The Transformation of Judaism: From Philosophy to Religion

An eminent scholar of the history of Judaism Jacob Neusner shows in this work how Judaism changed from a philosophy to a religion between 200 and 400 C.E. The Transformation of Judaism is a work both revolutionary in its method and unprecedented in its results. Comparing earlier and later sets of Judaic writings Neusner sets forth how philosophy - abstract elegant orderly and intellectual - turned into religion - tangible down-to-earth chaotic and concrete. In the process he offers an account of the birth of Judaism that has become normative. Moreover Neusners methodology can be applied to the study of religions other than Judaism because it examines the underpinnings of how a society sees the world (philosophy) orders itself (politics) and sustains itself (economics).