Day of Gladness or Day of Madness? Modern Discussions of the Ancient Sabbath

This chapter discusses the sabbath, which serves as an illuminating test case for the dynamic and complexity of the 'Jewish contribution' debate. It reviews the works of Jewish apologists and religious reformers, the ideologically grounded investigations of a biblical precept, and the initiatives for ecumenical dialogue and cooperation between Christians and Jews. It also mentions the Galician-born and Vienna-educated historian named Salo Baron, who acknowledged that the obvious origin of the Jewish sabbath had been in ancient Babylonian astronomy. The chapter recounts how the sabbath was to be considered a Judaeo-Christian contribution to civilization despite its Babylonian origins. It refers to Cecil Roth, who published The Jewish Contribution to Civilisation and stated that the sabbath was included among the various gifts imparted by Baron to the civilized world.