ALFONSI, PETRUS

Joannes Gymnicus

Cologne

1536

(Sephardi, Moses). * Dialogi in quibus Judaeorum opiniones confutantur [“Dialogue on which the Unpious Jewish Opinions are Confuted”- anti-jewish polemic]. * Accessit Libellus Rabbi Samuelis,[Marochitani], ueri Messiae parastasim continens-Epistola Rabbi Samuelis Israhelitæ [fictional anti-semitic letter by “Rabbi Samuel” to “Rabbi Isaac” on “God’s just punishment of the Jews for having betrayed and murdered the Messiah”]

Adams A-741 and below S-238

Born a Jew in Aragon, Spain, Moses Sephardi was baptized in 1106, thereafter assuming the name Petrus Alfonsi. He wrote the Diologi in quibus judaeorum opiniones confutantur, in defence of his own conversion. In the mold of the classic apologetics, the dialogues take place between a Jew and a Christian, named Moses and Peter respectively; the two figurations of the author himself, before and after his apostasy. Exploring aspects of Christian belief, the author attempts to prove that the Jews were only partially observing the Laws of Moses, before concluding that Christianity is not contradictory to Mosaic Law. See EJ, XIII col. 347