Die Bedeutung Samarias

What is it about?

Research on the early post-exilic period (the so called formative period of Judaism and the Old Testament) is primarily occupied with the innovative achievements of the Judean Golah community. However, a further important aspect of monotheistic Yahwism existed in post-exilic times in the heartland of Palestine, namely in Samaria. Nevertheless, little attention is devoted to its formative developmental influence on the history of theology in the time after exile, something which can be explained by the period from the 6th to the 2nd century B.C.E. still currently being described as a period of conflict between Judah and Samaria, with Samarian Yahwism essentially being marginalized as a Judean deviation. This article examines evidence which offers an entirely different picture of Samarian-Judean relations in the post-exilic period: In the Levant in post-exilic times there were two homologous Yahwisms in Judah and Samaria which existed side by side. It is for this reason that, in the formative period, due consideration should be given not only to Judah, but also to the North as well.

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