"The Portrayal of Pagan Worship in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism"

A guest lecture by Jesse Mirotznik.  

Ancient Jewish portrayals of how non-Israelite worship other gods and their icons is consistently depicted as sincere. At some point around the end of the 3rd century B.C.E., however, a new form of portrayal arises,and the worship of other gods and the reverence of their icons is, in fact, an entirely unattractive practice that even its practitioners must inwardly reject it. This lecture will explore the changing religious perception of pagans among ancient Jews.