Leonard Glick (December 31, 1929 ~ January 9, 2024) was an American

anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...

historian of ideas Intellectual history (also the history of ideas) is the study of the history of human thought and of intellectuals, people who conceptualization, conceptualize, discuss, write about, and concern themselves with ideas. The investigative premise of ...

, and author. He served as professor of

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, society, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...

Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...

from 1972 to 2002. His scholarly work predominantly focused on the

history of Judaism Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their Jewish peoplehood, nation, Judaism, religion, and Jewish culture, culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Jews originated from the Israelites and H ...

Notable work

''Abraham's Heirs: Jews and Christians in Medieval Europe''

Glick published ''Abraham's Heirs: Jews And Christians In Medieval Europe'' in 1999, focusing on the interaction between Jews and Christians during the 5th to 15th century. The book argues that the Jewish experience was profoundly shaped by the overwhelmingly medieval Christian majority.

''Marked in Your Flesh: Circumcision From Ancient Judea To Modern America''

Glick published ''Marked In Your Flesh: Circumcision From Ancient Judea To Modern America'' in 2005. It deals with the history of ''brit milah''. He theorizes that ''milah'' originated during the

Babylonian exile The Babylonian captivity or Babylonian exile was the period in Jewish history during which a large number of Judeans from the ancient Kingdom of Judah were forcibly relocated to Babylonia by the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The deportations occurre ...

among the Judean priests who are believed to have composed the P source of the

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

. And that the main justification among Jewish philosophers and religious leaders lies in beliefs surrounding the control of

male sexuality Human male sexuality encompasses a wide variety of feelings and behaviors. Men's feelings of attraction may be caused by various physical and social traits of their potential partner. Men's sexual behavior can be affected by many factors, inclu ...

, as a visual marker of the

Abrahamic covenant According to the Hebrew Bible, the covenant of the pieces or covenant between the parts () is an important event in Jewish History. In this central narrative God revealed himself to Abraham and made a covenant with him (in the site known nowadays ...

, beliefs surrounding

fertility Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate ...

, and a sign of the father submitting to the political social order.

Personal life

Glick was a Reform Jew. He had three sons. He passed away aged 94 on January 9, 2024.

Works

* (1973). ''Beyond The Classics: Essays In The Scientific Study Of Religion'' * (1974). ''Jewish Life And Culture In Eastern Europe * (1980). ''An Automotive Camshaft Degreeing Fixture'' * (1999). ''Abraham's Heirs: Jews and Christians In Medieval Europe'' * (2005). ''Marked in Your Flesh: Circumcision From Ancient Judea To Modern America''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glick, Leonard 20th-century American anthropologists Living people American historians of religion American Reform Jews Year of birth missing (living people) Historians of Jews and Judaism 20th-century American historians 21st-century American anthropologists 21st-century American historians 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers American male non-fiction writers Hampshire College faculty