Reshaping identities in Late Antique Syria-Mesopotamia

By Arieh Kofsky

Book Description

This scholarly exploration delves into the complex spiritual landscape of Late Antique Syria-Mesopotamia, examining how diverse religious communities shaped their identities through interaction and dialogue. Through carefully selected case studies, the work illuminates the dynamic processes that defined group belonging during a pivotal period in religious history.

The book investigates the intricate relationships between Jewish and Christian communities, revealing how these traditions influenced one another while maintaining distinct identities. It also explores interactions among various Christian groups and their encounters with other spiritual paths of the era, including Zoroastrian and traditional pagan practices.

By analyzing sources from multiple religious perspectives, this volume demonstrates how communities established, modified, and sometimes dissolved the boundaries that defined them. The authors present a comprehensive framework for understanding how diverse spiritual groups communicated and coexisted in this richly varied religious environment.

For readers interested in interfaith dialogue and the evolution of spiritual communities, this work offers valuable insights into how religious identity forms through encounter with others. The study reveals patterns of adaptation and resistance that continue to resonate in contemporary discussions about religious pluralism and community formation.

This 266-page examination provides a thoughtful foundation for understanding how spiritual traditions develop through both cooperation and tension with neighboring faiths.