The Judeo-Christian Tradition: A Project of Discursive Invention and Exclusion
Open Access
Author:
Suliman, Ladin
Area of Honors:
Philosophy
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Brady Bowman, Thesis Supervisor Brady Bowman, Thesis Honors Advisor Nicolas J De Warren, Thesis Supervisor
Keywords:
Judeo-Christian tradition Christianity Judaism Islam Orientalism Semitic semite antisemitism
Abstract:
Contemporary American scholarship and political discourse—predominately on the political right—see a reliance on appeals to notions of a “Judeo-Christian tradition” to define the moral and ethical values of western society. Upon first glance, it may seem that such references are substantial in that they correlate to a theological, historical, and/or cultural consensus between Jews and Christians. However, upon further investigation, notions of a shared tradition between the two religious groups seem questionable at best. Instead of fostering inclusivity, the term’s discursive use has defined rigid boundaries which exclude possibilities of broader cohesion between Abrahamic traditions and reenforces Christian normativity. This essay is an attempt to demystify the enigmatic hyphenated tradition through an exploration of the term’s usage and appropriation, European and Jewish cultural identity throughout the long nineteenth century, and antisemitism. It is through these vantage points that we return to the Judeo-Christian tradition as it exists today and the challenges which it faces in light of multifaceted critique and internal dissent.
