A Study On The Evolution Of The Concept Of Judaism's Chosenness

The idea of Judaism's chosenness is extremely unique and profound religious ideaand Jewish national thought. This doctrine has not only influenced Jewish history andJewish lives in every aspect, but also has been the focus of so much animus inJewish-Christian relations over the centuries. From historical views, based on thesocial background , this paper tries to discuss and study the evolution of the conceptof Judaism's chosenness and its connotation and its influence. The article is divided into three major parts: The first part, the doctrine of Judaism's chonsenness in Bible times. The idearooted in the fable which Abraham and Moses respectively concludes a covenant withGod, whose marks are the circumcision and the Decalogue; the classical prophetsdeveloped and strengthen the idea. They emphasized moral ethics and other intrinsicfactors' function in maintaining the Jewish status . The second part, the doctrine of chosen people in the period of rabbi Judaism andmiddle ages which rabbis interpreted and vindicated. This part concerns early Christiansupersessionism's challenge, and analyzes the rabbis' characteristic in this thought withemphasis. The third part, the doctrine of chosen people in modern and contemporary times.This part mainly elaborates the idea of the Hasidism and the Jewish thinker inenlightenment , and the dispute on the chosenness between Orthodox Judaism,Conservative Judaism ,Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism .