard College and the author of numerous books on Judaism.
Preface 1. The Universalistic Message of Judaic Monotheism Dunn's Representation of Judaism as Particularistic A Different Way of Addressing All of Humanity Demonstrating the Universalistic Character of Judaism The Starting Point Israel as Counterpart to Humanity The Monotheist Theology of the Torah: Four Principles The Universalistic Character of Judaic Monotheism "Israel" as Ethnic, as Supernatural: The Issue Joined 2. The Legal Medium: From the Case to the Governing Rule Norms of Behavior, Norms of Belief How Does the Halakah Speak to Humanity at Large? The Particular as the Medium for the General Rational Analysis of Data: Classes of Things Natural History in Mishnaic Analysis Where Does God Abide in Reasoned Analysis? Science: The Universal Knowledge Rules of Natural History: Aristotle and the Sages Where the Sages Part Company from Aristotle Where Material Things Become Means of Revelation 3. The Legal Message: Restoring Eden through Israel God's Unity and Dominion Between Israel and God: Shebi'it Israel's Social Order: Sanhedrin-Makkot and the Death Penalty Inside the Israelite Household: Shabbat-Erubin What These Cases Tell Us 4. The Narrative-Exegetical Medium: Paradigmatic Thinking Scripture's Narratives and Laws: Governing Principles of the Social Order Judaism Rejects Historical Thinking The Modes of Paradigmatic Thinking How to Find Paradigms How Paradigms Replace Historical Time Past and Present Philosophy Replaces History The Universalization of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs "Israel" as the Paradigm Paradigms Discerned through Particular Cases Particular Historical Narrative to Exemplary Social Generalization The Four Principal Models for Organizing Events Supernatural Israel Transcending the Tides of Time The Purpose of Paradigmatic Thinking From Scripture to Torah The Character of the Torah's Paradigms 5. The Narrative-Exegetical Message: Restoring Adam to Eden, Israel to the Land Restoring Israel to the Land, Humanity to Eden The Resurrection of the Dead and Judgment Standing under God's Judgment The Restoration of Humanity to Eden Exile and Return Redemption from Egypt, for the World to Come Creation the Model of Redemption Humanity at Large in the Eschatology of Judaism Who and What Then is Israel? From Concrete Event to Evocative Symbol Life in the World to Come Idolaters = Gentiles and the World to Come 6. Rational Israel: God's Justice, Humanity's Reason Humanity Explains the Reason Why Everyone Has the Power to Understand God's Justice: The Reason Scripture: God Obeys the Rules of Justice The Reason Why Not When Israel ("Those Who Know God") Sins Measure for Measure Predestination and Free Will Suffering Is Reasonable Too Anomalies in the Just Order Beyond Reason, the Human Condition Epilogue: Recovering Judaism Notes Glossary Index
