Criticism and exegesis of sacred texts Books

Book SynopsisHighlighting God's faithfulness to his people, this 12-week study through the book of Hosea points readers to the symbolic nature of Hosea's relationship with his unfaithful wife, revealing God's redemptive purposes in Christ.

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Book SynopsisThe Mowbray Lent Book for 2016.The Psalms lie at the heart of Jewish and Christian worship. For thousands of years people in despair and praise have cried to God through the words of these ancient poems. Fragments of them are still widely known and loved, but such is the gulf between their ancient culture and our contemporary world that much of the depth of their meaning is lost to us. Life in the Psalms aims to bridge that gulf, enabling the modern reader to find hope in these ancient texts by re-imagining their meanings for our times. The Psalms include texts that illuminate issues including climate change and environmental degradation; the illusions of consumerism and celebrity culture'; our response to migrants and asylum seekers; conditions of depression, anxiety, and grief, and the question of attention' in a digital age. Many texts take us deeply into the experience of meditation and contemplation; and teach us how to wonder, and find happiness. Three introductorTrade ReviewWoodhouse ... demonstrates over and over again, in a series of thoughtful daily reflections on selected Psalms, that the real object is alive and forceful and ultimately "relevant": the loving God of Israel. * The Tablet *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Why the Psalms? 2 What are the Psalms? 3 Praying the Psalms First Week: Pilgrimage Psalm 122 The peace of Jerusalem Psalm 84 Journeying towards integrity Psalm 133 Oil running down Psalm 42 Deep calls to deep Psalm 43 What is true? Second Week: Prayer Psalm 63 Come and see Psalm 123 Mercy within mercy within mercy Psalm 131 Like a weaned child Psalm 1 A tree planted by the waterside Psalm 4 My heart, their corn and wine and oil Third Week: Wonder Psalm 8 Infants and stars Psalm 104 Wonder and protest Psalm 19 A theatre of glory Psalm 139 The uttermost parts of the sea Psalm 103 Forget not Fourth Week: The Way Psalm 119.1-8 The path of happiness Psalm 119.9-16 Mind change Psalm 119.129-36 Passion and compassion Psalm 23 Lacking nothing Psalm 27 In a secret place Fifth Week: Hope Psalm 71 Hoping continually Psalm 46 Be still and know Psalm 36 The well of life Psalm 131 From where is my help to come? Psalm 62 Tottering and leaning Holy Week: Suffering Psalm 91 Trampling the serpent Psalm 13 How long, O Lord? Psalm 137 By the waters of Babylon Psalm 130 Out of the depths Psalm 22 The image of the crucified Notes Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisA passionate challenge to walk in the way of holiness, from one of today's most compelling Bible teachersTrade ReviewThe author speaks and writes from a passion to see God glorified and people's lives changed. It's not always an easy read, but we could all gain by heeding its call to a deeper holiness that the world will see and take notice of. * The Methodist Recorder *

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Book SynopsisFrom one of the most influential Old Testament scholars of our times, a new and timely book on the Christian imperative to speak out against injustice.Trade Review4 stars **** * Premier Christianity *Compelling * Premier Christianity *Highly recommended * Church of England Newspaper *

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Book SynopsisPublished originally in 1926, Rost''s Die Überlieferung von der Thronnachfolge Davids is fundamental to the study of Samuel and Kings. The story of the ark, the account of the Ammonite war, Nathan''s prophecy concerning David''s dynasty, and, above all, the succession narrative or ''court history'' are singled out for thorough examination, with questions of style, theme and religious viewpoint dominating the discussion. His thesis is brilliantly argued and has sustained a remarkable measure of agreement over many decades, though criticism has grown in recent years. It remains mandatory reading for the study of Samuel and Kings, Hebrew narrative art, and history writing in ancient Israel. There is an extensive introduction by the late Edward Ball.

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Book SynopsisWith practical commentaries, articles, and features, this new amplified version of #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer''s popular study Bible will help you live out your faith.In the decade since its original publication, The Everyday Life Bible has sold 1.1 million copies, taking its place as an invaluable resource on the Word of God. Simultaneously, Joyce Meyer''s renown as one of the world''s leading practical Bible teachers has grown, as she continues to study and teach daily. This new edition updates Joyce''s notes and commentary to reflect the changes made in the revision of the Amplified Bible which refreshes the English and refines the amplification for relevance and clarity. The result is The Everyday Life Bible that is now easier to read and better than ever to study, understand, and apply to your everyday life.

