Bölümler
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Maimonides arguably was the greatest philosopher of the twelfth century. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will help us unpack his legacy and address the following questions:
Why was Maimonides’ codification of Jewish law so monumental? How did his system of codification diverge from the Talmud? How did Maimonides’ Guide to the Perplexed help push western philosophy forward? Why was The Guide to the Perplexed banned by some Jewish rabbis? Why was the ban ultimately lifted? -
The Medieval Islamic world was very advanced in its scholarship and studies, and in some instances surpassed the scholars of Europe. As we survey some of the greatest Islamic thinkers, we’ll address the following questions:
When and how did the Islamic philosophical tradition begin? What made the world of Medieval Islam so conducive to the study of philosophy? Why is Averroes seen negatively within the Christian philosophical tradition? -
Eksik bölüm mü var?
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Life as a Jew in the Middle Ages was difficult across both Christendom and Islamic lands. To help us unpack the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
How much truth is there to the notion that life for the Jews under Medieval Christendom was bleak? Why did distinctions between Sephardic and Ashkenazic traditions begin developing in this time? What fueled the many Jewish migrations across Europe? How does the Spanish Inquisition fit into the larger picture of persecution? -
When it came to establishing the doctrine of the Catholic Church, there are few quite as important and influential as Augustine. To explore the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
Why are Augustine’s reflections on his childhood considered monumental? According to Augustine, what is the best way for a Christian to protect his soul? How can the Christian achieve immortality? How does Augustine reimagine history distinct from Herodotus and Thucydides?Recommended Reading: Augustine of Hippo. Confessions. Translated by F.J. Sheed. Indiana: Hacket Publishing Company, 2006.
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The disasters of the fourteenth century triggered reactions that involved and impacted the highest levels of the Roman Catholic Church. As we work through the topic, we’ll explore the following questions:
How did the populace of Europe respond to the disasters of the fourteenth century? Why did religious reformers begin springing up around this time? How did the Church react to them? What were the goals of Gothic architecture? -
The greatness of the thirteenth century will collapse into the disasters of the fourteenth. To explain the how and why of it, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:
Why did the price and wage controls not help the economic chaos following the Black Death? Why were the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries known as the Age of Parliament? What sparked the Hundred Years’ War? -
The Middle Ages were marked by a contradiction between the stability of settling down and a dynamic spirit that inspired greatness. On today’s episode, we’ll uncover answers to the following questions:
How did the Creation Mandate inspire Christians to start thinking beyond their horizons? Why does Medieval art depict figures who are clearly disproportionate? What was Gothic architecture trying to accomplish? What precipitated the Crusades? How were they a product of the restless Christian spirit?Recommended Reading: Urban II, Speech at the Council of Clermont
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The tension between intellectual reason and divine revelation stands at the heart of the Medieval spirit of inquiry. As we explore that tension, we’ll unpack the following questions:
Why did universities develop at this time? How were they different than the ancient academies? How did Christian thinkers begin employing philosophy to develop Christian doctrine? Why was scholasticism important towards building up intellectual life? -
The Middle Ages will see the continued development of the relationship between God and man. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will discuss the following questions:
What role did church and religion play in the day-to-day life of the layman of the Middle Ages? Why was religion as important for Jews as it was for Christians? Why was medieval Christian scholarship so focused on theology, and why did the Church come down so hard on what it perceived as heresies? -
The structures of government in the Middle Ages are quite different from what we have today. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
What were the various obligations of the different ranks of people in the Middle Ages? How were they obligated to each other? What role did the king play in Medieval times? Was it really all bad for Jews in the Middle Ages? -
The next chapter in the story of the west is the Middle Ages, centered around Catholic Europe. As we begin to explore this era, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
Why did the Catholic Church center itself in Rome if it did not begin there? How were political and military leaders essential to the spread of Christianity? Why was serfdom the Christian solution to slavery? -
As the sun set on the Greco-Roman era, a new dawn will break over Christian Europe. To help introduce us to the Middle Ages, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
The Middle Ages are often referred to as the Dark Ages, but how dark were they really? How did the chaos that followed the fall of the Roman empire influence the institutions of the Middle Ages? How does the tension between reason and revelation drive philosophical thought during this time? -
The Jewish population of Spain thrived under Muslim rule. As we explore that time period, we’ll take a look at the following questions:
How do different cultural hubs develop in the region of Spain? How do the Jews develop their own genre of poetry in this region and what makes it uniquely beautiful? How do political turmoil and religious wars affect the Jews of SpainRecommended Reading: Lewis, Bernard. The Jews of Islam. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987.
Perelis, Ronnie. Narratives from the Sephardic Atlantic: Blood and Faith. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2016. -
Islam has been making headlines since it was founded in the seventh century CE. To help us unpack the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
Does Islam really belong in the story of the west? How did Islam actually start and what are the basic tenets of the faith? How does Islam diverge from Christianity and Judaism regarding the covenant? Or does it? -
The codifying of the Talmud marked a major turning point for Jewish life and law. As we dive into the topic, we’ll explore the following questions:
What exactly is the Talmud? How is the Talmud structured? Is the structure itself important to the content? What drove Jewish passion for and attachment to the Talmud over the centuries?Recommended Reading: Saiman, Chaim. Halakhah: The Rabbinic Idea of Law. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2018.
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As the western half of the Roman Empire fell apart, the eastern half remained a dominant force. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will help us address the following questions:
How did the western half of the Roman Empire weaken to the point of collapse? Was Christianity really to blame? What shifted to make Christianity become the dominant religion within the empire? Why does the Western Roman Empire ultimately fall apart? -
The instability that became the hallmark of the late Roman Republic rears its head again in the late days of the Empire. Today, we’ll explore the following questions:
How did Rome’s military manage to hold together the empire in the face of economic challenges? What was happening in the Sassanian Empire at this time? Why did Diocletian split the Roman Empire? -
There are many ways to explain a text, yet Midrash remains one of the most important. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will walk us through the following questions:
What exactly is Midrash, and why is it important to Judaism? Why are the midrashic texts of the fourth and fifth centuries considered the most authoritative? How do we reconcile midrashic interpretations of the text with the simple understanding of the text that does not include the midrash? -
Tacitus and Juvenal are vastly entertaining in their critiques of the world around them. As we survey these writers, we’ll uncover answers to the following questions:
If Tacitus’ descriptions of the Jews are outrageous, why is it important to read him? How does Tacitus’ explanation of the Jewish day of rest shed light on the Roman, pagan mentality? What makes Juvenal so memorable as a writer?Recommended Reading: Tacitus on the Jews, Book V.
Tacitus. Annals. Translated by Michael Grant. New York: Laurel-Leaf, 2005. " -
The story of Masada is one that holds great weight in the collective Jewish memory. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:
Why does Josephus emphasize that the Jews at Masada died on the first day of Passover? Why might many religious Jews reading the story reject it as extreme? How did the legacy of Masada influence the establishing of the modern state of Israel?Recommended Reading: Josephus. Complete Works. Translated William Whiston, Grand Rapids Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960.
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