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A leading biblical scholar offers a powerful reexamination of the Bible's origins and its connections to human suffering Human trauma gave birth to the Bible, suggests eminent religious scholar David Carr. The Bible's ability to speak to suffering is a major reason why the sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity have retained their relevance for thousands of years. In his fascinating and provocative reinterpretation of the Bible's origins, the author tells the story of how the Jewish people and Christian community had to adapt to survive multiple catastrophes and how their holy scriptures both reflected and reinforced each religion's resilient nature. Carr's thought-provoking analysis demonstrates how many of the central tenets of biblical religion, including monotheism and the idea of suffering as God's retribution, are factors that provided Judaism and Christianity with the strength and flexibility to endure in the face of disaster. In addition, the author explains how the Jewish Bible was deeply shaped by the Jewish exile in Babylon, an event that it rarely describes, and how the Christian Bible was likewise shaped by the unspeakable shame of having a crucified savior.
Historically, the Bible has been used to drive a wedge between the spirit and the body. In this book, David Carr argues that it can - and should - do just the opposite. Sexuality and spirituality, Carr contends, are intricately interwoven: when one is improverished, the other is warped.
This book explores a new model for the production, revision, and reception of Biblical texts as Scripture. Building on recent studies of the oral/written interface in medieval, Greco-Roman and ancinet Near Eastern contexts, David Carr argues that in ancient Israel Biblical texts and other texts emerged as a support for an educational process in which written and oral dimensions were integrally intertwined. The point was not incising and reading texts on parchment or papyrus. The point was to enculturate ancient Israelites - particularly Israelite elites - by training them to memorize and recite a wide range of traditional literature that was seen as the cultural bedorck of the people: narrative, prophecy, prayer, and wisdom.
This groundbreaking introductory textbook explores the emergence and development of the Bible, placing it in the broader context of world history. It particularly focuses on the role of a number of empires in the formation of the Biblical canon. Explores the historical role the Bible has played in subsequent empires, and its enduring influence in the contemporary world, resulting in a balanced overview of the historical forces that shaped the canon Explores topics including: the formation of the Pentateuch, the development of the earliest Old Testament stories, the historical study of the Gospel traditions surrounding Jesus; the influence of Roman rule in the provinces where Paul spent much of his ministry; and the interpretation of the Biblical texts and their use by different faith communities Incorporates numerous student-friendly features throughout, including study questions, review sections, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations and photos
This comprehensive, introductory textbook is unique in exploring the emergence of the Hebrew Bible in the broader context of world history. It particularly focuses on the influence of pre-Roman empires, empowering students with a richer understanding of Old Testament historiography. Provides a historical context for students learning about the development and changing interpretations of biblical texts Examines how these early stories were variously shaped by interaction with the Mesopotamian and Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Hellenistic empires Incorporates recent research on the formation of the Pentateuch Reveals how key biblical texts came to be interpreted by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths Includes numerous student-friendly features, such as study questions, review sections, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations and photos
There is general agreement in the field of Biblical studies that study of the formation of the Pentateuch is in disarray. In this book, David M. Carr turns to the Genesis Primeval History, Genesis 1-11, to offer models for and new insights into the formation of Pentateuchal texts, the most important in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical and Literary Approaches
Discover the historical and social context of one of the most influential works ever written with this authoritative new resource The newly revised second edition of The Hebrew Bible: A Contemporary Introduction to the Christian Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh delivers a brief and up-to-date introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the broader context of world history. Its treatment of the formation of the Bible amidst different historical periods allows readers to understand the biblical texts in context. It also introduces readers to scholarly methods used to explore the formation of the Hebrew Bible and its later interpretation by Jews and Christians. Written by a leading scholar...
David Carr rethinks both the methods and historical orientation points for research into the growth of the Hebrew Bible into its present form.
By using recent developments in literary theory, W. Lee Humphreys uses Genesis to show how God functions as a character in the Genesis narrative. Very creatively, Humphreys explores the coherence and consistency of God as a character, the way in which God's character changes and develops throughout the narrative, and how giving attention to the character of God enriches our experience of reading Genesis.