Invention of Judaism: Torah and Jewish Identity from Deuteronomy to Paul (Taubman Lectures in Jewish Studies) (Volume 7)

The author offers a highly erudite, and quite critical, elaboration of what we may call the traditional paradigm, according to which the Torah was compiled during the Persian period and everything flows from there.At least since the work of the Copenhagen School of the early 2000s and 2010s, this traditional paradigm, though not strictly speaking disproven, always relatively implausible, has now become highly improbable. Much more plausibly and probably, the Pentateuch was compiled during the Hellenistic period, most plausibly shortly before 200 BCE, and the Hebrew version, the Torah, in the subsequent decade or two. And everything flows from THERE.I'd challenge the author to re-write his book, or adding a second volume, in which he applies his erudition and critical mind to this second scenario. THIS would truly take us forward in terms of our understanding.

Excellent volume that clarifies the emergence and development of Judaism well into the first century CE. A very good read!

One of many authors that write about Judaism without understanding anything about Judaism. A useless, meaningless book.