To some, religious faith and rationality do not always go together. Yet for Maimonides, a 12th century physician, philosopher and rabbi, anything that went against reason, by definition, also went against Torah. Maimonides challenged theologians of his time to think through religion with the same rigorous analysis that is normally reserved for the sciences or secular philosophy. He is remembered, still today, as one of the greatest thinkers in Jewish history. Come along this Sunday, 17 January, for the first of three sessions on Maimonides. This weekend we’ll have a brief overview of Maimonides life and learn, as well, how he understood God in a way that did not conflict with everything else he knew to be true. On 24 January, we’ll talk about how Maimonides understood Torah, and what he says when accounts in the Torah, such as creation, seem to conflict with scientific evidence and argument. On 31 January, we’ll talk about Maimonides’ understanding of humanity.

This course will be taught by Rabbi Jason Holtz. It is open and free to all adult members of the synagogue and their family. The course assumes a basic familiarity with Judaism, but it does not assume any knowledge of Maimonides.