Market of the Gods

How religious innovations emerge. From Judaism to Christianity

Häftad, Engelska, 2024

539 kr

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2,000 years ago, Judaism was becoming an attractive product in the market of Mediterraneanreligions. Yet it was Christianity that won the day. Innovation anthropologistDominique Desjeux offers an unexpected solution to this oft-revisited enigma.In the year 70, the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed. The Jews were in danger ofdisappearing, even though they represented nearly 8% of the empire's population. Tosurvive, the Jews had to make a strategic choice between several controversies: theresurrection of the dead, proselytism, the application of circumcision and dietaryprohibitions.One school of thought proposed refocusing on the purity of rules. This later gave riseto Rabbinical Judaism. Another Jewish current favored globalization. It proposed areligious product that was easier to disseminate. It did away with circumcision andkashrut, included eternal life, which reassured against the uncertainties of the future,and baptism, which simplified the rituals of purification. This current was excludedfrom synagogues. A few centuries later, it gave rise to Christianity. Any resemblanceto today’s innovations and crises is not accidental.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2024-11-25
Mått148 x 210 x 0 mm
Vikt297 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
SerieBusiness and Innovation
Antal sidor170
FörlagPeter Lang AG, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften
ISBN9783034350037

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Dominique Desjeux, anthropologist, is professor emeritus at Université Paris Cité,Sorbonne humanities. After working with M. Crozier, A. Touraine and G. Balandier,he has carried out contract research since 1969 in China, the USA, Brazil, Europeand Africa. He has published numerous works on consumption, energy, mobility, innovationsand decisions in organizations and domestic space. He has been a directorof collections at L’Harmattan and PUF.

By the Same Author — Introduction — Chapter 1 The Anthropology of Innovation Applied toReligious Phenomena — Chapter 2 Mesopotamia, the Matrix of Jewish Monotheism ina Polytheistic World (12th to 5th Centuries BC) — Chapter 3 The Hellenization and Romanization of the Mediterranean Rim — Chapter 4 Two Great Debates in the Jewish World: Circumcision and Proselytism — Chapter 5 The Incremental Invention Launched by Jesus: Purifying the Temple Religion — Chapter 6 Paul the Apostle on the Road to Disruptive Innovation — Chapter 7 The Destruction of the Temple: The Incremental Invention Becomes a Disruptive Innovation — Chapter 8 The Struggle Between Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity for Control of the Synagogues — Chapter 9 How the Instability of the Roman Empire Favoured the Christian Innovation — Conclusion — Postscript — Notes — Bibliography