Abraham and the Absoluteness of God
Jon D. LevensonHarvard University
Jon Levenson (Harvard University)
Cosponsored by the University of Chicago Divinity School and the Jewish Studies Workshop
The patriarch Abraham has a central role in the self-understanding of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. He is also widely considered a symbol of common ancestry, moral conviction and future unity among the three “Abrahamic” religions. This lecture will consider the distinct interpretations Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have given to the biblical narratives concerning Abraham, exploring the enduring theological divergences and agreements.
Jon D. Levenson is the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard University. His work centers on the relationship of Judaism and Christianity, both in antiquity and in modernity, and he has long been active in Jewish-Christian dialogue. His book Resurrection and the Restoration of Israel: The Ultimate Victory of the God of Life won a National Jewish Book Award and the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award in the category of Best Book Relating to the Hebrew Bible. His most recent volume is Inheriting Abraham: The Legacy of the Patriarch in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is currently working on a short book on the love of God in Judaism.