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Book SynopsisWith practical commentaries, articles, and features, this new amplified version of #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer''s popular study Bible will help you live out your faith.In the decade since its original publication, The Everyday Life Bible has sold 1.1 million copies, taking its place as an invaluable resource on the Word of God. Simultaneously, Joyce Meyer''s renown as one of the world''s leading practical Bible teachers has grown, as she continues to study and teach daily. This new edition updates Joyce''s notes and commentary to reflect the changes made in the revision of the Amplified Bible which refreshes the English and refines the amplification for relevance and clarity. The result is The Everyday Life Bible that is now easier to read and better than ever to study, understand, and apply to your everyday life.

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Book SynopsisNow includes discussion questions and contemplation exercises for individual study and reading groups.Ana Levy-Lyons, a public theologian who is equally at home in secular and religious worlds, offers a deeply perceptive reinterpretation of the Ten Commandments for our modern lives.The Ten Commandments are a spiritual resource for social justice. A politically and spiritually brazen prescription for living, the Ten Commandments would turn our world upside down if we actually followed them. Far from being only ethical norms on which everyone already agrees or a remnant of a bygone oppressive era, the Commandments are actually countercultural practices.Today the Ten Commandments are a divisive part of American culture. Religious conservatives champion them, even if they don''t always practice them. Religious liberals and the nonreligious may bristle at what they perceive as antiquated moral restrictions. But, this ancient code still has vital contempora

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Book SynopsisJames has so much to say about living a powerful and effective life in Christ. The book addresses a variety of topics important to growing your faith and teaches that you not only need to read the Word of God and know what it says, but you also need to act on it. In this comprehensive biblical commentary, Joyce Meyer offers you practical insights for studying the book of James, with room for personal reflections that will help you grasp the truths in God's Word. You'll discover how to identify life-changing wisdom and get a better understanding of God's plan and purpose for your life.Part of her first-ever biblical commentary series, Joyce's book on James will stir your faith in God and inspire you to live it out in practical ways because of your love for Him and desire to glorify Him in your life.

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Book SynopsisPaul's letter to the Ephesians is a well-loved book of the Bible that teaches some of the most important lessons of faith: who you are in Christ, how you are to live as His follower, and how to gain victory in the spiritual battles you face. In this study tool, Joyce Meyer takes a close look at the meaning of those beloved verses, identifying key truths and incorporating room for personal reflection.Joyce's first-ever biblical commentary series provides eye-opening teachings that will help you develop a stronger relationship with God. As you take the time to study His Word, you'll see how much He loves you and who you are in His image. Change will come, and your life will bear the good fruit that God intends!

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Book SynopsisIf Jesus is God, then God is a grunt-the humble, hardy folk placed at the bottom of the social hierarchy who are relied on to accomplish the dirtiest, most difficult (and most thankless) work. This is good news for millions of Christian soldiers and veterans in the U.S. because they have had to make an impossible choice, with no perceivable middle ground, between patriot and pacifist.In his new book, God Is a Grunt, Logan Isaac offers an opportunity for GIs, veterans, and those close to them to read Christian traditions as a soldier would-by and through the lived experiences of military service. This well-researched, meditative guide for Christians who have served their country delves deep into the Bible, while Isaac shares his own beliefs and thoughts on the life-altering experiences of battle. He attempts to fill the void most Christians in the military feel by providing theological resources to discern a better way of discipleship for GIs, affirming the nuance and complexity of armed service and the gifts GIs extend to Christians around the world.

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Book SynopsisAs a follow-up to This Season of Angels, bestselling author and internationally known minister Perry Stone investigates the angelic encounters of the Bible and explores their meanings and significance.What does the Bible say about angels? And why are they so shrouded in mystery? In This Season of Angels, Perry Stone revealed the pivotal roles angels will play during prophetic seasons. Now, in ANGELS AMONG US, Perry focuses on the angelic encounters of the Bible, and examines why God created them, how their hierarchy works, and more. ANGELS AMONG US will inspire you as you begin or end your day to recognise that you are always protected and guarded by God.

