18AR23-39

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AR 23:39 - A "magnificent" and "fascinating" new history of Judaism

In this issue:

JUDAISM - the history behind its internal doctrinal and philosophical debates

LEWIS, C. S. - a "definitive" new book is "the first ... to develop a cohesive and holistic understanding of Lewis as a philosopher"

NONES - one of the "biggest demographic changes of our time" is happening among millennials - and it involves marriage

Apologia Report 23:39 (1,405)

December 5, 2018

JUDAISM

A History of Judaism, by Martin Goodman [1] -- Princeton University Press: Goodman "tells the stories of the rabbis, mystics, and messiahs of the medieval and early modern periods and guides us through the many varieties of Judaism today. Goodman's compelling narrative spans the globe, from the Middle East, Europe, and America to North Africa, China, and India. He explains the institutions and ideas on which all forms of Judaism are based, and masterfully weaves together the different threads of doctrinal and philosophical debate that run throughout its history."

Choice (Sep '18) finds it "a magnificent, well-researched history of Judaism from the Second Temple period into the present. ... A significant theme running throughout is how Judaism was shaped by surrounding cultures, such as Hellenistic influence in the later Second Temple period, Islamic influence in the early Middle Ages, and Christian influence in later periods in Europe. Scholars of Judaism will certainly find minor details in this presentation with which to quibble, but most will acknowledge that this volume is a valuable contribution to the field of Jewish studies."

Kirkus (Jan '18 #2): "An expansive and fascinating history ... the author is so convinced of the importance of the first century of the Common Era that he does not move past it until a third of the way through the book. His decision to dig so deeply into this short window of time makes sense, however, and sets the stage for the rest of the story.... [Goodman] skillfully points to the seemingly endless conflicts and connections Judaism has had with other forces through history, from Hellenism to Rome, Byzantium to the Enlightenment, anti-Semitism to Zionism. Goodman also parses out the many forms that Judaism has taken throughout the past 2,000 years, beginning with Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes in the first century and ending with Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox, and their many manifestations, in the 21st. Well-written and exhaustively researched, Goodman's work is a masterpiece of pedagogy crafted as a tool for teaching and learning...."

Library Journal (Feb '18 #1) says the author "demonstrates that Jews have always been pluralistic. ... Goodman's area of expertise is Second Temple and early rabbinic Judaism, but his masterly expansion beyond this period explores the origins of Judaism, shifting practices throughout Temple periods, and the cultures and practices of Jews up to the present, including mystical and messianic movements."

Publishers Weekly (undated): "His approach - combining the linear histories that earlier generations of scholars used with contemporary open-minded thinking about considering 'the claims of all traditions' - avoids the common pitfalls of assuming that there was always a clearly-defined mainstream of Judaism. ... Goodman leaves no significant topic unaddressed. This is the rare scholarly volume that offers new insights and details for the lay and academic reader alike."

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LEWIS, C. S.

C. S. Lewis, by Stewart Goetz (Professor of Philosophy at Ursinus College, visiting scholar at St. Peter's College, Oxford) [2] -- Blackwell: "The definitive exploration of C.S. Lewis's philosophical thought, and its connection with his theological and literary work. ... What is often overlooked is that Lewis first loved and was academically trained in philosophy. [This] is the first book to develop a cohesive and holistic understanding of Lewis as a philosopher ... establishing new connections between Lewis's philosophical convictions and his wider body of published work."

Choice (Sep '18): "Instead of analyzing Lewis as a critic and Christian apologist, [Goetz] focuses on Lewis the philosopher and traces Lewis's philosophical journey. [Philosophy] was a way of life, a life of the mind rather than a life of the senses. Lewis's philosophic road to Christianity went from realism to idealism to pantheism to Christianity, with a few stops in between each. ... Lewis used reason to challenge those who invoked reason and logic as the sole means of gaining truth. ... [T]his is a lucid and informative book."

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NONES

"Why millennials are really leaving religion (it's not just politics, folks)" by Jana Riess (RNS story) - begins: "A couple of decades ago ... young adults began showing their dissatisfaction with organized religion by voting with their feet....

"Because the exodus was initially most pronounced among liberal, mainline Protestants like Episcopalians and Presbyterians, it was easy to point at liberalism as the root of the problem. ...

"People craved firm boundaries. Conservatives, you will not be surprised to hear, were the most ardent supporters of this "strict churches" theory, which assured them they were already doing the most important things right.

"But now the 'strict churches' theory is crumbling because some strict denominations are themselves charting losses, or at least slower growth. The Southern Baptists have lost more than a million members over the last decade, according <www.bit.ly/2EfYFBT> to LifeWay. Giving and attendance are down, and Baptists are seeing more gray and silver heads in the pews. ...

"There's evidence to support the political alienation theory, to a point. ...

"If the political alienation theory fully explained what's going on in American religion, millennials would be leaving conservative religions in favor of ones that are liberal and LGBT-affirming. Plenty of churches like that exist, where those on the political left would feel welcome and comfortable. But they are not growing.

"Instead, folks are just leaving religion, full stop. Especially if they're young. ...

"No one can deny that religion has fallen on hard times. Four in 10 younger millennials (18-29) are nones, which is four times what it was in the 1980s. In fact, the fastest-growing religion in America is … no religion at all."

Riess discusses "three factors that play a role": One is "Delayed marriage and more single adults. ...

"One of the biggest demographic trends of our time is that millennials are delaying marriage or not getting married at all. And since there's a strong correlation between being married and being involved in religion, the fact that fewer Americans are getting married is worrisome news to clergy."

A second factor is fertility. "The number of children a family has is related to the couple's religious involvement — couples without kids are a bit less likely to be religious."

Last, there is "the growth of the nones. [C]loseted nones feel more comfortable leaving religion too. There is an infrastructure and support system for them." <www.bit.ly/2BdUvHW>

Riess - an influential (and often dissenting) Mormon - is increasingly commenting on Latter-day Saint Millennials <www.bit.ly/2DYqhul> based on her groundbreaking 2016 "Next Mormons Survey" <www.thenextmormons.org> and forthcoming book, The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church [3].

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SOURCES: Monographs

1 - A History of Judaism, by Martin Goodman (Princeton Univ Prs, 2018, hardcover, 656 pages) <www.amzn.to/2K8P7Zk>

2 - C. S. Lewis, by Stewart Goetz (Wiley-Blackwell, 2018, paperback, 224 pages) <www.amzn.to/2DNEkn8>

3 - The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church, by Jana Riess (Oxford Univ Prs, March 2019, hardcover, 328 pages) <www.amzn.to/2zIyKPj>

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