Explore a timely introduction to the formation of the Bible in its historical and modern contexts
In the newly revised Second Edition of A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, accomplished scholars and authors Colleen M. Conway and David M. Carr deliver a rigorous, accessible, and up-to-date introduction to the Bible. The textbook places the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and New Testament in the broader context of world history, with a special focus on the empires that influenced the Bible's formation. Readers are introduced to the academic study of the Bible through a range of scholarly approaches.
Readers benefit from the inclusion of:
* A thorough introduction to the Bible in its ancient contexts, from the emergence of Israel's earliest traditions to the writing and reshaping of the Bible amidst Assyrian Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic and Roman empires.
* The most up-to-date work in the field, seamlessly integrated into every chapter
* A wealth of pedagogical features including study questions, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations
* An unparalleled coverage of both fundamental topics and cutting-edge issues, resulting in a truly outstanding textbook.
Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students studying religion, history, sociology, and philosophy, A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, Second Edition will also earn a place in the libraries of religious scholars and researchers seeking a one-stop reference to the Bible in its ancient and modern context.
Autorentext
Colleen M. Conway is Professor of Religion at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ and executive editor of the journal Biblical Interpretation. She has published widely in the areas of gender criticism, biblical masculinity studies, reception history of the Bible, and the Gospel of John.
David M. Carr is Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He is an internationally renowned scholar on the formation of the Bible, trauma studies and the Bible, and sexuality and the Bible.
Klappentext
This introduction presents leading edge research in a highly accessible format An outstanding revision.
MAGGIE ODELL, St Olaf College
Carr and Conway have broken free from the typical introduction to the Bible by framing their readable prose around the key effect of empire(s) on the development of biblical traditions. While not ignoring fundamental issues such as authorship, genre, and dating, their unique approach tells a compelling story of crucial periods in canonical history. Students will find this book intellectually engaging and a pleasure to read. Instructors will be pleased to have a creative textbook as a partner in their teaching.
RICHARD S. ASCOUGH, Queen's University, Canada
As reliable as Carr and Conway are in their guidance to the Bible and to biblical scholarship, they are also not afraid to push at the cutting edge. Combine that fearlessness with a genuine concern for and knowledge of how students actually learn, and you've got a truly outstanding textbook.
TOD LINAFELT, Georgetown University
With A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, accomplished scholars and authors Colleen M. Conway and David M. Carr deliver a rigorous, accessible, and up-to-date introduction to the Bible. The textbook places the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and New Testament in the broader context of world history, with a special focus on the empires that influenced the Bible's formation
The second edition of this groundbreaking textbook features the most up-to-date work in the field, seamlessly integrated into every chapter, a wealth of pedagogical features including study questions, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations, and an unparalleled coverage of both fundamental topics and cutting-edge issues, resulting in a truly outstanding textbook.
Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students studying religion, history, sociology, and philosophy, A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, Second Edition will also earn a place in the libraries of religious scholars and researchers seeking a one-stop reference to the Bible in its ancient and modern context.
Inhalt
List of Figures xi
List of Maps xv
List of Boxes xix
Preface xxi
Acknowledgments xxiii
List of Abbreviations xxv
Overview of the Historical Period xxvii
Timeline xxix
Prologue: Orientation to Multiple Bibles and Multiple Translations 1
1 Studying the Bible in Its Ancient Context(s) 19
Chapter Overview 19
Why History Is Important in Studying the Bible 20
The Geography and Major Characters of the Biblical Drama 24
Major Periods in the Biblical Drama 28
Multiple Contexts, Multiple Methods 30
Looking Forward to the Big Picture 32
Chapter One Review 33
Resources For Further Study 33
Appendix: Israel's History and Empires 34
2 The Emergence of Ancient Israel and Its First Oral Traditions 35
Chapter Overview 35
Imagining Early Israel 36
Problems in Reconstructing Early Israel 42
Traces of the Most Ancient Israelite Oral Traditions in the Bible 47
The Oral Background of Genesis 48
Focus Text: The Song of Deborah 54
The Creation of Israel Through Cultural Memory of Resistance to Domination 56
Chapter Two Review 57
Resources for Further Study 58
3 The Rise of Writing and Echoes of Past Empires in Monarchal Israel 59
Chapter Overview 59
Imagining Early Monarchal Israel 60
The Rise of the Israelite Monarchy and Resistance to It 62
Influence of Ancient Empires on Early Israel's Monarchy and Writings 66
Echoes of Near Eastern Royal Theology in the Royal and Zion Psalms 69
Echoes of Texts from Earlier Empires in Writings Attributed to Solomon 75
Focus Text: The Speech of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8 81
Echoes of Texts from Past Empires Elsewhere in the Bible 82
Focus Text: The Garden of Eden Story (Gen 2:43:24) 87
Conclusion 92
Chapter Three Review 93
Resources for Further Study 93
4 Narrative and Prophecy Amidst the Rise and Fall of the Northern Kingdom 95
Chapter Overview 95
Setting the Stage: The Rise of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Its Texts 96
Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy 105
Amos, a Southern Prophet Preaching Justice and Doom to the North 106
Hosea, the Northern Prophet, Calling for Israel's Devotion to Yahweh Alone 108
Micah, a Southern Prophet, Predicting Judgment for Judah and Jerusalem 115
Isaiah's Vision of Hope for Jerusalem/Zion Embedded in the Book of Isaiah 118
The Use and Reuse of Biblical Traditions 123
Focus Text: Contrasting Prophetic Visions of Zion's Future 124
Chapter Four Review 125
Resources for Further Study 126
5 Torah and Other Texts Written in the Wake of the Assyrian Empire 127
Chapter Overview 127
Religious and Textual Reform Amidst the Downfall of Assyria 128
The Deuteronomic Torah of Moses and the Phenomenon of Hybridity 135
Historical Texts Infused with the Theology and Values of Deuteronomy 139
Jeremiah's Prophecy of Judgment on Zion 145
Focus Text: Deuteronomy 6:49 149
New Scriptures in the Twilight of Judean Monarchy 152
Chapter Five Review 153
Resources for Further Study 154
6 Bible for Exiles: Promise and Story in the Neo-Babylonian Empire 155
Chapter Overview 155
The Neo-Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem and Exile 156
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