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Book Synopsis"In the pursuit of an understanding of Mary that is undertaken in this book, it is clear that we are dealing with events beyond the reach of our normal faculties. Without effort on our part and help of some kind, Mary remains one more unsolvable mystery. In the activity of our striving to be open and reverent in our devoted pursuit of knowledge of these mysteries, we begin to tread the path of the Marian Way of Heart Knowledge."-- from the ForewordThe Marian Way of Heart Knowledge guides the reader into and through the mystery of Mary as she appears in the New Testament, especially her composure and openness to life --- both its gifts and its sorrows. Reilly argues that these holy mysteries are not allegory, poetry, or simple fantasy. Rather, they are facts that can be known and experienced by everyone. This book also draws upon the wisdom of Rudolf Steiner as shared in The Philosophy of Freedom, arguing that it is possible for knowledge itself to become organically alive. This is an inspiring book which reveals how devotion and thinking with the heart -- the Marian way of heart knowing -- can guide us on our path toward true freedom.

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Book SynopsisSir William Smith's A Dictionary of the Bible provides a truly comprehensive companion to the Bible. Its 5,000 entries and more than 3,000 pages offer detailed authoritative accounts of the people, places, cities, customs, plants and animals in the Bible and of the books that make up the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Apocrypha. Entries range from shorter accounts to major essays and provide a wealth of historical, cultural and etymological insight. The dictionary contains a complete listing of every name in the Bible, including the minor names that are not to be found in other reference works. Entries are cross-referenced to passages in the Bible. Among the leading contributors are George Grove, who collaborated with Smith on the subsequent Atlas of Ancient Geography, Biblical and Classical, and E. Stanley Poole, the noted Arabist. Illustrated and with a new introduction by leading contemporary scholar, Michael Ledger-Lomas, these handsome volumes form a unique and valuable resource.Table of ContentsContents Introduction by Michael Ledger-Lomas Volume 1 A-G Volume 2 H-J Volume 3 K-Red Volume 4 Red Sea - Zuzims

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Book SynopsisThe essays collected in this volume focus on methodological and historical topics related to the study of the history of ancient Israel. Contributors offer readers new readings of disputed texts, new methodological tools for study of the ancient world inhabited by an entity called aIsraela, and a variety of reinterpretations of biblical texts. Contributors include Thomas L. Thompson, Philip Davies, Niels Peter Lemche, Etienne Nodet, Mario Liverani, and many other leading academics.Table of ContentsEditorial Preface Lukasz Niesiolowski-Spano, Chiara Peri, Jim West 1. Giovanni Garbini and Minimalism Thomas L. Thompson, University of Copenhagen 2. G. Garbini and the Poetry of Leah Goldberg Francesco Bianchi, University of Turin 3. "To Each His Own Job." On Job 42:1-6 Thomas Bolin, St Norbert College 4. The Siloam Tunnel Revisited Philip Davies, University of Sheffield 5. Hos 2:2 and the Dating of the Book of Hosea Giovanni Deiana, Pontifical Urbanian University 6. Beyond Garbini's Anti-Mosaic Pentateuch: Nehushtan as Literary Tie between the Torah and the Historical Books Philippe Guillaume, University of Berne 7. "When Dreams Come True": Jerusalem/Hierosolyma and Jewish Nationalism in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods Ingrid Hjelm, University of Copenhagen 8. The Same Old Story Niels Peter Lemche, University of Copenhagen 9. Toponymy Riddles Mario Liverani, University of Rome "La Sapienza" 10. Dividing the image of God: the creation of man and woman in Genesis Caterina Moro, Independent scholar 11. Farewell to the 'Blind and Lame' (2 Sam. 5:6-10) Lukasz Niesiolowski- Spano 12. From Moses to the Essenes Etiene Nodet, Ecole Biblique 13. A view from the West: The relationship between Phoenicia and "colonial" worlds in the Persian period Ida Oggiano, Pontificio Istituto Biblico and Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo Antico 14. A couple of stone disks or simply a pair of disks? About the Hebrew word obnayim (Exodus 1:16; Jeremiah 18:3) Fabrizio Pennacchietti, University of Turin 15. Jonah and the triffild. A suggestion for the qiqayon Chiara Peri 16. On Finding Myth and History in the Bible Emanuel Pfoh, National University of La Plata 17. "Historical" Israel and "biblical" Israel, or ethnicity as a symbol Gian Luigi Prato, Universita degli Studi di Roma Tre 18. Ethnicity and the Bible: Multiple Judaisms Thomas L. Thompson 19. Correspondence Jim West

