Faith in Debate

In the late 15th century, Jewish intellectuals, particularly in Spain, navigated a complex landscape of interreligious polemics, forced conversions, and increasing cultural tensions. Abraham Bibago's Derekh Emunah (1480) exemplifies this period of Jewish-Christian engagement, where Jewish thinkers, influenced by Latin Scholasticism, redefined core aspects of Jewish thought. Bibago's treatment of emunah (faith) draws from Christian theological concepts, such as Scholastic fides, shifting the traditional understanding of Jewish identity from a communal or ancestral framework to one centered on doctrinal adherence. This redefinition mirrors a broader trend of Jewish intellectuals engaging with Christian scholasticism - often without direct acknowledgment - resulting in subtle shifts in Jewish theological and philosophical landscapes. Bibago's Derekh Emunah represents both a polemical strategy and an instance of self-conscious assimilation. By emphasizing faith over commandments and adopting a systematized theology akin to Christianity's Credo, Bibago navigates the pressures of a world marked by forced conversions, the Inquisition, and internal religious debates. His work reflects a delicate balance of cultural acculturation and polemical maneuvering, redefining Jewish identity at a time of unprecedented external and internal religious tensions. This complex transformation underscores the intersection of religious identity and polemical necessity in the face of cultural survival.