Paula Fredriksen
Encyclopedia
Paula Fredriksen is a historian and a scholar of religious studies
. She held the position of William Goodwin Aurelio Professor of the Appreciation of Scripture at Boston University
through 2010 and is now the William Goodwin Aurelio Chair Emerita of the Appreciation of Scripture.
She earned a Ph.D in the history of religion from Princeton University
and diploma in theology from Oxford University
.
Fredriksen is a scholar of the historical Jesus
. While some historians interpret the historical Jesus as a nonapocalyptic ethical teacher, she sides with those who portray him as an apocalyptic preacher in the tradition of prophets before him and apostles after him.
In addition to the historical Jesus, Fredriksen is also interested in the social history of Christianity from its beginnings to the Fall of the Roman Empire. She has published two books on St. Augustine
, both focused on his attitudes towards Jews and Judaism. In contrast to other historians of Christian anti-Semitism, she regards Augustine as having a more enlightened, indeed revolutionary, attitude towards Jews and Judaism than many of his other Christian contemporaries, notwithstanding Augustine's general reputation as a pillar of Catholic orthodoxy and his rhetoric against Jewish beliefs.
One of the editors of her book, From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New Testament Images of Jesus was the noted Jesus scholar E.P. Sanders. Along with Geza Vermes
, she is often regarded as among the most influential historical Jesus scholars in terms of placing him firmly within a Jewish context.
She has held that much of the scholarship regarding Jesus from the 19th and 20th centuries has blatant or subtle anti-Judaic (and/or anti-Semitic) bias, a theme explored in her book Jesus, Judaism, and Christian anti-Judaism: reading the New Testament after the Holocaust. From Jesus to Christ received the Governors' Award from Yale Press in 1988. For Emergence of Christianity (Knopf 1999), she won a National Jewish Book Award.
She was an outspoken critic of the film, The Passion of the Christ
, and edited a full-length book anthology of essays critiquing the film.
, professor of philosophy and Zoltan Kohn Professor of Medicine at Boston University. Her ex-husband, Richard Landes
, is professor of medieval history at Boston University. She is a convert from Roman Catholicism to Judaism
and has three daughters.
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
. She held the position of William Goodwin Aurelio Professor of the Appreciation of Scripture at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
through 2010 and is now the William Goodwin Aurelio Chair Emerita of the Appreciation of Scripture.
She earned a Ph.D in the history of religion from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and diploma in theology from Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Fredriksen is a scholar of the historical Jesus
Historical Jesus
The term historical Jesus refers to scholarly reconstructions of the 1st-century figure Jesus of Nazareth. These reconstructions are based upon historical methods including critical analysis of gospel texts as the primary source for his biography, along with consideration of the historical and...
. While some historians interpret the historical Jesus as a nonapocalyptic ethical teacher, she sides with those who portray him as an apocalyptic preacher in the tradition of prophets before him and apostles after him.
In addition to the historical Jesus, Fredriksen is also interested in the social history of Christianity from its beginnings to the Fall of the Roman Empire. She has published two books on St. Augustine
St. Augustine
-People:* Augustine of Hippo or Augustine of Hippo , father of the Latin church* Augustine of Canterbury , first Archbishop of Canterbury* Augustine Webster, an English Catholic martyr.-Places:*St. Augustine, Florida, United States...
, both focused on his attitudes towards Jews and Judaism. In contrast to other historians of Christian anti-Semitism, she regards Augustine as having a more enlightened, indeed revolutionary, attitude towards Jews and Judaism than many of his other Christian contemporaries, notwithstanding Augustine's general reputation as a pillar of Catholic orthodoxy and his rhetoric against Jewish beliefs.
One of the editors of her book, From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New Testament Images of Jesus was the noted Jesus scholar E.P. Sanders. Along with Geza Vermes
Geza Vermes
Géza Vermes or Vermès is a British scholar of Jewish Hungarian origin and writer on religious history, particularly Jewish and Christian. He is a noted authority on the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient works in Aramaic, and on the life and religion of Jesus...
, she is often regarded as among the most influential historical Jesus scholars in terms of placing him firmly within a Jewish context.
She has held that much of the scholarship regarding Jesus from the 19th and 20th centuries has blatant or subtle anti-Judaic (and/or anti-Semitic) bias, a theme explored in her book Jesus, Judaism, and Christian anti-Judaism: reading the New Testament after the Holocaust. From Jesus to Christ received the Governors' Award from Yale Press in 1988. For Emergence of Christianity (Knopf 1999), she won a National Jewish Book Award.
She was an outspoken critic of the film, The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ is a 2004 American drama film directed by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus. It depicts the Passion of Jesus largely according to the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...
, and edited a full-length book anthology of essays critiquing the film.
Personal life
Fredriksen is married to Alfred I. TauberAlfred I. Tauber
Alfred I. Tauber , Zoltan Kohn Professor emeritus of Medicine and Professor emeritus of Philosophy at Boston University, is a philosopher and historian of science, who, from 1993 to 2010, served as Director of the Boston University Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University...
, professor of philosophy and Zoltan Kohn Professor of Medicine at Boston University. Her ex-husband, Richard Landes
Richard Landes
Richard Allen Landes is an American historian and author, specializing in Millennialism. He currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Boston University...
, is professor of medieval history at Boston University. She is a convert from Roman Catholicism to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and has three daughters.
Books
- Augustine and the Jews: A Christian Defense of Jews and Judaism, Paula Fredriksen, Doubleday Religion, 2008.
- On The Passion of the Christ: Exploring the Issues Raised by the Controversial Movie, Paula Fredriksen, University of California Press, 2006.
- From Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New Testament Images of Jesus (Yale Nota Bene), Paula Fredriksen, Yale University Press, 2nd edition, 2000.
- Jesus, Judaism, and Christian Anti-Judaism: Reading the New Testament After the Holocaust, Paula Fredriksen, Adele ReinhartzAdele ReinhartzAdele Reinhartz is a Canadian academic and a specialist in the history and literature of Christianity and Judaism in the Greco-Roman period, the Gospel of John, early Jewish-Christian relations, literary criticism including feminist literary criticism, feminist exegesis, and the impact of the Bible...
, Westminster John Knox Press; 2002. - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews: A Jewish Life and the Emergence of Christianity, Paula Fredriksen, Vintage Press, 2000.
- Augustine on Romans, Paula Fredriksen, Chico: Scholars Press, 1982.
External links
- Academic biography at Boston University that includes her complete CV.
- Introduction to Fredriksen's book From Jesus to Christ.
- Your Questions to Paula Fredriksen from Beliefnet.com.
- Jesus, Paul and the Origins of Christianity, video lecture at Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....