Daniel Langton

Daniel Langton is Professor of the History of Jewish-Christian Relation in the department of Religions & Theology at the University of Manchester, England. His books include:

Claude Montefiore: His Life and Thought (2002) is an intellectual history and biography of the founder of British Liberal Judaism and one of the most original Jewish scholars of his day. It attempts to place Montefiore within the context of Jewish thought during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It argues that Montefiore's own personal conception of Liberal Judaism, which was never fully appreciated by his followers, should be regarded as more than simply a progressive Jewish denomination, and rather as an attempt to re-mould Reform Judaism in terms of contemporary liberal Christianity. Montefiore is an important figure in Anglo-Jewish history, not least for the way in which his complex identity reflects the difficulty inherent in attempting to make Judaism genuinely relevant to the modern world. 'An articulate, well-reasoned, and valuable book.' (Ed Kessler, Cambridge University).

Children of Zion: Jewish and Christian Perspectives on the Holy Land (2008) was originally written for the Anglican Lambeth Conference 2008 and has now been made available for public distribution in electronic form (for free). It is a useful teaching resource that outlines the way in which Jews and Christians have regarded 'Israel' (that is, the People, the Land, and the State) historically in their respective traditions, and how these ideas feature in modern Jewish-Christian relations today. There is also a section on official statements and an extended glossary. Throughout, emphasis is placed on different perspectives. 'It is a wonderful and useful piece of work.' (Ilan Troen, Director of the Israel Studies programmes at Ben Gurion University and Brandeis University). 'Langton has brought to bear his considerable knowledge and research abilities to produce in clear language something of real value... [Few] combine so effectively clarity with brevity and breadth with depth.' (Guy Wilkinson, Chief Inter Faith Relations advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury).

The Apostle Paul in the Jewish Imagination: A Study in Modern Jewish Christian Relations (2010) is a multidisciplinary examination of Jewish perspectives on Paul of Tarsus. Here, the views of individual Jewish theologians, religious leaders, and biblical scholars of the last 150 years, together with artistic, literary, philosophical, and psychoanalytical approaches, are set alongside popular cultural attitudes. Few Jews, historically speaking, have engaged with the first-century Apostle to the Gentiles. The modern period has witnessed a burgeoning interest in this topic, however, with treatments reflecting profound concerns about the nature of Jewish authenticity and the developing intercourse between Jews and Christians. 'In this fascinating and brilliant book, Daniel Langton describes how Jewish scholars, intellectuals, and artists, from Buber and Mendelssohn to Spinoza and Freud, grappled with the challenge of Paul and their own Jewish identity.' (Donald Hagner, Fuller Theological Seminary). 'Langton offers a sophisticated, nuanced, yet easy-to-follow analysis of the role of Paul in Jewish discourse.' (Mark Nanos, Rockhurst University). 'Daniel Langton's masterful study reveals a complex range of Jewish attitudes. This book will be a stimulating resource for Jewish-Christian dialogue and for Jewish self-understanding.' (Marc Saperstein, Leo Baeck College).

For further details and a full bibliography for Daniel Langton, see: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/research/daniel.r.langton/