The role and function of law in religious communities in the Roman
period--especially in Judaism--has been a key issue among scholars in
recent years. This thought-provoking work is the first full-scale
attempt to write a historical assessment of the scholarly debate
concerning this question, focussing on two closely related religious
communities, Judaism and Christianity. By juxtaposing the two religions,
a clearer understanding of the developments with respect to torah and
nomos in Judaism and early Christianity emerges.
This insightful work, placing emphasis on the major figures and both the
scholarly lines of development and the appropriate lines for future
research, will set the debate in a clearer and more and succinct manner.
It will serve as a critical point of reference for further discussion.