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Peter Schäfer

    June 29, 1943

    Peter Schäfer is a leading author in the field of Judaic studies. His work focuses on profound examinations of Jewish thought and religion. His research contributes to understanding the historical and theological dimensions of Jewish tradition. Schäfer's academic contributions are significant to the field's advancement.

    Peter Schäfer
    The Bar Kokhba war reconsidered
    The Origins of Jewish Mysticism
    Jesus in the Talmud
    Two Gods in Heaven
    Toward the millennium
    Mirror of His Beauty
    • 2020

      "In this book Peter Schäfer casts light on the common assumption that Judaism from its earliest formulations was strictly monotheistic. Over and over again in the Hebrew Bible the biblical writers insist upon the idea that there is one and only one God. But the biblical text is multifarious and contains many sources that subvert from within the strong monotheistic thesis. Old Canaanite deities such as Baal and El, although pushed to the edges, prove stubbornly persistent. They come to the forefront in, for example, the famous "Son of Man" of chapter 7 of the Book of Daniel. In sum, Schäfer argues that monotheism was an ideal in ancient Judaism that was consistently aspired to, but never fully achieved. Through close textual analysis of the Bible and certain key post-biblical sources, Schäfer tracks the long history of a second, younger, subordinate God next to the senior Jewish God YHWH. One might expect that with early Christianity's embrace of this idea (in the form of Jesus Christ), Judaism would have abandoned it utterly. But the opposite was the case. Even after Christianity usurps the original Jewish notion of a second, younger God, certain post-biblical Jewish circles-in particular early Jewish mystical circles-maintained and revived it with the archangel "Metatron," a controversial figure whose very existence is questioned and fiercely debated by the rabbis of the Babylonian Talmud. This book was originally published in Germany by C.H. Beck Verlag in 2016"-- Provided by publisher

      Two Gods in Heaven
    • 2014

      The Jewish Jesus

      • 368 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      In late antiquity, as Christianity emerged from Judaism, it was not only the new religion that was being influenced by the old. This book reveals the crucial ways in which various Jewish heresies, including Christianity, affected the development of rabbinic Judaism.

      The Jewish Jesus
    • 2011

      One of the most controversial books in history, Toledot Yeshu recounts the life story of Jesus from a negative and anti-Christian perspective. It ascribes to Jesus an illegitimate birth, a theft of the Ineffable Name of God, heretical activities, and, finally, a disgraceful death. Perhaps for centuries, the Toledot Yeshu circulated orally until it coalesced into various literary forms. Although the dates of these written compositions remain obscure, some early hints of a Jewish counter-history of Jesus can be found in the works of pagan and Christian authors of Late Antiquity, such as Celsus, Justin, and Tertullian. In the Middle Ages, the book became the object and tool of a most acrimonious controversy. Jews, Christians, and atheists - such as Ibn Shaprut, Luther, and Voltaire - quoted and commented on Toledot Yeshu, trying to disprove the beliefs of their opponents and revealing their own prejudices. Due to the offensive nature of the book, scholars have until recently paid little attention to Toledot Yeshu. In 2007, Peter Schäfer launched a project at Princeton University to prepare a scholarly edition with translation and commentary based on all the available manuscripts (about 150). Along with this project, Peter Schäfer, Michael Meerson, and Yaacov Deutsch organized an international conference, attended by the leading scholars of the subject, to discuss the present state of research. The conference contributions, published in this volume, mark a new stage in Toledot Yeshu research.

      Toledot Yeshu ("The life story of Jesus") revisited
    • 2009

      The Origins of Jewish Mysticism

      • 416 pages
      • 15 hours of reading
      4.1(21)Add rating

      A lifetime of scholarship informs this significant work on Jewish mysticism, offering fresh and compelling interpretations. It stands out as a pivotal contribution to the field, reflecting deep insights from one of its foremost scholars. This book is poised to reshape understanding and appreciation of the origins and development of Jewish mystical traditions.

      The Origins of Jewish Mysticism
    • 2009

      Jesus in the Talmud

      • 232 pages
      • 9 hours of reading
      4.1(19)Add rating

      Examines how the rabbis of the Talmud read, understood, and used the New Testament Jesus narrative to assert, ultimately, Judaism's superiority over Christianity.

      Jesus in the Talmud
    • 2006

      Wege mystischer Gotteserfahrung

      • 164 pages
      • 6 hours of reading

      Internationale Experten erforschen mystische Gotteserfahrungen in den Weltreligionen: Frühe jüdische Mystik, Jüdische Mystik nach Scholem, frühe christliche Erfahrung der Visio Beatifica, Plotin und das Christentum, islamische Mystik in Andalusien, mittelalterliche christliche Mystik.

      Wege mystischer Gotteserfahrung
    • 2005

      Reuchlin und seine Erben

      • 348 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      Reuchlin hat sich den drei klassischen Sprachen Griechisch, Latein und Hebräisch gewidmet. Die Beiträge dieses Bandes untersuchen den Blick von außen, den christlichen Blick auf das Judentum. Im Zentrum des Interesses stehen die oft verborgenen Motive und Absichten hinter der Beschäftigung mit jüdischer Literatur, der hebräischen Sprache, christlicher Kabbala und Bibliophilie. Zudem werden die Aspekte der christlichen wissenschaftlichen Aneignung der hebräischen Bibel, sowie der Konstruktion eigener Glaubenswahrheiten, die sich der jüdischen Religion bedienen, kritisch erhellt.

      Reuchlin und seine Erben
    • 2004

      Mirror of His Beauty

      Feminine Images of God from the Bible to the Early Kabbalah

      • 326 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      The book delves into the emergence of a feminine aspect of God within Jewish mysticism, revealing a compelling exploration of feminine divinity. Peter Schäfer presents unexpected yet convincing conclusions that enhance the understanding of the intricate and often personal connections between Christianity and Judaism, as well as the broader evolution of religious concepts. This study offers a profound insight into how gender influences theological frameworks and interfaith dynamics.

      Mirror of His Beauty
    • 2003

      The Bar Kokhba war reconsidered

      • 323 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      The Second Jewish Revolt against the Roman dominion (132-135 CE) considerably changed the political and cultural landscape of Jewish Palestine. Judaea was almost completely devastated, and Jewish life shifted from Judaea to the Galilee. The Roman victory, however, was won at great cost. The last decade has seen some stunning developments in research on the Bar Kokhba War. In particular, recent archaeological findings provide new material for evaluation. This volume is based on a conference which took place in November 2001 at Princeton University and gathers a distinguished array of scholars working at the forefront of research on the Bar Kokhba period. It appraises the state of the subject in light of the present scholarly discussion and evaluates the historical importance of this major event and its repercussions for the subsequent history of the Jews in Roman Palestine. A concluding essay investigates the use of Bar Kokhba's image in modern Israeli culture.

      The Bar Kokhba war reconsidered
    • 2002