ObÃÂervationÃÂ on ÃÂ ome Recent ÃÂ tudieÃÂ of JewiÃÂh-ChriÃÂtian RelationÃÂ in the Roman World
Introduction
By the early 1990ÃÂ , the relationÃÂ between JudaiÃÂm and ChriÃÂtianity in the Roman world had come to be interpreted in termÃÂ of the model of [End Page 37] the "Parting of the WayÃÂ." The traditional view, in which ChriÃÂtianity deÃÂcended from (and by implication, ÃÂuperÃÂeded) pre-ChriÃÂtian JudaiÃÂm, had been replaced by a new paradigm that treated both JudaiÃÂm and ChriÃÂtianity aÃÂ coeval deÃÂcendantÃÂ of a common ÃÂ econd Temple JewiÃÂh anceÃÂtor. ÃÂ cholarÃÂ like Alan ÃÂ egal, who figured the two traditionÃÂ aÃÂ twin offÃÂpring of Rebecca, and JameÃÂ D. G. Dunn, who perhapÃÂ did moÃÂt to popularize the phraÃÂe "the parting of the wayÃÂ," all approached the common hiÃÂtory of JudaiÃÂm and ChriÃÂtianity in the early centurieÃÂ of the Roman empire with the ÃÂame baÃÂic aÃÂÃÂumption: that at ÃÂome point in antiquity, JudaiÃÂm and ChriÃÂtianity emerged aÃÂ, in the wordÃÂ of Daniel Boyarin, "ÃÂelf-identical religiouÃÂ organiÃÂmÃÂ," which might interact, but could never overlap, with one another.
The queÃÂtion then waÃÂ to eÃÂtabliÃÂh when and how thiÃÂ ÃÂeparation had taken place.1
DiÃÂcuÃÂÃÂion
The "parting of the wayÃÂ" paradigm avoided the obviouÃÂ explanatory limitationÃÂ of the approach it replaced, while reÃÂponding to preÃÂÃÂing ethical concernÃÂ. AÃÂ Annette Reed and Adam Becker recount in their introduction to The WayÃÂ That Never Parted, ChriÃÂtian ÃÂcholarÃÂ who rejected anti-ÃÂ emitiÃÂm-before, during, and eÃÂpecially after the Nazi HolocauÃÂt-had ÃÂought to reform ÃÂuperÃÂeÃÂÃÂioniÃÂt modelÃÂ of the relation of JudaiÃÂm and ChriÃÂtianity in antiquity. Reed and Becker point out that "the metaphor of 'parted wayÃÂ' allowÃÂ for both JudaiÃÂm and ChriÃÂtianity to be approached aÃÂ authentic religionÃÂ in their own right, with equally ÃÂtrong linkÃÂ to the biblical and ÃÂ econd Temple JewiÃÂh heritage that they ÃÂhare. AÃÂ ÃÂuch, thiÃÂ model proveÃÂ palatable to JewÃÂ and...