The early days of Christianity

Prof. Jeremy Cohen

The debate regarding whether anti-Jewish expressions in the Greco-Roman world should be viewed as antisemitic is still ongoing. However, even those who do identify antisemitic expressions in the Greco-Roman world agree that the real turning point in the history of antisemitism came with the advent of Christianity, 2,000 years ago.

What role do the “Jews” play in the perceptions of early Christianity and why?

For the relevant quotations referred to by Prof. Cohen see “downloads” below.

References

• Cohen, Jeremy, ed., Essential Papers on Judaism and Christianity in Conflict: From Late Antiquity to the Reformation (New York: New York University Press, 1991).

• Fredriksen, Paula, Paul: The Pagan’s Apostle (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017).‏

• Gager, John G., The Origins of Anti-Semitism: Attitudes toward Judaism in Pagan and Christian Antiquity (New York: Oxford University Press, 1983).‏