Finalist for the American Jewish Studies cateogry of the 2016 National Jewish Book AwardsEarly in the 1800s; American Jews consciously excluded rabbinic forces from playing a role in their community's development. By the final decades of the century; ordained rabbis were in full control of America's leading synagogues and large sectors of American Jewish life. How did this shift occur? Who Rules the Synagogue? explores how American Jewry in the nineteenth century was transformed from a lay dominated community to one whose leading religious authorities were rabbis. Zev Eleff traces the history of this revolution; culminating in the Pittsburgh rabbinical conference of 1885 and the commotion caused by it. Previous scholarship has chartered the religious history of American Judaism during this era; but Eleff reinterprets this history through the lens of religious authority. In so doing; he offers a fresh view of the story of American Judaism with the aid of never-before-mined sources and a comprehensive review of periodicals and newspapers.Eleff weaves together the significant episodes and debates that shaped American Judaism during this formative period; and places this story into the larger context of American religious history and modern Jewish history.
#226068 in Books Ingramcontent 2015-11-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.40 x 1.50 x 9.20l; .0 #File Name: 0190263989448 pagesIn the Beginning Was the Word The Bible in American Public Life 1492 1783
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. This is a fantastic introduction to the bible in early America.By RJLMark Noll; as he usually does; invites readers into the historical conversation about the way the Bible shaped and was shaped by early America. He adeptly integrates historiography into a clear narrative of the shape of biblicism through the early centuries in North America. He challenges simplistic views of the bible's place in this society as both shaping and being shaped by the powerful cultural forces (slavery; relationships with Native Americans; and the revaluation) I appreciate his capacity to carry a narrative forward while doing significant historical work. I am looking forward to his next installment.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The KJV in Colonial AmericaBy No King But ChristA colleague of mine likes to say that in Europe; the [established] Church depended upon the State but in America the State depends upon the Church [the Body of Christ; not an organization]. This is Noll’s premise but he phrases it differently: a biblicism that promotes an official Christendom versus a biblicism that challenges and even undermines any notion of an “official†Christendom. We might say then that America was at least culturally; albeit imperfectly; Christian and that both Church and State were founded upon bedrock biblical principles even if a mature understanding of faith (liberty of conscience) required the separation of Church and State (institutionally and jurisdictionally). In short; this book makes very clear that colonial Americans were a scripture-believing; -loving; and possibly even -obsessed people. Deism was not a significant force on this side of the Atlantic.Now; I am certain that die-hard secularists will meet such an assertion with hostility. However; I do not understand why. Just because America has a Christian origin and heritage does not mean America must remain Christian. In fact; Americans have not had a consistent; comprehensive Christian worldview for decades (maybe even a century). Obama was correct when he said; “…we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation; a Muslim nation; a Buddhist nation; a Hindu nation; and a nation of nonbelievers.â€In any event; Noll does a fair job tracing the role of scriptures in the development of colonial and republican America. I have a few bones to pick; two major plus two pet peeves.1. Noll suggests that scriptural teaching was eventually married to Whig political ideology. In other words; scripture was increasingly interpreted to support the age’s more “secular political theoriesâ€. May I suggest that Whig political ideology is scriptural but (a) it requires a self-governing people to see it come to fruition and (b) it sometimes takes people outside the Church to enlighten the eyes of the Church to what the scriptures teach.2. The next bone is related to the first. Noll rightly points out that scripture was enlisted to justify imperialism and to hold Britain up as a New Israel. The problem is that he equates the two. It is one thing to read scripture and conclude that the Whigs have it right; it is another to read scripture and conclude that Britain is the New Israel. Big difference.3. The first pet peeve. Noll quotes 1 Tim 6:10 as reading money as “the root of all evilâ€. I hope this was a matter of editing because Noll has just got to know that the LOVE of money is a root of ALL KINDS of evil. Obviously; money is not inherently evil nor is it the source of all evil.4. The second pet peeve. Noll twice refers to the “so-called Boston Massacreâ€. Yes; Paul Revere and Sam Adams milked the events of March 5; 1770 for all its worth. However; it WAS a massacre. The 1828 definition reads; “the murder of an INDIVIDUAL…without authority or necessityâ€. By dismissing it as “so-called†Noll and other Americans prove that (a) they don’t know the definition of massacre and/or (b) have become so desensitized that a death toll of five is no longer a big deal.All in all; worth the read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Theory; no practiceBy J. MooreThe thematic concept is interesting (and repeated over and over again). The author uses sermon content to show the conflicting ways the bible was used both to support and challenge Christendom but doesn't show how those opinions were worked out in actions.