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Book SynopsisBiblicists have long been aware that some compositions in the Bible cite and allude to other compositions. At times these practices are obvious; often, however, they are not. Essays in this volume focus on subtle, not-so-obvious, unrecognized cases of citation and allusion as well as on unrecognized 'translations' from other languages. Individual authors address unapparent cases and the methodological considerations on which their status as 'genuine' can be established. The essays in this volume are significant because of the methodological considerations and cautions that they describe and the varied texts that they analyze. Biblicists drawing on insights from this book will be able to provide thicker descriptions of Israelite literature and literacy and to construct relative chronologies of biblical compositions with greater accuracy than has been possible until now.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Echoes of Texts PastZiony ZevitClarifying Matters of Theory and Method2. Identifying Literary Allusions: Theory and the Criterion of Shared LanguageJoseph Ryan Kelly, Tempe Preparatory Academy3. Method in Determining the Dependence of Biblical on Non-Biblical Texts David M. Carr, Union Theological Seminary in New YorkMulti-Lingual Scribes and their Archives4. Subtle Citation, Allusion, and Translation: Evidence in Hittite Texts and Some Biblical Implications Ada Taggar-Cohen, Doshisha UniversityInner Biblical Allusions and Citations5. Identifying Torah Sources in the Historical Psalms Marc Z. Brettler, Brandeis University6. Identifying Subtle Allusions: The Promise of Narrative TrackingJeffery M. Leonard, Samford University7. Literary Allusions and Assumptions about Textual FamiliarityJoel S. Baden, Yale University8. Isaiah 60-62 in Intertextual PerspectiveMarvin A. Sweeney, Claremont School of TheologyExtra Biblical Allusions, Citations, and Translations9. The Book of Job and Mesopotamian Literature: How Many Degrees of Separation?Edward L. Greenstein, Bar-Ilan University10. Method in the Study of Textual Source Dependence: The Covenant CodeDavid P. Wright, Brandeis University11. To Refer or Not to Refer: That is the QuestionPeter Machinist, Harvard University12. Gauging Egyptian Influences on Biblical LiteratureMichael V. Fox, University of Wisconsin-MadisonAfterword13. A Future for Back-referencingZiony Zevit

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Book SynopsisSocial and Cognitive Perspectives on the Sermon on the Mount offers fresh readings of themes and individual sayings in the Sermon on the Mount (SM) using socio-cognitive approaches. Because these approaches are invested in patterns of human cognition and social mechanisms, the resulting collection highlights the persistent appeal and persuasiveness of the SM: from innate moral drives, to the biology of emotion and risk-taking, to the formation and obliteration of in-group/out-group distinctions. Through these theories the authors show why--even across cultures and history--the SM continues to grip both individual minds and groups of people in order to shape moral communities. Classical historical-critical readings interpret the sermon according to the conventions of literature, seeking a relationship to other texts and ideas. By contrast our volume explores the SM not so much for the logical and historical relationships to other literary traditions, but also--and perhaps more importantly--for the ways it stimulates emotional, biologically, culturally habituated, evolutionarily preconditioned, and socially sanctioned characteristics of humans. In short, the volume shines a light on the action-inducing properties of the text. The volume will introduce a broader group of scholars, students, and clergy to the relevance of social scientific and cognitive studies for interpretation of the Bible, by applying these approaches to possibly the most read and discussed text in the Bible.Table of Contents1. Social and Cognitive Perspectives on the Sermon on the Mount: Introduction Rikard Roitto, Colleen Shantz and Petri Luomanen PART 1: INDIVIDUAL COGNITION 2. It’s All in How You Look at It: The Eyes and Morality in Matt 6:22–23 Colleen Shantz 3. Perception of Risk in the Sermon on the Mount Rikard Roitto 4. Altruism and Prosocial Ideals in the Sermon: Between Human Nature and Divine Potential Thomas Kazen, University College Stockholm 5. Ritual Acts in the Sermon on the Mount Rodney A. Werline, Barton College, USA PART 2: TEXT AND COGNITION 6. Emotional Repression and Physical Mutilation? The Cognitive and Behavioural Impact of Exaggeration in the Sermon on the Mount Thomas Kazen 7. Parables in the Sermon on the Mount: A Cognitive and Rhetorical Perspective Lauri Thurén, University of Eastern Finland 8. Is There a Reason to Worry? A Pragma-Dialectical Analysis of Matthew 6:25‒34 Niilo Lahti, University of Eastern Finland PART 3: SOCIAL DYNAMICS 9. Hypocrites and the Pure in Heart: Religion as an Evolved Strategy for In-Group Formation John Teehan, Hofstra University, USA 10. “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to Yahweh, and will be repaid in full” (Prov 19:17): Patterns of Indirect Reciprocity in the Book of Proverbs and in the Sermon on the Mount Anne Katrine de Hemmer Gudme, University of Copenhagen 11. Macarisms and Identity Formation: Insights from the Comparison of 4QBeatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount Elisa Uusimäki, University of Helsinki 12. Remembering the Sermon in the Mountains of France Alicia Batten, University of Waterloo

