Studying Judaism: The Critical Issues

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This volume in the Studying World Religions series is an essential guide to the study of Judaism. Clearly structured to cover all the major areas of study, including historical foundations, scripture, worship, society, material culture, thought and ethics, this is the ideal study aid for those approaching Judaism for the first time. Studying Judaism offers readers the chance to engage with a religious tradition as a diverse, living phenomenon. Its approach is 'critical' in two major respects: its use of the dimensional approach to the study of religions as an interpretive framework, and its focus on matters perceived as problematic by insider and/or outsider commentators, such as gender, demography, geo-politics, the 'museumization' of Jewish cultures and its impact on religion and identity. This book is the perfect companion for the fledgling student of Judaism.

Reviews

Melanie Wright bequeaths the reader an insightful and valuable introduction to the study of Judaism.Her lifetime's devotion to Jewish studies, especially to Jewish culture, makes this book essential for anyone interested in the varieties of Judaism. -- Edward Kessler MBE, Founder and Director, Woolf Institute, UK
Melanie Wright has accomplished an almost impossible task, in compiling an account of Judaism that is comprehensive, readable, fresh and innovative. She writes as a sympathetic outsider, deeply sensitive to different (sometimes conflicting) currents, and to ever-changing concerns. Above all, her reflections on how Judaism - indeed, any religion - ought to be studied merit serious attention. -- Nicholas de Lange, University of Cambridge, UK

Author Bio

Melanie J. Wright was Academic Director of the Centre for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations, and a Lecturer in Religious Studies at the Open University, UK. She is the author of numerous articles and books including Understanding Judaism, and Religion and Film: An Introduction. With Lucia Faltin she co-edited The Religious Roots of Contemporary European Identity, which is also published by Continuum.