Subtitle: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Genesis The Book of Genesis is foundational reading for the Christian, concerned as it is with the origins of our race and the beginnings of salvation history. Its opening pages provide the theological suppositions of the entire biblical story: Creation, especially that of man in God's image, the structure of time, man's relationship to God, the entrance of sin into the world, and God's selection of a specific line of revelation that will give structure to history. Early Christian writers such as St. Paul saw no dichotomy between the writings of the Law, of which Genesis is the beginning, and the Gospel. Rather, the Gospel is the key to understanding the Law. In "Creation and the Patriarchal Histories," Fr. Reardon shows clearly how the proper understanding of Creation and the Fall informs all of Christian doctrine, and how the narratives of the patriarchs from Noah to Joseph pave the way for the salvation history that continues in Exodus.
This volume considers aspects of the Book of Genesis; as the first book of the Torah, and hence of the Bible, its position is unique, especially in its provision of the foundational stories of Creation, the emergence of mankind, and the beginning of human society. Through close reading of chapters 1–11, 32–33 and 37–50 (the beginning, middle and end of Genesis), with consideration of the language, style and possible implications of the text, this approach explores the fundamental themes of Berishit and the enduring relevance of its powerful message for humanity and our place in the world. The method is both synchronic (a literary, exegetic analysis of the received text), and diachronic (a more historical consideration of other forms of interpretation, whether archaeological, theological, philosophical, generic or comparative). The mystery of creation and the origins of the world and humankind are enduringly important, and with the rise of interest in cosmology and ever-growing ecological concerns for the earth and its sustainability, nothing could be more topical. Where do we come from? What is our place in the world? What is our responsibility for it? Intimately related to Creation are the nature of human origins and the mystery of the beautiful yet disturbing imperfection of human nature and society. Why are we as we are? What does this mean for concepts of family, community and nation? The Patriarchal Narratives of the forebears of Ancient Israel (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph) provide some of the most enduring stories of election, mission, endeavour and interaction in the annals of world literature. The power and unwavering truthfulness of these stories hold a mirror to human behaviour with seemingly fathomless implications. They provide a dynamic, a positive way forward in reflecting on the intractable hostility that perennially blights the history of humankind. The recurrence of universal themes and symbols generated in Genesis and found throughout the Bible (and in wider folk literature) emphasizes the conceptual unity of a Great Code of meaning, and is pertinent to a canonical reading of Scripture; for example, Joseph’s story prefigures that of Jesus, and posits reconciliation as the very harbinger of salvation.
Although it is found in every major extant Christian manuscript of the Old Testament, the later exclusion of the Wisdom of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) from the Protestant canon has made it one of the little-known gems of Holy Scripture. Composed in Hebrew and translated into Greek in the second century before Christ, it is among the last books of the Old Testament. Sirach represents the more primitive and conservative aspect of Israel's Wisdom tradition-the practical application of the fear of God to daily life-but he enhances that tradition by a singular attention to biography and historical literature in the shaping of the soul. In short, "Wise Lives." Sirach's social context-the struggle to preserve the Jewish religion and culture against the corrosive influence of Hellenic paganism-will resonate with Christians living in the secular world today. In this commentary, Fr. Patrick Reardon illustrates for contemporary readers the riches of this often-neglected jewel of the Bible. Other titles by the author: "Christ in the Psalms":978188821221 "Christ in His Saints":9781888212686 "The Trial of Job":9781888212723
A radical reinterpretation of Western civilization argues that male dominance has resulted from, and can be ended by, historical process, and identifies key developments.
A highly inspirational book of meditations on the Psalms that takes the reader on a thought-provoking and enlightening pilgrimage through this beloved "prayer book" of the Church. How has the Church historically understood and utilized the various psalms in her liturgical life? How can we perceive the image of Christ shining through the Psalms? Christ in the Psalms offers practical advice for how to make the Psalter a part of our daily lives.
USA Today Bestseller Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (History & Biography) "A powerful work of skillful research and personal insight."--Publishers Weekly Biblical womanhood--the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers--pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn't biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments. This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history--ancient, medieval, and modern--to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr's historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women's roles in the church and help move the conversation forward. Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor's wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ.
Physicist Richard Carlson and biblical scholar Tremper Longman address the long-standing problem of how to relate scientific description of the beginnings of the universe with the biblical creation passages found in Genesis. Experts in their respective fields, these two authors provide a way to resolve seeming conflicting descriptions.
"In its emphasis on the force of ideas, the struggle of women for inclusion in the concept of the Divine, the repeated attempts by women to form supportive networks, and its analysis of the preconditions for the formation of political theories of liberation, this brilliant work charts new ground for historical studies, the history of ideas, and feminist theory."--Jacket.
"A brilliant . . . analysis of the fragile hegemony and identities of colonial Virginia's elite men. . . . On the Sources of Patriarchal Rage compellingly illuminates the ragged edge where masculinity and colonial identity meet. . . . [the book] will undoubtedly send Jefferson scholars scurrying back to their notes. . . . Most significant, by being among the first to tackle the subject of masculinity in early America, Lockridge forces colonial scholars to reexamine the lives of men they thought they already knew too well." —William and Mary Quarterly Two of the greatest of Virginia gentlemen, William Byrd II and Thomas Jefferson, each kept a commonplace book--in effect, a journal where men were to collect wisdom in the form of anecdotes and quotations from their readings with a sense of detachment and scholarship. Writing in these books, each assembled a prolonged series of observations laden with fear and hatred of women. Combining ignorance with myth and misogyny, Byrd's and Jefferson's books reveal their deep ambivalence about women, telling of women's lascivious nature and The Female Creed and invoking the fallible, repulsive, and implicitly corruptible female body as a central metaphor for all tales of social and political corruption. Were these private outbursts meaningless and isolated incidents, attributable primarily to individual pathology, or are they written revelations of the forces working on these men to maintain patriarchal control? Their hatred for women draws upon a kind of misogynistic reserve found in the continental and English intellectual traditions, but it also twists and recontextualizes less misogynistic excerpts to intensified effect. From this interplay of intellectual traditions and the circumstances of each man's life and later behavior arises the possibility one or more specific politics of misogyny is at work here. Kenneth Lockridge's work, replete with excerpts from the books themselves, leads us through these texts, exploring the structures, contexts, and significance of these writings in the wider historical context of gender and power. His book convincingly illustrates the ferocity of early American patriarchal rage; its various meanings, however suggestively explored here, must remain contestable.
