Christian-Jewish Relations, 1000-1300 - 9780582822962

A specialist in relations between the sister religions, Abulafia (history, U. of Cambridge) argues that Jewish services to Christendom are the key to gaining a better understanding of the changing political, socio-economic, cultural, and religious positions of Jews in the different areas of Latin Christendom between 1000 and 1300. She says that paying taxes to their Christian lords was intrinsically bound up with theological services Jews performed for Christianity. One service was preserving the prophecies concerning Christ in the Hebrew Bible; another was, through their dispersal, reminding Christians of the penalty of rejecting Christ. She points out to 21st century readers how remarkable it is that Jews were allowed to live and practice their religion during centuries while pagans, heretics, and Muslims were hunted down and driven from the community. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)