Online Course
Jewish – Christian Relations
This course will survey the history of the Jewish people and Judaism in comparison with the history of Christianity. Instead of seeing Jesus and Judaism through the lens of later history, we will study them both in their original historical context.
Judaism and Christianity each have their own set of values, rules and approaches to God. Specifically, they each have a different understanding of the concept of Messiah. These issues have been debated throughout the centuries, but the modern discussion has added a new perspective. The recognition of the Jewish identity of Jesus has influenced both Jewish and Christian scholarship, leading to a new chapter in the debate.
Free Sample Lecture
About the Course
The history of the Jewish people goes all the way back to Abraham, but after the destruction of the Temple in the year 70 CE, something new emerged. With no temple to offer sacrifices, along with the growing movement of Jesus followers presenting an increasing challenge, Judaism had to reinvent itself. Both Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity have their roots in Second Temple Judaism, but evolved in reaction to one another, to some extent even defining themselves by their differences. By the Middle Ages, they had become two entirely separate groups that seemed to have nothing in common. It is a fascinating, but often sad history. Over time almost all connection between Judaism and Christianity was lost. Only in relatively recent years has there been an understanding of the commonalities between the two, and the importance of understanding each group in its original context. During the course we will also focus on the Jewish roots of Jesus. Instead of seeing Jesus and Judaism through the lens of later history, we will study them both in their original historical context.
Course Objectives
This course is designed to enable students to achieve the following objectives:
- The student will recognize and evaluate the historical events and theological beliefs that have caused controversy between Christians and Jewish people.
- The student will integrate and decipher the modern schism between the two groups based on historical analysis.
- The student will appreciate God’s promises and faithfulness in spite of humanity’s sin.
Course Syllabus:
- Lesson 1 – Who are the Jewish people?
- Lesson 2 – Replacing Replacement Theology
- Lesson 3 – The New Testament and anti-Jewishness
- Lesson 4 – The origins of Rabbinic Judaism
- Lesson 5 – The early Church and the Jews
- Lesson 6 – The Middle Ages, Part 1
- Lesson 7 – Middle Ages, Part 2
- Lesson 8 – The Spanish Inquisition and beyond
- Lesson 9 – The Protestant Reformation
- Lesson 10 – Enlightenment and Jewish believers in Jesus
- Lesson 11 – The Holocaust
- Lesson 12 – After Auschwitz
- Lesson 13 – Theological Issues
- Lesson 14 – Modern Israel
Instructor: Dr. David Mishkin
Dr. David Mishkin has a PhD in Biblical and Religious Studies, with a focus on Jewish – Christian Relations. David serves on the faculty of Israel College of the Bible in Netanya, Israel, and has published several scholarly articles and books, including “The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheim”and “Rabbi and Redeemer: Discovering Yeshua in the Gospel of John.”
Course at a Glance
- 90 hours of study in total
- 3-5 hours of study per week
- Language: English
Course Format
For Personal Enrichment
The student is guided through the teaching videos and reading material, and encouraged to take the short quiz at the end of each section in order to reinforce the information. The reading assignments are optional. Students are welcome to complete additional written assignments, but they will not be graded on them.
- The course consists of 14 lessons that contain lecture videos and homework reading assignments.
- This is a Self-Paced Online Course. The student is required to complete the course within six months from the day of registration, but is free to do so at his/her own pace and may review video lectures at any time during the course.
- At the end of each lesson there is a short multiple-choice quiz to help reinforce the material studied.
Required Textbooks
Participants need to purchase:
- Kessler, Edward, An Introduction to Jewish-Christian Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2010
- Vlach, Michael, Has the Church Replaced Israel?, B&H Publishing, 2010
- Luther, Martin, On the Jews and their Lies (no need to purchase – provided in PDF format via itsLearning)
Aside from the three books above, all additional reading material will be available free online.
No prerequisites required – all are welcome!
Course Fees
For Personal Enrichment – $249 USD
*These fees do not include required textbooks
**Payment is non-refundable