'Much has been written about the so-called 'Parting of the Ways' between Judaism and Christianity. This book is a most welcome departure from the norm, for it does not address the usual questions of why, when, and even whether this schism took place, but focuses on how the schism was constructed in classical Jewish sources. In other words, The Christian Schism is not a history of the 'parting' as such, but an attempt to discern what ancient Jews knew about Christianity and why. Meticulously research and highly readable, this book will interest historians, theologians, and all those who care about the relationships between Jews and Christians in the past, present and future.' Adele Reinhartz, University of Ottawa
Introduction: the Christian schism in Jewish history and Jewish memory; 1. The parting of the ways in contemporary perspective; 2. Jewish identity in classical antiquity - critical issues and approaches to definition; 3. Early Christian negotiations with Jewish identity; 4. Reading Christianity as a Jewish heresy in early Rabbinic texts; 5. Shifting demographics and the making of a schism; Epilogue.