In this lecture, it will be argued against Peter Schäfer‘s recent claim that the Rabbis of Babylonia attacked Jesus and the Holy Family (and thus Christians and Christianity) for sexual immorality. In contrast to later medieval Jewish practice, it will be shown that the Talmud manifests signs of distress at Christian „heresy“ and even feelings of loss and longing for a prodigal son.
Daniel Boyarin (*1946 in Asbury Park) is Professor of Talmudic Culture and holder of the Herman P. and Sophia Taubman Chair at the University of California at Berkeley. His broad range of research is situated in the fields of philosophy and history of religion, with a focus on the Talmudic writings. For his book „Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity“ (2004) Professor Boyarin has been awarded the American Academy of Religion prize.
Moderation: Dr. Andreas Bedenbender