1)The book God is Not One distinguishes between the religion of the Israelites (priests, temples, sacrifices), and Judaism, which came about in the first two centuries of the CommonEra. Briefly explain the difference that lead to this statement: “Abraham and Moses were not Jews?”
2)What are the two “great contrapuntal themes” in Judaism? Consider the Passover seder. Explain how the destruction of the first Jewish Temple (by the Babylonians in 586 BCE) and the second Jewish Temple (by the Romans) in 70CE reflect this theme.
3)Why, according to the article on “Grief and the Rituals Surrounding Death: A Jewish Approach,” is Yom Kippur sometimes considered a “rehearsal for death”?
4)What in Judaism is the problem? Explain this, and give an examples. What for Judaism is the solution? Explain this, and give an examples. What for Judaism are techniques for getting at the solution? Explain this and give examples.
5)Explain the statement that Judaism is a religion about “story and law.”
6)How is the expansion of Christianity into the Global South changing Christianity? (And what does he mean by the Global South and the Global North, anyway?)
7)What are the three major branches of Christianity?
8)What is the typical “narrative arc” in Christianity? Given an example of this (prefer not from the Bible).
9)Christians are monotheists, “but theirs is a soft monotheism.” What does that mean?
10)What in Christianity is the problem? Explain this, and give an example. What for Judaism is the solution? Explain this, and give an example. What for Christianity are techniques for getting at the solution? Explain this and give examples.
