Editing Samaritanism (section)

=== Scholarly perspective ===
Modern genetic studies (2004) suggest that Samaritans' lineages trace back to a common ancestor with Jews in the paternally-inherited Jewish high priesthood ([[Kohen|Cohanim]]) temporally proximate to the period of the Assyrian conquest of the kingdom of Israel, and are probably descendants of the historical Israelite population.<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=15300852|url=http://evolutsioon.ut.ee/publications/Shen2004.pdf|year=2004|last1=Shen|first1=P|last2=Lavi|first2=T|last3=Kivisild|first3=T|last4=Chou|first4=V|last5=Sengun|first5=D|last6=Gefel|first6=D|last7=Shpirer|first7=I|last8=Woolf|first8=E|last9=Hillel|first9=J|title=Reconstruction of patrilineages and matrilineages of Samaritans and other Israeli populations from Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA sequence variation|volume=24|issue=3|pages=248–60|doi=10.1002/humu.20077|journal=Human Mutation|s2cid=1571356|access-date=13 October 2017|archive-date=20 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420110753/http://evolutsioon.ut.ee/publications/Shen2004.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{sfn|Kiaris|2021|p=14}} The religion of the proto-Samaritans at this time was probably no different than that of their southern counterparts in [[Judea]]. This likely remained the case for several centuries after the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel, as Judean cultic reforms instituted by the kings [[Hezekiah]] and [[Josiah]] experience little opposition extending to the Samaritan people in the north, according to the biblical text.{{sfn|Knoppers|2013|pp=82–85}}

Though Samaritans certainly were culturally unique, they were closely intertwined with the Jews to the south. As such, Samaritanism likely did not emerge as a distinct tradition until the [[Hasmonean dynasty|Hasmonean]] and Roman era, by which point [[Yahwism]] had coalesced into [[Second Temple Judaism]].{{sfn|Knoppers|2013|pp=125–133}}{{prtb|date=February 2024}} The temple on Mount Gerizim, the central place of worship in Samaritanism, was built in the 5th century BCE,{{sfn|Knoppers|2013|pp=178–179}} as one of many Yahwistic temples in Samaria. However, the temple precinct experienced a centuries-long period of large-scale construction beginning around the 4th century BCE, which indicates that its status as the pre-eminent place of worship among Samaritans had only just been established. Likewise, theological debates between Jews and Samaritans are attested as early as the 2nd century BCE, indicating that the [[Samaritan Pentateuch]] had already taken shape, in some form.{{sfn|Knoppers|2013|p=177}}

The [[Hasmonean dynasty|Hasmonean]] king [[John Hyrcanus]] destroyed the Mount Gerizim temple and brought Samaria under his control around 120 BCE, which led to a longlasting sense of mutual hostility between the Jews and Samaritans.{{sfn|Knoppers|2013|pp=173–174}} From this point, the Samaritans likely sought to consciously distance themselves from their Judean brethren, and both peoples came to see the Samaritan faith as a religion distinct from Judaism.

The relationship between Jews and Samaritans only further deteriorated with time. By the time of [[Jesus]], Samaritans and Jews deeply disparaged one another, as evinced by Jesus' [[Parable of the Good Samaritan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samaritan {{!}} Definition, Religion, & Bible {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Samaritan |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>