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Daniel Boyarin
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Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity (Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion) Hardcover – June 14, 2004

by Daniel Boyarin (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 60 ratings
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Winner of the 2006 Award for Excellence in the Historical Study of Religion from the American Academy of Religion. The historical separation between Judaism and Christianity is often figured as a clearly defined break of a single entity into two separate religions. Following this model, there would have been one religion known as Judaism before the birth of Christ, which then took on a hybrid identity. Even before its subsequent division, certain beliefs and practices of this composite would have been identifiable as Christian or Jewish.In Border Lines, however, Daniel Boyarin makes a striking case for a very different way of thinking about the historical development that is the partition of Judaeo-Christianity.

There were no characteristics or features that could be described as uniquely Jewish or Christian in late antiquity, Boyarin argues. Rather, Jesus-following Jews and Jews who did not follow Jesus lived on a cultural map in which beliefs, such as that in a second divine being, and practices, such as keeping kosher or maintaining the Sabbath, were widely and variably distributed. The ultimate distinctions between Judaism and Christianity were imposed from above by "border-makers," heresiologists anxious to construct a discrete identity for Christianity. By defining some beliefs and practices as Christian and others as Jewish or heretical, they moved ideas, behaviors, and people to one side or another of an artificial border—and, Boyarin significantly contends, invented the very notion of religion.

Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion
  2. Print length
    392 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    University of Pennsylvania Press
  5. Publication date
    June 14, 2004
  6. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0812237641
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0812237641
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Encourages us to see historic Christianity as but one expression of a universalistic potential in Jewish monotheism. . . . In a fruitful career not yet nearly over, Border Lines, the culmination of many years of work, may well remain Daniel Boyarin's masterpiece." ― Jack Miles, Commonweal

"Boyarin's book challenges the ordinary usage of the terms 'Judaism' and 'Christianity' and juxtaposes the formation of orthodoxy as it is formulated within rabbinic tradition and among Christians of the patristic period. His bold thesis will no doubt prove controversial and important." ― Elaine Pagels, author of Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas

"Boyarin proposes that by constructing the categories of religious orthodoxy and heresy, second-century Gentile Christians created the concept of religion which pervades the Western world to this day. The work is intensely provocative and innovative and is destined to take its proper place as a modern classic among Boyarin's previous works." ― Shofar

Book Description

"Encourages us to see historic Christianity as but one expression of a universalistic potential in Jewish monotheism. . . . In a fruitful career not yet nearly over, Border Lines, the culmination of many years of work, may well remain Daniel Boyarin's masterpiece."—Jack Miles, Commonweal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Pennsylvania Press; First edition, first printing (full number line) (June 14, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 392 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0812237641
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0812237641
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 60 ratings

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Daniel Boyarin

Daniel Boyarin

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Daniel Boyarin, Taubman Professor of Talmudic Culture and rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley, is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships. His books include A Radical Jew, Border Lines, and Socrates and the Fat Rabbis. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
60 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

baj
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly, stunningly objective, informative, well-documented in re history, faith and society!
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2017
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This is an excellent book! I'm glad that I purchased it following my purchase of Boyarin's "Jewish Gospels", which actually follows "Border Lines" in publication date. I am particularly impressed with his apparently unique ability to be objective and to "give credit where it is due", together with his stunningly fair, compassionate position on Israeli-occupied Palestine, and related injustices, for which he has suffered condemnation from within his Orthodox Jewish Community. The book is very well researched and the documentation is nothing short of amazing. As a seeking-questioning Christian, in search of the Jewish roots of my faith, I find this very relieving, indeed!
11 people found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars Academic, but interesting.
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2017
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Written in high academic language, with all the consequent political correctness called for by that. The extra hoops jumped through diminish clarity to some degree. Despite that, this book explores the fascinating story of how Judaism and Christianity became distinct, since at one time they weren't going under those names and weren't separate. If I understand Dr. Boyarin's thesis, here. Covering related territory but less academic in presentation is his book "The Jewish Gospels."
3 people found this helpful
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Julian of Norwich
5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Seminal Work
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2012
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Border Lines is the richest and most stimulating book I have read in years--and I've read some excellent ones. But this one breaks new ground for me, theologically and intellectually. For the first time, I can really see "Christianity" in its a fully "Jewish" mileau, as a "school" which had much in common with other "schools", especially regarding the Logos and Two Powers in Heaven. It was not just Philo who expounded the Logos: there was a whole context out of which these ideas arose and were shaped and debated and taught. And then, as both "Judaism" and "Christianity" chose normative identities which repudiated the other AS Other, that common ground was lost. To my mind, Boyarin has recaptured it, in all its rich possibilites.

