<p>The present study explores the relevance of ethnic boundary maintenance for the development of Diaspora synagogues in the Graeco-Roman world. By investigating the possible relationship between ethnicity and synagogue development, the synagogue will be analyzed as a communal and ‘religious’ institution that contributed to the maintenance of a specific ethnic identity within a Diaspora context that challenged its very survival and existence. The main goal of the present study is to provide a new perspective of development and maintenance for Diaspora synagogues that eschews the idea of a dichotomous relationship between these synagogues and the Jerusalem Temple. Instead, a socio-historical approach will be presented that focuses on Jewish communities as a distinctive ethnic group that existed alongside other similar groups in the Graeco-Roman world and sought to maintain their collective ethnic identity. The synagogue served as a key driving force within this process of maintenance.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/12489 |
| Date | 10 1900 |
| Creators | Ross, Whitney |
| Contributors | Runesson, Anders, Machiela, Daniel, Schuller, Eileen, Religious Studies |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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