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Book SynopsisStudy of the Bible can be enlivened by understanding the historical and cultural context of the text, and delving more deeply into the original language.In this book, Elsbeth Weymann, an expert in Greek and Hebrew, has selected biblical passages which take the reader through the festivals of the year -- from Advent and Easter to Pentecost and Michaelmas. Each passage has a fresh translation and in-depth commentary. For instance, in the story of Pentecost, she highlights the use of the unusual feminine form of the word 'spirit', which points to a feminine aspect of the Holy Spirit.Weymann's study of specific words and grammar also shows how the living presence of the Old Testament is evident in the New Testament. This book is for anyone looking for deeper meaning in the Bible.Trade Review'This marvellous book by Greek and Hebrew scholar Elsbeth Weymann carefully guides the reader through a close examination of the vocabulary, grammar and context of each reading, explaining her reasons for how she has translated the text. [...] I only regret that she didn't write more - I found it all utterly fascinating!'--New View

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Book SynopsisThis unique narrative retelling of the story of Saint Paul is both an engaging day-to-day account of life in the first century as well as a remarkable chronicle of the key events that ultimately laid the foundations for Christianity.It covers his childhood, when he was known as Saul, in his father's tent-making workshop, his momentous encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus and his transformation into Paul the apostle, one of Christianity's most significant figures. Siegwart Knijpenga draws on extensive experience of sharing religious lessons with young people to retell the story of Saint Paul in a lively and accessible way, ideal for readers aged 10 and up.

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Book SynopsisWhat is the nature of the Qur’an? It might seem a straightforward question, but there is no consensus among modern communities of the Qur’an, both Muslim and non-Muslim, about the answer. And why should there be? On numerous occasions throughout history, believers from different schools and denominations, and at different times and places, have agreed to disagree. The Qur’anic interpreters, jurists and theologians of medieval Baghdad, Cairo and Cordoba coexisted peacefully in spite of their diverging beliefs. Seeking to revive this ‘ethics of disagreement’ of Classical Islam, this volume explores the different relationships societies around the world have with the Qur’an and how our understanding of the text can be shaped by studying the interpretations of others. From LGBT groups to urban African American communities, this book aims to represent the true diversity of communities of the Qur’an in the twenty-first century, and the dialogue and debate that can flow among them.Trade Review‘Contains a very valuable range of perspectives… Students/readers will walk away with an appreciation of the messiness of communal lines and connections, practices of reading, meaning-making, and interpretation, and in some communities, even the embodied and practiced dimensions of a sacred text.’ * Review of Qur’anic Research *‘This lovely collection describes ten different interpretive communities, both Muslim and non-Muslim, of the Qur’an. It helps us to better understand the text that is central to the world’s Muslims, while illuminating their own diversity.’ -- Amir Hussain, Professor of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount UniversityTable of ContentsForeword Reza Aslan Introduction Emran El-Badawi and Paula Sanders PART I: COMMUNITIES OF CULTURE AND EXPERIENCE 1 African-American Communities of the Qur’an Aminah Beverly Al-Deen 2 Nizari Ismaili Engagements with the Qur’an: the Khojas of South Asia Ali Asani 3 The Reception of the Qur’an in Popular Sufism in Indonesia: tadabbur among the Ma‘iyah Community Lien Iffah Naf’atu Fina and Ahmad Rafiq PART II: BETWEEN GENDER AND COMMUNITY 4 Musawah: Gender Equity through Qur’anic Discourse Amina Wadud 5 The Reception of the Qur’an in the LGBTQ Muslim Community Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle PART III: THE SILENT, SPEAKING AND LIVING WORD 6 The Speaking Qur’an and the Praise of the Imam: the Memory and Practice of the Qur’an in the Twelver Shia Tradition Sajjad Rizvi 7 The Qur’an and the Baha’i Faith Todd Lawson PART IV: COMMUNITIES OF TEXT AND TRADITION 8 How the Qur’an Shapes the Sunni Community Ingrid Mattson 9 The Qur’an and the Ahmadiyya Community: an Overview Mujeeb Ur Rahman 10 Why the Qur’anists are the Solution: a Declaration Ahmed Subhy Mansour Afterword Reuven Firestone Index

