Binding of Isaac(Akedah): Differing Viewpoints

1. Binding of Isaac(Akedah): Differing ViewpointsDr Jim WidemanPresentation at Metro NY Adventist ForumOct 22, 2005

2. Binding of Isaac(Akedah): Differing Viewpoints Introduction and Chronology Jewish Traditions Christian Commentary Islamic Interpretations Modernity and Re-Making of Tradition Visual Representations

3. Introduction • Leon R. Kass, The Beginning of Wisdom: No story in Genesis is as terrible, as powerful, as mysterious, as elusive as thisone. It defies easy and confident interpretations, and despite all that I shall have to say about it, it continues to baffle me. Indeed, my approach seems even to me to be too shallow, precisely because I am attempting to be reasonable about this awesome and shocking story.

4. Introduction • What this is not • What do you remember from childhood about Akedah? • Do you think Akedah is a foundation myth for you- for contemporary religions? • What does the word sacrificemean in 2005? • Excursus on child sacrifice

5. Ancient World ~2000 BCE ? Classical World 3rd century BCE 2nd century BCE 40 CE 100 CE ~60 CE ~ 100 CE Abraham Pentateuch Septuagint Jubilees Philo died Josephus died Paul and letters Synoptic Gospels Chronology

6. Rabbinic Texts ~400 CE ~500 CE ~7th century ~8th century ~13th century Midrash Rabbah on Genesis Babylonian Talmud Midrash Tanhuma(on Pentateuch) Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer Book of Jashar—Re-written Bible genre Chronology

7. Chronology • Church Fathers • Melito of Sardis-----Died 190 CE • Origen------Born 185 CE • Augustine of Hippo-----354-430 CE • Islamic Writings • Qur’an completed----632/690 CE • Classical post-Qur’anic writing---~9th cent

8. Chronology • Middle Ages • Maimonides • Ephraim of Bonn---Poem for Jewish Martyrs • Mystery Plays---English • Rashbam----Jewish Commentator

9. Chronology • Modernity 19th and 20th centuries • Kant---1798 • Kierkegaard---1843: Fear and Trembling • Martin Buber--- Critique of Kierkegaard • Franz Kafka---On Abraham • Wilfred Owen---died 1918: Poet of The Great War • Cristos Valenti---1990 Akedah replayed • Musical Depictions

10. Jewish Traditions • Book of Jashar, Chapter XXII

11. Christian Commentary • Augustine of Hippo: The City of God, Book XVI, Chapter 31ff

12. Islamic Interpretations • Qur’an, Surah 37:99-113 • Classical Hadith—before 891CE

13. Modernity and Re-Making of Tradition • Franz Kafka: On Abraham

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