Boyarin's elucidation of the Prologue of John as a midrash almost took my breath away, it was so brilliant and illuminating. I would read it for that alone.

This absolutely stupendous book is a truly seminal contribution to human knowledge and understanding, for both Jews and Christians.

And it bears re-reading, as one pass-through of this very demanding and scholarly book would not be enough to absorb it. But it's my desert island book for sure!
37 people found this helpful
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S. Lippe
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is brilliant
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2020
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Boyarin is a brilliant writer/thinker because he examines all presuppositions with equal mindfulness. This book challenged everything I've ever thought/believed/expected about the history/development of Judaism, Christianity, and the concept of religion.
4 people found this helpful
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Michael_in_SC
5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful look at early Christianity
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2017
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An excellent book on the history of religion, showing how arbitrary are the lines between early Christianity and Judaism. The main insight of the book is that the division was primarily the invention of people who benefited from the idea of division, i.e. Religion at its most drearily typical.
4 people found this helpful
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d-rob
4.0 out of 5 stars This book is quite well in the area of the ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2016
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This book is quite well in the area of the exploration of the division between Judaism and Christianity. It is written from the perspective of an Orthodox Jew. I have very minimal experience with Judaism and thought that Boyarin's insights on the developments of Rabbinic Judaism revealed much more than I used to know.
What I really found interesting was his expansion on Segal's "Two Powers" in Heaven doctrine that occurred in earlier versions of Judaism but later became condemned. He calls this Jewish "binitarianism". Many today often claim that the early Jews were rather "unitarian" but Boyarin dismisses this. This is not to say there weren't unitarian Jews but that unitarianism for them was not a fundamental part of their theology as it is now.
Boyarin is a Talmudic scholar. As such, his understanding of patristic theology is a little bit wanting at times. For instance, he hints that Nicaea did away with "Logos" theology especially in St Athanasius. But St Athanasius was also involved in the Alexandrian school of theology from Origen which also espoused the "deuteros theos" theology as well. The Logos theology is generally a part, not exclusive, of Trinitarian theology then.
7 people found this helpful
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Michael Hoffman
5.0 out of 5 stars Boyarin cannot be so easily dismissed
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2008
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Daniel Boyarin is a formidable scholar and while there is much to disagree with here, there can be no question that he breaks new ground with what is a significant study of that bewildering oxymoron, "Judaeo-Christianity." Almost anything Boyarin writes about Judaism is worthy of notice and an investment in the time it takes to ponder his theses. He cannot be completely or easily dismissed.
17 people found this helpful
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douglas a. dailey
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2017
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excellent copy
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Eitan Shlomo Sigawi
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and compelling literature on the Parting of the Ways
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2023
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Daniel Boyarin brings new insights into the division and the Parting of the Ways between Judaism and Christianity. Definitely recommend for researching the Parting of the Ways.
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Lothar Schweitzer
5.0 out of 5 stars Inwieweit vertritt der Engel Gott?
Reviewed in Germany on November 18, 2013
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Für einen "Laien" nicht immer leicht zu lesen. Es erstaunt, welche unterschiedlichen Glaubensrichtungen unter dem Dach und innerhalb der Mauern des Jerusalemer Tempels Heimat finden konnten. Man stelle sich vor in einer Kirche und bei einem christlichen Gottesdienst feiern die Eucharistie Symbolisten wie Vertreter eines Kapernaismus gemeinsam. Die Geschichten von Abraham, Isaak, Jakob, Moses und der Könige gehören zur Geschichtstradition eines jeden Christen, wo er auch lebt. Bei der Lektüre des Buchs lernte ich nun auch die Weisheit, Baruch und Jesus Sirach kennen. Doch ist das geschriebene Wort mit seinen spitzfindigen Auslegungen, bei denen sich auch Gott nicht festlegen will, wirklich das Wesentliche? Wie befreiend wirkt da das gesprochene Wort der Propheten, Jesus als Fleisch und Blut werdende Thora! Überhaupt scheint die Ahnung der Existenz Gottes etwas Vorsprachliches zu sein. Und die Frage, sind Grenzlinien etwas Einengendes oder auch ein Schutz? Ein wissenschaftliches Werk, das zum Nachdenken anregt und unbedingt in meiner theologischen Bibliothek seinen Platz finden musste.
3 people found this helpful
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Henri ORQUERA
4.0 out of 5 stars Comment les Juifs et les Chrétiens se sont séparés
Reviewed in France on October 29, 2013
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Par Daniel Boyarin, Juif orthodoxe historien et spécialiste du Talmud, professeur à l'Université de Berkeley.

