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A conference in English, organized by Leopold-Zunz-Zentrum zur Erforschung des europaeischen Judentums and Seminar fuer Juedische Studien, in collaboration with Zentrum fuer Reformationsgeschichte und Lutherische Orthodoxie, all part of the Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg.
The history of the relationship between Judaism and Protestantism, the latter a large-scale religious and political movement within Christianity, the former an alienated minority without political influence, is a drama of perennial and often fatal misunderstandings, but also one marked by fertile co-operation and mutual influence. Three historical periodsattract the attention of scholarship: the beginnings, marked by the unsuccessful Protestant attempt to cause Judaism to 'evolve' (convert) to the new religious way; the 19th century, characterised by Jewish usage of Protestant (historical and theological) categories in the 'reformation' of Jewish liturgy and religious life, and within the 'Wissenschaft des Judentums'; and the 20th century when, as a result of von Harnack's reductive interpretation of Jewish identity, internal Jewish discussion took place regarding the essence of Jewish religion and history, as well as Jewish identity.
The Leopold-Zunz-Zentrum, founded in 1998 with the explicit goal ofresearching the interdependence of religious, social, political and cultural aspects in Jewish history and the importance of Jews and
Judaism in the making of Europe, invites contributions relating to these three periods.
The origins of Lutheranism have often been the focus of scholarly attention, clarifying the main focus and the aims of the Protestant movement. Lectures should, therefore, not only offer a fresh look at the relationship between Luther and the Jews, but also, and primarily, analyse the historiographical findings of both Jewish and Christian scholarship on the origins of the movement. Of importance here is the (indirect?) influence of certain Lutheran components on Judaism, such as theological elements, hierarchical changes and perspectives, policy changes for or against the Jew, etc. Contributions may also refer to the following aspects: Jewish, Christian (Protestant and Catholic) report on the origins of Lutheranism; Lutheran concepts and beliefs as viewed by Jewish philosophical treatises and theological polemics (especially the concepts of mercy; political and spiritual authority; the sense of personal spirituality; and changes in liturgy); Lutheran hopes for a new catholic unity; Jewish views and commentaries on the theological confrontations between Christian theologians.
It was perhaps no coincidence that Leopold Zunz wrote his epoch-making book of 28 pages entitled _Etwas ueber die rabbinische Litteratur_ in 1817 when Germany was celebrating the 300th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. _Etwas ueber die rabbinische Litteratur_, published in 1818 and effectively Zunz's programme for the 'Wissenschaft des Judentums', can be considered as the Magna Carta of modern research in Jewish history and literature and as the most important contemporary example of a 'scientific' opposition against traditional 'Talmudjudentum'. The Reform Jews were conscious of their own dependence on ideas first expressed by the humanistic movement which had culminated in the LutheranReformation. The demands of the Reform movement for a return _ad fontes_, the introduction of the vernacular into the service, the increasing role of preaching during the service, the rejection of traditional exegetical methods, etc. are only a few of the ideas imported from the Protestant understanding.
Von Harnack's 'Vorlesungen ueber das Wesen des Christentums' in Berlin provoked a vehement reaction from German Jewry. While the Jews rejected the repeated attacks by Protestantism against their so-called 'obstinacy' (unwillingness to 'change', i.e. convert), the inner-Jewish debate regarding von Harnack's views on Jewish identity became heated. This discussion about the 'essence of Judaism' points up the search for a definition of Jewish religious identity in an age of 'nationalised' confessions. With regards to this question the symposium aims not only at discussing the relationship between von Harnack and Leo Baeck and the problem of a definition of Pharisaic Judaism but also at probing the inner dynamics of the attempts of a non-Jewish German public to find an answer to the Protestant definition of Christianity. Aspects which might be considered in this respect are the philosophical and theologicalemphasis on ethics (Hermann Cohen), the problem of dogmas, and the increasing importance of 'foreign' religions for an understanding of European culture.
Colleagues interested in attending this conference and/or wishing topresent a _short_ paper (20 minutes) should send an abstract of 1 page maximum by 30 April 1999.
Please write to:
Professor Giuseppe Veltri
Seminar fuer Juedische Studien
Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg
Reichardtstr. 2, 06114 Halle (Saale), Germany
tel.: +49-345-5524064
fax: +49-345-5527200
e-mail: veltri@orientphil.uni-halle.de
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