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Creating Judas Iscariot: critical questions for presenting the betrayer of Jesus

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Abstract

Judas Iscariot has a pivotal role in the story of Jesus of Nazareth, particularly in the events in the last days of his life. But information about Judas provided in the New Testament is scant. Many details about his life, career and motivations for acting in the events of Jesus’ final days have been amplified by those outside the biblical tradition. This paper surveys the issues surrounding Judas Iscariot and their implications for understanding Christianity. The figure of Judas Iscariot has been employed by those who have attempted to show the corrupted nature of Jewish culture and religion in order to promote the place and significance of Christianity. Religious educators require an appreciation of the range of views expressed about Judas Iscariot and how these views might be incorporated in their presentations.

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  1. Lumino Press, PO Box 1024, Hamilton, QLD, 4007, Australia

    Maurice Ryan

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  1. Maurice Ryan
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Correspondence to Maurice Ryan.

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Ryan, M. Creating Judas Iscariot: critical questions for presenting the betrayer of Jesus. j. relig. educ. 67, 223–237 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-019-00089-z

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