Christianity and Judaism have, at times, had a tenuous relationship. While Christians struggled early on to establish and maintain a separate religious identity apart from Judaism, a new book by 61´«Ã½ associate professor Andrew S. Jacobs asserts that boundaries between the two religions are “consistently blurred.”
“Christ Circumcised: A Study in Early Christian History and Difference,” (University of Pennsylvania Press: 2012) which will be released May 1, points to an unexpected symbol — the mark of circumcision on the body of the Christian savior — to explore what we know about early Christian identity.
“Christianity remains a religion of boundaries and attempts to hold onto a unique identity. Yet, at the same time, Christians maintain a desire for ‘the other,’ meaning their pre-Christian roots in Judaism and its rich traditions,” Jacobs said. He also notes that Christians may resist and fear ‘the other.’
“Christ Circumcised” is the first full-length study of the circumcision of Jesus. In the book, Jacobs views the circumcision of Christ as a vivid illustration of Christian duality: the fear of and longing for ‘the other.’ Christ circumcised represents a new way of perceiving Christians and of understanding their determination to create a new religious culture.
Jacobs, chair of religious studies at 61´«Ã½, has written several works on early Christian history, including “Remains of the Jews: The Holy Land and Christian Empire in Late Antiquity” (Sanford University Press: 2003).  Jacobs earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University and received his master’s and doctorate degrees from Duke University.