A Comparative Analysis of Berith and the Sacrament of Baptism and How They Contributed to the Inquisition

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The idea and the research questions is very important and actual, maybe especially now for better understanding the past and the origins and for the higher tolerance in present and in future. At the same time such issues ask for keeping the principles of research ethics even much more, and highly objectivity of the argumentation and interpretation is even more necessary. I think that the both aspects more or less are kept in the article. 

It's obvious that in ethnographical researches it isn't necessary the present all the methodology of the research (research design, questions, methods and etc.), but if it would be in the article, it only even more would emphasize the objectivity of the research and of the conclusions.

Author Response

Please see attached

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Your thesis seems to be: "This paper will discuss how the Church and the Sephardic rabbinic authorities used their respective sacred texts to “war” for the souls of the conversos." 

Yet, the organization of the paper is haphazard. Set up a "map" here in the intro that makes sense for the reader. Why start with Talmud? What is "Post Exhilic Identity" and why is it important for your thesis? Why jump from that to the Catholic sacraments, and then to Anuism? You finish with Berith, which seems to make sense, but you need to give this sense right from the start of your paper.

Your conclusion also seems to come out of nowhere. How is forced conversion from the 1300s causing PTSD in their descendants? Explain this and give more development in the paper to support this. 

In order to get to this conclusion, you may consider adding secondary sources. Your work with primary works is great, but you could use some secondary works to bolster this to strengthen your argument. 

Author Response

Thank you so much for your review. I have made the necessary adjustments. Please see the attached.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

These changes help a lot. Take out the short section on structuralism & primitive religion. It does not add anything to the argument. Also, you could use a short transition into the Catholic sacraments. Otherwise, this is far better. The headings help a lot. 

Author Response

I have made changes according to your recommendations. Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf