Prof. Ithamar Theodor (Zefat Academic College and University of Haifa) - The Personification of the Vedic Creation Story in the Bhagavata Purana.
From the First Annual Conference of the Israeli Society for the Study of Religions, June 8, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1EQDvRUsA4
Prof. Rabbi Daniel Sperber, Bar-Ilan University - "Between East and West: The Unique Position of Judaism."
The lecture was given on December 17, 2019, as part of the meetings of the Bar Ilan Forum for the Study of Religion under the auspices of the Rector of Bar-Ilan University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbWikDMNa58
Prof. Ron Margolin, Tel Aviv University - "The Science of Religion or Religious Studies: On the Evolution of the Field Globally and in Israel and Its Unique Importance to Culture and Society in Israel."
The lecture was given on January 14, 2020, as part of the meetings of the Forum for the Bar Ilan Forum for the Study of Religion under the auspices of the Rector of Bar-Ilan University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr3tw0PUsnE&feature=youtu.be
Articles
Ithamar Theodor - Constructing the Aesthetic Self of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa
In this article, Professor Itamar Theodore from the Department of Comparative Literature at Bar-Ilan University examines the concept of selfhood as presented in the Bhagavata Purana, one of the eighteen major Puranas in Hinduism. The Bhagavata Purana uniquely synthesizes Vedantic philosophy, dramatic and aesthetic elements, and personal expressions. Within this text, the notion of selfhood is developed in an innovative and distinctive manner, offering a novel perspective within the Hindu tradition
Gideon Elazar - Nominalism: Negotiating Ethnicity and Christian Identity in Contemporary Yunnan
In this article, Professor Gideon Elazar from the Interdisciplinary Program in Humanities at Bar-Ilan University examines the unique perspective of Christians in Yunnan Province, China. Their religious identity significantly constrains the role of ethnicity in identity construction, instead emphasizing individualism and globalism—a process that could be beneficial for the Chinese state. The article's discussion centers on the distinction made by many Evangelical Christians in China between "true" faith, based on an individual experience of salvation and rebirth, and "nominal" faith—a traditional understanding of religion as an identity inherited at birth
Dan Jaffe - Nihil Obstat Imprimatur - Talmudic Sages and the Evangelions of Jewish-Christians — New Perspectives
In this article, Dr. Dan Jaffe from the School of Basic Jewish Studies at Bar-Ilan University presents a renewed and in-depth analysis of the issues surrounding the term 'Evangelion' in the Talmudic corpus. Through an examination of early Christian and Rabbinic literary sources, coupled with philological and literary discussions, the author contends that this term is a transliteration of the well-known Greek word εὐαγγέλιον (Evangelion). He then explores the historical implications of its usage in the Talmud to gain a deeper understanding of the sages' struggle against Jewish-Christians.
Shlomi Mualem - Originality of the Soil: Wittgenstein’s Philosophy of Jewish Intellectualism and Transcendental Ethics
"In this article, Professor Shlomi Mualem from the Department of Comparative Literature at Bar-Ilan University presents the intricate system of connections between philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's self-identity, his conception of the role of philosophy, and his stance on ethics. The author sheds light on Wittgenstein's philosophical work, particularly his early work, as a project aimed at establishing a transcendent ethics through philosophy, which he viewed not as a doctrine but as a clarifying practice. This project is undertaken in light of Wittgenstein's surprising perception of his own work as affiliated with what he termed 'Jewish intellectualism'
Shlomi Mualem – Theopoetics in Wittgenstein's Philosophy
"In this article, Professor Shlomi Mualem from the Department of Comparative Literature at Bar-Ilan University examines the theopoetics (a fusion of theological and poetic discourse) that emerged in the early philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein. This theopoetics aims to preserve the radical transcendence of the domains of ethics, religion, and divinity, thereby shaping an aesthetics of 'view sub specie aeternitatis' (contemplation from the perspective of eternity)."
Books
"Prophecy and Mysticism: Comparative Studies in Jewish-Hindu Philosophy and Religion" is an innovative and comprehensive collection of essays that marks a significant milestone in Israeli scholarship written in Hebrew. This pioneering volume brings together a diverse range of interdisciplinary perspectives, offering a fresh and holistic exploration of the entwined realms of prophecy, mysticism, and spiritual inquiry within Jewish and Hindu traditions. By delving into uncharted territory and presenting a multifaceted examination of this complex subject, this book contributes to the advancement of comparative studies and fosters a deeper understanding of the shared insights and distinct perspectives within these ancient traditions.
The book Hebrew Humanism is grounded in recognizing humanistic and Jewish commitments as two distinct value systems and cognitive frameworks that can coexist as partners, complement each other, and at times compete with one another. This work presents a range of perspectives and critiques concerning the bridge that connects, or the wall that separates, the threads that bind, or the storm that threatens every encounter between these two worlds. The book as a whole serves as an invitation to engage with a series of questions that arise in the space that opens between these worlds. Perhaps, it also seeks to be a call to reshape Jewish identity in terms of "Hebrew Humanism."
Theopoetics posits literary writing and artistic creation as paradigms for embodying the divine presence in human existence. In this framework, theopoetics elevates metaphor, symbol, myth, and artistic representation as potent vehicles for manifesting the sacred.
This anthology compiles seminal essays by leading Israeli scholars in the fields of aesthetics and religious studies. It aims to present readers with the diverse spectrum of profound ideas and nuanced expressions that characterize theopoetic thought in the modern era.