Jewish Christians in Puritan England
The adoption of Jewish rituals in a Protestant context
Format:Paperback
Publisher:James Clarke & Co Ltd
Published:24th Nov '22
Should be back in stock very soon
This book explores the adoption of Jewish rituals by Puritan sects in seventeenth-century England, revealing their quest for distinct religious identity.
In Jewish Christians in Puritan England, Aidan Cottrell-Boyce delves into the intriguing phenomenon of Judaizing within the context of seventeenth-century England. Amid the surge of Puritan sects, many began to adopt distinctly Jewish rituals, such as circumcision, Sabbath observance, and dietary laws. These practices led to the labeling of these groups as Judaizers, sparking debates about their motivations. Were these actions merely an overzealous interpretation of the Bible, a reflection of Protestant apocalyptic beliefs, or a reaction to the evolving status of Jews in Europe? Cottrell-Boyce argues that the root of this behavior lies in a deeper aspect of Puritanism itself.
The author posits that the drive for recognition as a 'singular' and uniquely Godly minority was a significant factor behind the Judaizing movements. This quest for distinctiveness created a bond among these groups and other Protestant factions, fostering a sense of unity. The way Judaism was portrayed in contemporary Christian discourse further reinforced this connection, presenting Judaism as an ideal model for the marks of salvation that these Puritan sects sought to embody.
Ultimately, Jewish Christians in Puritan England offers a comprehensive analysis of how the interplay between identity, faith, and cultural influences shaped the practices of these groups. Cottrell-Boyce's work sheds light on the complexities of religious expression during a pivotal time in English history, revealing the nuanced motivations behind the adoption of Jewish customs by Puritan Christians.
1. "An original and innovative contribution to our understanding of a neglected tendency within Puritanism. A compelling work that has implications that go well beyond its subject matter and opens up new ways of thinking about Christian interpretations and appropriations of Judaism." - Justin Meggitt, Senior Lecturer in the Study of Religion, University of Cambridge, and Visiting Researcher, Stockholm University. 2. "Aidan Cottrell-Boyce takes his readers on a fascinating journey, exploring the significance of \lquote Judaizing\rquote trends among English Puritans. Operating at the intersection of theological and sociological analysis, he presents an innovative and convincing account in which the adoption of \lquote Jewish\rquote practices enabled individuals to take on a stance of distinctiveness and separation from the surrounding culture of the dominant majority. The book\rquote s argument has implications beyond its seventeenth-century focus, illuminating a broader historical pattern of scripturally shaped resistance-identity that can be traced through early Christianity, rabbinic Judaism, the rise of Protestantism, and the Radical Reformation." - Daniel H. Weiss, Polonsky-Coexist Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies, University of Cambridge. 3. "Jewish Christians in Puritan England is as comprehensive a study of its subject matter as readers can ever hope for. It does not engage the increasingly transatlantic context within which seventeenth-century Puritans and Jews remade their worlds. Developments in the Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities of northwestern Europe and the Americas also escape the attention of the author. Those points being made, its clear-eyed and insightful treatment of the Puritan context makes up for those omissions. Two thousand years of history tell us that people's fantasies about Jews are greater shapers of world history than actualities ever will be." - Michael Hoberman, Fitchburg State University In Church History, Volume 92, Issue 3, September, 2023, pp. 734 - 735. 4. "Cottrell-Boyce's thesis is undoubtedly interesting and persuasive, and his argument is informed by an impressive range of scholarship. This study will be of value to anyone interested in the 'Judaising' phenomenon, and the culture of English Puritanism more broadly." - Stephen Hampton in Scottish Journal of Theology, 77/3, 2024, 298-299pp
ISBN: 9780227177952
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
299 pages