The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind Colossal Split: The Separation of Judaism and Christianity
Mar 11, 2025
Dr. Stephanie Binder, a Classics scholar specializing in Jewish-Greek-Roman relations, unpacks the crucial split between Judaism and Christianity. She explores how early Christians, originally Jewish, grew hostile and how church fathers shaped this narrative. The discussion highlights the role of the Council of Nicaea in defining orthodoxy and the importance of communal identity. Binder also emphasizes the need for Jews and Christians to study each other's histories to combat antisemitism and foster understanding.
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Elites Defined Group Boundaries
- Christian and Jewish identities crystallized when elites defined clear membership rules between the 2nd and 4th centuries.
- Rabbis and church leaders drafted boundaries forcing ordinary people to choose one camp.
Christian Narrative Recast Jews' Role
- Early Christians claimed to be the true Israel and reframed Jewish misfortunes as divine judgment.
- That narrative gradually turned formerly shared identity into hostility and blame.
Church Fathers Shaped Christian Orthodoxy
- Church Fathers functioned like Christian 'rabbis' by writing theology and prescribing daily practice.
- Their texts set doctrines, refuted rivals, and guided conversion and conduct.
