Language:
Italian
Year of publication:
1989
Titel der Quelle:
Revue des Etudes Juives
Angaben zur Quelle:
148,1-2 (1989) 17-52
Keywords:
Christian converts from Judaism
;
Jews History 1500-1800
;
Christian converts from Judaism
Abstract:
Discusses voluntary Jewish conversion to Christianity in 15th-16th century Italy. Some converts encouraged Hebrew studies among humanists, believing that these efforts strengthened the theological foundations of Christianity and would convince other Jews to convert. In 1520, the convert Felix of Prato and the Protestant printer Daniel Bomberg received papal permission to publish the Babylonian Talmud, together with responses by Felix to its anti-Christian statements. However, other converts, especially after the Counter-Reformation, became tools for the censorship and the Inquisition to suppress Hebrew studies. Among them was Graziadio da Foligno (Alessandro Franceschi) who converted in 1542 and devoted himself to fanatical combat against Judaism and to missionary work along with the Jesuits. His testimony, and that of other converts, contributed to the Inquisition's decision to burn the Talmud. He tracked down and burned Hebrew books, and in 1555 accused Rome's Jews of ritual murder. Pp. 39-52 contain nine Latin documents.
Note:
A shorter version appeared in Italian in "Ebrei e cristiani nell'Italia medievale e moderna" (1988).
URL:
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