Jewish polemics and apologetics in the Middle Ages were texts written to protect and dissuade Jewish communities from conversion to Christianity, or more rarely to Islam. The terms polemics (from "battles") and apologetics (from "defence") may be distinguished[1] but may also be considered somewhat subjective.[2] A smaller number of proselytizing text also exists intended to convert Christians, or more rarely Muslims, to Judaism. However, the vast majority of Jewish polemical literature was written in response to Christian polemical writings and with a permanent reference to Christian arguments.[3]
- ^ Robert Chazan Fashioning Jewish identity in medieval western Christendom, page 7, 2004. "I have used the term “polemics” broadly, not distinguishing between defensive thrusts, sometimes identified as apologetic, and attacks on the opposing faith. With regard to the distinction between those works intended for insiders and those for outsiders, I also use the inclusive term polemics, although I sometimes tend to call the latter missionizing or proselytizing works."
- ^ The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion Page 60 ed. Adele Berlin, Maxine Grossman - 2011 "Jewish apologetics is less “apologetic” than the term indicates. Occasionally, too, Jews have gone on the attack."
- ^ Philippe Bobichon, "Littérature de controverse entre judaïsme et christianisme : Description du corpus et réflexions méthodologiques (IIe-XVIe siècle) (textes grecs, latins et hébreux)", Revue d’Histoire ecclésiastique 107/1, 2012, pp. 5-48. online article According to Philippe Bobichon: "it is the permanent rooting in the historical reality that characterizes anti-Christian Jewish literature and distinguishes it from most anti-Jewish Christian writings. In all cases, without exception, this type of Jewish texts refer to a menace for the permanence of Judaism whose reality cannot be doubted." See: Ph. Bobichon, A Bird's Eye View on the Jewish Anti-Christian Literature