'The Parting of the Ways': Theological Construct or Historical Reality?

Abstract

The 'parting of the ways' has in recent years become a standard model for describing the split between Judaism and Christianity, with debate focusing on its causes and date. Yet although the model is considerably more eirenic than its predecessors (supersessionism; a 'take over'), it is equally driven by a theological need to maintain the unity between Israel and the church; neither is it a model which would have been understood at the time, by the Christian, Jewish or pagan participants. A more nuanced approach needs to recognize that the relationship between Judaism and Christianity would have been differently perceived by the different participants, and in different contexts. Evidence of Jews, Christians and pagans interacting on a social and popular religious level also indicates that the distancing rhetoric of the 'theologians' frequently failed to be matched by the experience of many people. Specific and local analyses, and a more flexible 'map' are required, and the functions of different models to answer different questions or maintain different interpretations need to be recognized.