This is one of the early volumes to fulfil Brepols's commitment to making the text editions published in Corpus Christianorum, in both the Greek and Latin series, available in modern-language translations. This volume is a translation of J. Declerck's 1994 edition of Anonymus dialogus cum Iudaeos (CCG 30) and is a revision of the translator's doctoral dissertation. The translation is accompanied by a sixty-three-page introduction and bibliography, as well as several indices. The introduction canvasses the topic of interaction between Jews and Christians in the first seven centuries of Christianity's existence and the related topic of whether the dialogues (particularly the Jewish contribution) that record such interaction reflect the reality of an encounter (even if not verbatim) or are solely a literary (rhetorical) construct. With regard to this particular text, which Declerck dated to between 550 and 900 and with an Egyptian provenance, Fields concludes that although the dialogue is not a verbatim account, it none the less reflects the authenticity of there having been such a dialogue, that it was probably composed before the end of the seventh century, that the Egyptian provenance is not firm and a Syrian or Palestinian one just as likely, that this work is not as harsh in its portrayal of the Jews as many others are, and that the purpose of the work was the conversion of Jews. Fields also provides a brief examination of the scriptural passages used in this dialogue to indicate the general commonality of interpretation across the genre, specific cases of the influence of other dialogues upon this one, and the specific unique interpretations found in this text. Fields's introduction is general enough to aid the novice reader and detailed enough to be of assistance to the researcher. I have not examined the translation in relation to the Greek original, other than to note that Fields attempts to provide in this volume a more literal reading than that offered in his dissertation. The resulting English, nevertheless, reads smoothly and intelligently. There are sufficient notes to draw attention to some of the translation issues that one encounters. One of the little annoyances of the volume is the inexplicable appearance of some letters in italics in the middle of words for no apparent reason: e.g., classic and classical on p. 13, basically and physical on p. 18, and basic on p. 30. In terms of contemporary inter-religious understanding, the Jewish-Christian encounters of late antiquity (and their literary ‘recordings’) are historically significant. This translation should help make this little-known text a more regular feature of ongoing scholarship on this important topic.
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