When Did Judaism Emerge?

HISTORY OF RELIGION: When Did Judaism Emerge? Far Later Than Assumed, New Theory Suggests. Vast review finds no evidence that the Torah laws were commonly observed before the second century B.C.E., says Prof. Yonatan Adler. Not all agree (Ariel David, Haaretz).

A broad review finds no historical or archaeological evidence that the ancient Judeans, whether in the Holy Land or in the diaspora, observed or were even aware of the laws of the Torah until the second century B.C.E., says Yonatan Adler, a professor of archaeology at Ariel University and author of the new book “The Origins of Judaism,” published Tuesday by Yale University Press.

I noted a recent essay by Professor Adler on the same topic here. And this post is also relevant (but cf. here too).

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