Sustain me with raisin-cakes : Pesikta deRav Kahana and the popularization of rabbinic Judaism /
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History and literature come together in a new way in this study of the midrashic collection Pesikta deRav Kahana. The book combines the findings of rabbinic historians and early Christianity scholars with a close reading of this midrashic text on its own and in relation to the tannaitic midrashim which preceded it. The rich picture that emerges suggests that PRK, in its new homiletical and aggadic stance, develops a religious language more appealing and accessible to the masses, an outreach language meant to win rabbinic popularity. Exploring issues of power and rhetoric, the book also places PRK's outreach language into the cultural context of the imperialism of Roman Christian homily.
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Revision of author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 2004 under title: Rabbinic preachers and their audiences in the Amoraic midrashim Pesikta derav Kahana and Leviticus rabbah. :
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [209]-214) and indexes. :
9789047442288 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The legend of Sergius Baḥīrā : eastern Christian apologetics and apocalyptic in response to Islam /
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From the eighth century onwards, Christians living under Islam have produced numerous apologetic and polemical works, aimed at proving the continuing validity of Christianity. Among these is the Legend of Sergius Baḥīrā, which survives in two Syriac and two Arabic versions, and appears here in edition and translation. Being a counterhistory of Islam, it reshapes early Muslim traditions about a monk recognizing Muḥammad as the final Prophet by turning this monk into Muhammad's tutor and co-author of the Qur'an. In response to Muslim triumphalist propaganda, it portrays Islam's political power as predestined but finite and unrelated to its religious message. This feature sets the legend apart from similar Christian accounts of the origin of Islam, East and West, which are reviewed in this study as well.
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1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [529]-560) and index. :
9789047441953 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.