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Book SynopsisTwenty years ago some biblical scholars at the University of Copenhagen were denounced as being nihilists and a threat to western civilization. What was their crime? They had exposed the fallacies of traditional historical-critical biblical scholarship, which was neither historical nor critical. Although the historical-critical interpretation of the Bible had developed over a period of more than a hundred years, it had ended up, with the help of a rationalistic paraphrase of the stories of the Old Testament, creating a society out of this world called biblical Israel. Israel was like no other society in the ancient world, and scarcely a real historic society at all. It was structured like a house of cards. Therefore, when some scholars began to question the historical content of the construction of ancient Israel, as it was usually called, the edifice broke down, first in bits and then totally. This study addresses the development of 'Minimalism' from its roots in the historical-critical paradigm and outlines an alternative theory which exposes and explains the intention behind the fallacy of using a story found in the Old Testament to simply invent the biblical concept of Israel.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. The Minimalist–Maximalist Controversy 2. The Road to Minimalism 3. Back to Reason

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Book SynopsisThe Economy of Deuteronomy's Core contributes to the current debate over the date and purpose of the biblical book of Deuteronomy to advance the discussion beyond the Josianic hypothesis of Wilhelm M. L. de Wette that has dominated the field for the last two centuries. It is the first comprehensive analysis and synthesis of the economic issues that the laws of Deuteronomy 12-26. It provides the basis for the identification of the functions of the three institutions upon which a new Israelite identity builds: the local autonomous settlement (your gates), the yearly gathering of all Israel to eat and drink joyfully in front of YHWH (the Place), and a guild-like brotherhood involving Israelite, Edomite and third generation Egyptian associates (qehal-YHWH). Grounded in the text itself, The Economy of Deuteronomy's Core reads Deuteronomy 12-26 in light of what we know about Ancient Near Eastern economies. The results open new horizons regarding the origins of the Deuteronomic laws.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Reading Deuteronomy 12-26 Economically 1. Expenses and Incomes 2. Deuteronomy’s Economic Actors: Beyond a Single People of Brothers 3. Three Institutions and their Interplay: Beyond the Temple of Jerusalem Part II: Focussing on Tithes 4. Yearly Tithes for Whom and How Much? 5. Claiming a Greater Share of Deuteronomic Tithes 6. Outlines of an Older Deuteronomic Core Part III: Probing the History of the Deuteronomic Core 7. Urdeuteronomium After de Wette Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe Economy of Deuteronomy's Core contributes to the current debate over the date and purpose of the biblical book of Deuteronomy to advance the discussion beyond the Josianic hypothesis of Wilhelm M. L. de Wette that has dominated the field for the last two centuries. It is the first comprehensive analysis and synthesis of the economic issues that the laws of Deuteronomy 12-26. It provides the basis for the identification of the functions of the three institutions upon which a new Israelite identity builds: the local autonomous settlement (your gates), the yearly gathering of all Israel to eat and drink joyfully in front of YHWH (the Place), and a guild-like brotherhood involving Israelite, Edomite and third generation Egyptian associates (qehal-YHWH). Grounded in the text itself, The Economy of Deuteronomy's Core reads Deuteronomy 12-26 in light of what we know about Ancient Near Eastern economies. The results open new horizons regarding the origins of the Deuteronomic laws.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Reading Deuteronomy 12-26 Economically 1. Expenses and Incomes 2. Deuteronomy’s Economic Actors: Beyond a Single People of Brothers 3. Three Institutions and their Interplay: Beyond the Temple of Jerusalem Part II: Focussing on Tithes 4. Yearly Tithes for Whom and How Much? 5. Claiming a Greater Share of Deuteronomic Tithes 6. Outlines of an Older Deuteronomic Core Part III: Probing the History of the Deuteronomic Core 7. Urdeuteronomium After de Wette Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe Shepherd of Hermas (70-150 CE) is one of the oldest Christian works from a major urban center. While the majority of manuscript evidence of the Shepherd is concentrated in North Africa, the work has long-standing association with the city of Rome. It consists of three major sections: the Book of Visions, the Mandates, and the Similitudes. The Shepherd was enormously popular during the early centuries as a catechetical text used for moral formation. Its manuscript evidence during the early centuries far exceeded that of the Gospels. This book uses cognitive literary theory, specifically the approach known as enactive reading, to investigate why a work that was exceedingly popular among readers in antiquity has failed to receive the same reception by modern scholars. The study focuses on the first section of the Shepherd known as the Book of Visions, which narrates Hermas's visionary experiences in first-person voice. The book argues that enactive reading can help to generate immersive experiences of Hermas's visions and explain the success and appeal of the Book of Visions among ancient readers. Cognitive approaches also highlight how modern scholars trained to read apocalypses 'against the grain' to search for historical or theological information fail to notice and appreciate the very things that made apocalypses engaging and entertaining to a broad range of ancient readers and hearers.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Seeing the Shepherd of Hermas with New Eyes Chapter 1. The Popularity of the Shepherd in the Ancient World Chapter 2. Taking a Look at Hermas Chapter 3. Sticky Thoughts that Make Presence from Absence Chapter 4. Experiencing the Journey Chapter 5. Immersion in the Narrative World of Apocalyptic Visions Conclusion

