During its 2,500-year life, the book of Genesis has been the keystone to important claims about God and humanity in Judaism and Christianity, and it plays a central role in contemporary debates about science, politics, and human rights. The authors provide a panoramic history of this iconic book, exploring its impact on Western religion, philosophy, literature, art, and more.
As the media portrays it, modern Americans live their lives as though God were not part of the picture. Yet according to polls, two out of five Americans attend church weekly and even more profess belief in God. Sharon Gallagher turns her focus on those people who are moving in and out of church attendance, telling the stories of the people who in ways both expected and unexpected have come to faith and are willing to talk about their doubts and joys, and in doing so shows us how God continues to work in the lives of people today.
Literate world history took shape during the course of the third millennium BCE chiefly in the Mesopotamian land of Sumer. There is a vast difference between the way secular scholars process this data and the way believers in the Bible can and should process it. By accepting at face value both the chronological perspective of the Bible and the high longevities of the Noahic patriarchs, biblicists can make sense of Sumerian data and revolutionize the image of world history at its source. This book details the genealogical comparisons of all the nations mythological pantheons with the Genesis Chapter 10 list of post flood patriarchs and establishes a foundation for building a true history of mankind. 420 pp.
Treating Old Testament stories as the product of an oral traditional world, A Prelude to Biblical Folklore sets biblical narrative in a broad cross-cultural context and reveals much about the richness and complexity of the ancient Israelite civilization that produced it. Using a unique combination of biblical scholarship and folklore methodology, Susan Niditch tracks stories of biblical characters who become heroes against the odds, either through trickery or through native wisdom, physical prowess, and the help of human or divine agents. In this volume, originally published as Underdogs and Tricksters, Niditch examines three cross-sections of the Old Testament in detail: stories in Genesis in which patriarchs pretend that their wives are really their sisters; the contrasting stories of two younger sons, the trickster Jacob and the earnest underdog Joseph; and the story of Esther as a paradigm of feminine wisdom pitted against unjust authority. Linking these Old Testament heroes to the legendary tricksters and underdogs of other cultures, Niditch shows how the Israelites' worldview and self-image are reflected in the way biblical authors tell their stories. Through a thoughtful analysis of style, content, narrative choices, and attitudes to issues of gender and political authority in biblical narrative, A Prelude to Biblical Folklore draws persuasive conclusions about the identity, location, and provenance of the stories' authors and their audiences.
The Jewish people's historical claims to a small area of land bordering the eastern Mediterranean are not only the foundation for the modern state of Israel, they are also at the very heart of Judeo-Christian belief. Yet in The Mythic Past, Thomas Thompson argues that such claims are grounded in literary myth, not history. Among the author's startling conclusions are these: There never was a "united monarch" of Israel in biblical times -- We can no longer talk about a time of the Patriarchs -- The entire notion of "Israel" and its history is a literary fiction. The Mythic Past provides refreshing new ways to read the Old Testament as the great literature it was meant to be. At the same time, its controversial conclusions about Jewish history are sure to prove incendiary in a worldwide debate about one of the world's seminal texts, and one of its most bitterly contested regions.
The first five books of the Hebrew Bible spark discussions that last for centuries. From the creation stories in Genesis through the delineation of the law in Deuteronomy, these five books - the Pentateuch - contain deep troves of historical and spiritual treasures. In The Bible's Foundation: An Introduction to the Pentateuch, Charles Aaron Jr. looks at each book through several perspectives: ancient near-Eastern background, literary analysis, structure, important theological concepts, and compositional history. The Bible's Foundation: An Introduction to the Pentateuch accounts the academic significance of each book and the issues of faith that have marked these books as important, sacred texts. Each chapter summarizes the content of an individual book, provides careful analysis for selected representative passages, and discusses in a critical way the faith issues raised from the text.
The Wiersbe Bible Commentary is a must have for believers wanting a deeper and practical resource for studying God’s Word and includes: The complete Old and New Testament (Genesis to Revelation) Section-by-section commentary Biblical charts Book introductions Extended notes References Dr. Warren Wiersbe is one of the most beloved Bible teachers with over 40 years of pastoral experience. His bestselling Bible Commentaries are one of the most trustworthy resources used by pastors, Bible teachers, and persons interested in knowing more about God’s Word. His easy-to-read and insightful explanations provide a comprehensive understanding of the Bible.
Challenging Genres: Comic Books and Graphic Novels offers educators, students, parents, and comic book readers and collectors a comprehensive exploration of comics/graphic novels as a challenging genre/medium.
Heroic figures, invested with a common pattern that satisfies the human desire for idealization, are the focus of this intriguing study of legendary characters — from Oedipus and King Arthur to heroes of the Trojan War and Robin Hood. A fascinating study that will appeal to students of folklore, mythology, and history.
