Tag Archives: Ancient Judaism

On Jewish Paideia in Naples

by Elisa Uusimäki

Scholars from Europe, North America, and Australia gathered to Naples on 30 June – 4 July 2015 to participate in the Fifth Enoch Seminar Nangeroni Meeting ”Second Temple Jewish Paideia in its Ancient and Hellenistic Contexts”. The organisers of the conference – Jason Zurawski, Gabriele Boccaccini, and Luca Arcari – had compiled a fascinating programme of academic papers and field trips.  Continue reading On Jewish Paideia in Naples

The Origins of Satan in Judaism

by Jason Silverman

Scholars looking to understand from where the figure of Satan derives have long appealed to Iranian influence, particularly in the form of the Zoroastrian Angra Mainyu (Ahriman). I argue instead that the first appearance of the term as a noun in the Hebrew Bible ought to be understood as an administrative official of the Achaemenid Empire. This continues a working hypothesis of mine that various aspects of the divine realm was envisioned as similar to the Achaemenid Empire by some in Second Temple Judaism.  Continue reading The Origins of Satan in Judaism

Ruukunpalasista älypuhelimiin – tutkimusta lukiolaisille

Vihdin lukion opiskelijat vierailivat 12. maaliskuuta yliopistolla tutustumassa huippuyksikön työhön. Vierailu oli osa lukion omaa soveltavaa kurssia Lähi-idän historia, uskonnot ja kulttuurit. ”Kurssi on historian ja uskonnon yhteiskurssi, jonka tavoitteena on eheyttää Lähi-itään liittyviä, moniin eri kursseihin sirpaloituneita asiakokonaisuuksia. Pyrkimyksenä on ymmärtää Lähi-idän kulttuurisia juuria ja alueen nykypäivän monimutkaista poliittista tilannetta”, kertoo kurssin opettaja Lauri Laine.  Continue reading Ruukunpalasista älypuhelimiin – tutkimusta lukiolaisille

Call for Papers: Ancient Jewish Cosmology-workshop (Jerusalem, June 15-16)

CSTT Workshop: Ancient Jewish Cosmology – Sacred Time and Order
École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem, June 15‒16, 2015

CSTT’s Team 4 “Society and Religion in Late Second Temple Judaism” is organising a workshop on Ancient Jewish Cosmology. Cosmology is here broadly understood to deal with the cosmic world order and origin, but also matters related to acknowledging, finding out, and living out this cosmic order in everyday life. The aim is to identify forms and mechanisms of change in the notions and practices relating to Jewish cosmology: the origin, nature, and fate of the universe. Also ritual practices can be related to this theme: e.g., which beliefs are transmitted through ritual practices, prayer and divination; how the understanding of the divine is reflected in the earthly sphere (architecture, collective practices, calendar, correct prayer times, etc.). Cosmology plays a role in the way in which societies structure themselves and communities select and cherish their values and moral systems. Of special interest is the influence of Hellenistic philosophy and practices on Jewish thought.  Continue reading Call for Papers: Ancient Jewish Cosmology-workshop (Jerusalem, June 15-16)