Gros ouvrage pour spécialistes, écrit de manière dense et en petits caractères, difficile à lire, avec beaucoup de notes hélas reportées en fin d'ouvrage, ce qui ne facilité pas leur lecture.

Dans ce livre majestueux, l'auteur montre comment les premiers disciples de Jésus ont été longtemps des Juifs parmi les autres Juifs.
Ce n'est que dans les siècles suivants que les frontières que nous connaissons aujourd'hui entre les 2 religions ont été formulées progressivement, d'abord par les autorités ecclésiales et rabbiniques, avant de se matérialiser dans les faits.
Il existe un parallélisme étroit entre l'évolution du judaïsme et du christianisme pendant cette période, sans pouvoir déterminer qui a influencé qui.

L'auteur critique certains passages de la Mishnah (dont le début de Avot) et du Talmud de Babylone pour montrer leurs incohérences et leur réécriture postérieure aux évènements. Comment les prêtres (Saducéens), seules autorités religieuses reconnues pendant tant de siècles, ont-ils été soudain remplacés/évincés par les rabbins pharisiens ?
Autre exemple : pour lui le "concile" de Yavnéh est une légende inventée tardivement pour justifier la nouvelle autorité des rabbins.

Ce livre apporte un nouvel éclairage dans l'histoire des relations entre Juifs et Chrétiens. Ses thèses nouvelles seront sûrement commentées et critiquées, mais je suis prêt à parier qu'elles finiront pas prévaloir.
2 people found this helpful
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La Voyelle
4.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant work of erudition
Reviewed in France on February 25, 2014
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Boyarin considers the birth of the rabbinic judaism, and the schism with the christians.
It took me a long time to go trough this book, and I am still reading it.
After 2000 years, what was written or what was said remains, and lead to the questions: Do we make religious partitions differently today?
One person found this helpful
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xrseyre
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, provocative but difficult
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2013
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Getting the bad out of the way quickly (which is why I didn't give it five stars) the writing is often difficult and there is some excessive repetition in making points.
However, this is a wonderfully detailed (and lavishly footnoted) scholarly analysis of a very credible path from one rather diverse Judaism to two much less diverse religions, and one which doesn't shirk confronting difficult texts by consigning them to "oh, this must not be original because it doesn't fit my thesis" but which assaults them head on and wins.
I recommend it to anyone not looking for a novice-level treatment.
4 people found this helpful
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