Book Reviews: The Bible, Biblical History, Interpretation, Use
The Bible is one of the most important, influential and widely read books in Western Civilization. Thus, learning more about it and what it says is helpful in understanding more about Western culture and history - not to mention Judaism and Christianity, two religions based upon what we know as the Bible.
The Parables of Jesus, by Luise Schottroff
One of the most prominent features of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament is the parables attributed to Jesus. It's been argued that these parables constitute their own genre which basically originates with the New Testament itself. They are a defining feature of New Testament literature and of the teachings attributed to Jesus. Given their status, one would expect them to be well understood - but are they? Perhaps not as well as they should be.
One of the most prominent features of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament is the parables attributed to Jesus. It's been argued that these parables constitute their own genre which basically originates with the New Testament itself. They are a defining feature of New Testament literature and of the teachings attributed to Jesus. Given their status, one would expect them to be well understood - but are they? Perhaps not as well as they should be.
How to Read the Bible: History, Prophecy, Literature
The Bible is one of the most important and influential books in Western civilization; despite this, few people have much detailed knowledge of it or even know how to read it properly. This is partly due to a decline in classical education, but also partly to a failure of religious leaders to teach people how to approach the text properly.
The Bible is one of the most important and influential books in Western civilization; despite this, few people have much detailed knowledge of it or even know how to read it properly. This is partly due to a decline in classical education, but also partly to a failure of religious leaders to teach people how to approach the text properly.
The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man: How Reliable Are the Gospels?
Did Jesus exist as a real, physical person? That’s always been assumed by Christians, but recent scholarship has begun to cast some doubt upon that. The more one looks at the biblical record, the less reliable the evidence of a historical Jesus becomes. If one probes deeply enough, belief in a historical Jesus may become unjustified.
Did Jesus exist as a real, physical person? That’s always been assumed by Christians, but recent scholarship has begun to cast some doubt upon that. The more one looks at the biblical record, the less reliable the evidence of a historical Jesus becomes. If one probes deeply enough, belief in a historical Jesus may become unjustified.
Lost Christianities: The Battle for Scripture
The diversity of Christian beliefs today is extraordinary - but it is matched, if not exceeded, by the diversity of beliefs among the earliest Christians. As much as Christians today may not be aware of how much diversity there is among their contemporaries, they are quite ignorant of what it was like in the earliest days of Christianity....
The diversity of Christian beliefs today is extraordinary - but it is matched, if not exceeded, by the diversity of beliefs among the earliest Christians. As much as Christians today may not be aware of how much diversity there is among their contemporaries, they are quite ignorant of what it was like in the earliest days of Christianity....
Noah's Curse: The Biblical Justification of American Slavery
The history of slavery in America may not be hidden, but widely unknown is the degree to which Christianity was used to defend not only slavery but also later segregation and discrimination. This secret alliance between religion and bigotry is a largely untold story which more people need to learn about in order to dispel the notion that religion is necessarily a force for good.
The history of slavery in America may not be hidden, but widely unknown is the degree to which Christianity was used to defend not only slavery but also later segregation and discrimination. This secret alliance between religion and bigotry is a largely untold story which more people need to learn about in order to dispel the notion that religion is necessarily a force for good.
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible
Who wrote the Bible? How is it used, and what are the different translations like? These questions are among the first asked by anyone interested in studying the Bible, but the answers are often contained in a multitude of books, many of which are often more academic than what most people need. There is a market, then, for a single volume which covers a multitude of topics.
Who wrote the Bible? How is it used, and what are the different translations like? These questions are among the first asked by anyone interested in studying the Bible, but the answers are often contained in a multitude of books, many of which are often more academic than what most people need. There is a market, then, for a single volume which covers a multitude of topics.
The New Historicism
There exist many different methodologies used today by scholars for understanding and drawing meaning from biblical texts - and quite a few of these were developed over the past century. One of the more informative and controversial is New Historicism, a movement which began in the field of literary studies in the 1980s. What impact has it had on biblical scholarship?
There exist many different methodologies used today by scholars for understanding and drawing meaning from biblical texts - and quite a few of these were developed over the past century. One of the more informative and controversial is New Historicism, a movement which began in the field of literary studies in the 1980s. What impact has it had on biblical scholarship?
Understanding the Bible: An Introduction for Skeptics, Seekers
Fundamentalists can find some portion of the Bible to support views on topics like abortion, homosexuality, the role of women in society, and so on. It is hardly surprising, then, that many would come to regard the Bible as a manifesto of oppression for to those who seek to retard the moral development of modern society. But if what an alternative understanding of the Bible were possible?
Fundamentalists can find some portion of the Bible to support views on topics like abortion, homosexuality, the role of women in society, and so on. It is hardly surprising, then, that many would come to regard the Bible as a manifesto of oppression for to those who seek to retard the moral development of modern society. But if what an alternative understanding of the Bible were possible?
The Erotic Word: Sexuality, Spirituality, and the Bible
Is there a connection between the Bible and eroticism or sexuality? Most believe that there is, but also that this connection is (almost) entirely negative in nature. Such a conclusion is not hard to understand - the Bible has, after all, long been used as a source of inspiration for grounds for repressing people's sexual and erotic impulses.
Is there a connection between the Bible and eroticism or sexuality? Most believe that there is, but also that this connection is (almost) entirely negative in nature. Such a conclusion is not hard to understand - the Bible has, after all, long been used as a source of inspiration for grounds for repressing people's sexual and erotic impulses.
Hidden Gospels: How the Search for Jesus Lost its Way
In recent years, there has been a plethora of writings about "lost" gospels - documents of early Christian communities which are supposed to offer an alternative perspective on the nature of Christianity and, perhaps, the nature of Jesus. But do these "lost" gospels really offer us anything?
In recent years, there has been a plethora of writings about "lost" gospels - documents of early Christian communities which are supposed to offer an alternative perspective on the nature of Christianity and, perhaps, the nature of Jesus. But do these "lost" gospels really offer us anything?
The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark
Dennis MacDonald's argument is one which is novel and will surely anger biblical traditionalists and literalists: namely, that the gospel of Mark was written as a conscious and deliberate immitation of the stories in the Homeric epics. The goal was to give readers a familiar context to discover the superiority of Christ and Christianity over pagan gods and beliefs.
Dennis MacDonald's argument is one which is novel and will surely anger biblical traditionalists and literalists: namely, that the gospel of Mark was written as a conscious and deliberate immitation of the stories in the Homeric epics. The goal was to give readers a familiar context to discover the superiority of Christ and Christianity over pagan gods and beliefs.