Isaac on Jewish and Christian Altars

Devorah Schoenfeld is Assistant Professor of Theology (Judaism) at Loyola University Chicago. Her research is on medieval Bible commentaries and Jewish–Christian relations.

"... Schoenfeld has opened up rich prospects for further investigation." -Deborah L. Goodwin "Schoenfeld's book is at the forefront of new thinking about peshat/literal sense in both Jewish and Christian contexts, and she opens up new territory for exploration and comparison." -- -Deeana Klepper Boston University "This is a rich and careful study of a vital period in medieval Jewish-Christian relations. By focusing on interpretations of the near-sacrifice of Isaac, Schoenfeld illustrates the complex exegetical methods in Rashi's commentary and the Glossa Ordinaria. She untangles their diverse sources and offers us a clear view of the ways these texts transformed earlier traditions. This work is not just exegetical, but historical as well. She unearths compelling evidence for interreligious polemic in both these texts, something often suspected but rarely demonstrated. This skillful blend of close reading and contextual analysis is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the period." -- -Adam Gregerman Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies "Devorah Schoenfeld carefully places this exegetical double movement in its historical context and provides a valuable edition of Rashi and the Glossa Ordinari on Genesis 22. She utilizes twelfth-century biblical exegesis of the binding of Isaac to illuminate the paradox of Jewish-Christian relations. Sharing texts and methods of interpreting the Scriptures, medieval Jews and Christians established boundaries marking their mutual differences at the very moment when their modes of studying manifested their deep connections." -- -Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski Church Divinity School of the Pacific / Graduate Theological Union