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Book SynopsisExamining the concept of 'Temple' throughout Scripture, HEAVEN ON EARTH explores one of the most interesting, but least appreciated themes in biblical theology. Far from being a building used simply for religious activities, the Temple in biblical literature embodies a rich variety of theological ideas. At the heart of these is the interface provided between a holy God and sinful people. An understanding of the role of the Temple (and its predecessor, the Tabernacle) in biblical history provides a remarkable insight into the redemptive purposes of God. From the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the new creation in Revelation, biblical literature abounds with references and allusions to the Temple, all of which underline its significance as an institution and concept. HEAVEN ON EARTH brings evangelical biblical scholars and theologians together to offer a fresh approach to this often neglected area. The biblical essays cover Old Testament, inter-testamental and New Testament material. From Paternoster Press.

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Book SynopsisMany theologians and Christian philosophers have given considerable attention to the theory of knowledge in recent years. However, the rich resources of the biblical literature on questions of knowledge, especially the knowledge of God, have hardly begun to be mined because biblical scholars have rarely posed such questions to the texts. In this volume Catholic and Protestant biblical scholars reflect on what different parts of the Bible may have to contribute to our understanding of knowledge in general, and the knowledge of God in particular. Chapters on Deuteronomy, the Psalms, the Prophets, Wisdom literature, Luke-Acts, Johannine literature and Paul's letters reveal something of the Bible's diverse and nuanced approach to the issues. The book ends with some reflections on the material from a theologian and from a Christian philosopher.

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Book SynopsisThis extraordinary work explains how the writer of the book of Habakkuk resolves the issue of theodicy. Reading the book as a literary whole, Grace Ko uses a holistic, synchronic approach to investigate how its writer presents his case, and how he reaches the final resolution of his problem. Since theodicy is a common human issue raised during atrocity, Habakkuk's experience becomes a source of hope and resolute faith for the believing community in the midst of severe adversity. COMMENDATION "Theodicy in Habakkuk is a welcome addition to the interpretation of the prophetic message of Habakkuk. This sensible, clearly written book deserves the attention of all serious Old Testament scholars and students." - J. Glen Taylor, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Canada

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