| Religious Studies 195-01: American Judaism |
| Description: The study of Judaism in America helps us
answer central questions for understanding contemporary religious life:
why do modern, scientific people maintain religious affiliations? In what
ways
do their religions carry forward inherited ideals, and in what regards are they simply, or primarily, products of the modern period, with its own unique needs and perspectives? To address these questions, we ask how the American Jewish community came into being, we analyze the ways in which it is “American,” and we address the respects in which it carries forward classical Judaism. This evaluation produces a picture of the character of Judaism in America and makes clear the complexities of contemporary religious life in general. Overview: Unit I poses the course's generative question, concerning the meaning of religious identification in modern times. Unit II describes the historical development of the American Jewish community. Then we analyze the two central modes of contemporary Jewish identification: American Judaism as religion (unit III) and American Judaism as ethnos (unit IV). Unit V summarizes the semester's work and provides the context for answering our central question, concerning the meaning and significance of contemporary religious self-identification. |
|
|
Download Readings |
|
Paper Assignment |
|