An Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts

Front Cover
John Wiley & Sons, 2010 M03 8 - 408 pages
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
 

Selected pages

Contents

What is a Basics Box?
1
Contents of the Hebrew BibleTanachOld Testament
4
ad bc bce and ce
17
Yahwehthe LORD
28
What Was Earliest Israel and Who Were Judges?
36
The Name Israel
44
Rise of the Monarchy
58
What They Dont Tell Us
65
Community
181
Book of Haggai
186
Book of Zechariah
187
Alternative Perspectives on Foreigners
192
Book of Genesis
194
The Emergence of Judaism
206
Book of Daniel
211
Books of Chronicles
217

Part 1
67
Book of Proverbs
73
Jacob Story
89
in Judah
93
The Annals of Sennacherib
95
Book of Amos
99
Kuntillet Adjrud used by eighthcentury Israelites
103
Hosea and the Book of the Twelve Prophets
105
Book of Micah
108
and the Call Narrative
112
Book of Nahum
121
Deuteronomy and the Ten Commandments
127
The Covenant Code and Deuteronomy
129
Books of Samuel
133
The Conquest and Ancient Holy War
136
Book of Jeremiah
140
Forced Labor for Exiles Under Nebuchadnezzar
152
Book of Lamentations
153
The Divine Council
158
Second IsaiahDeuteroIsaiah
160
Terms for It and Pictures of Its Formation
165
Source
168
Paul and his Letters in the Roman Colonial Context
241
Corinthians
254
Romans
261
Marks Story of Jesus in the Midst of Roman Retribution
269
Gospel of Mark
273
Defining Community in the Wake of Destruction
289
Gospel of Matthew
292
Chapter Overview
308
Negotiating the Empire in LukeActs
310
Situating the Jesus Movement in the Roman Present
314
of a secondcentury ce emperor and his wife
319
Linking Past Present and Future
320
Turning Inward
327
Gospel of John
330
Variations on Responses to Empire in other New Testament Writings
345
Revelation to John
349
Hebrews
356
The Final Formation of the Jewish and Christian Bibles
363
Textual Criticism 8
377
Index
379
Copyright

Other editions - View all

An Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts
David M. Carr,Colleen M. Conway
Snippet view - 2010
An Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts
David M. Carr,Colleen M. Conway
No preview available - 2010

Common terms and phrases

Abraham Acts ancient appears Assyrian beginning believers Bible biblical called century chapter Christian claim collection coming context criticism culture Date David describes destruction Deuteronomy discussed divine earlier early empire example exile Exod Exodus Ezekiel Figure final focus foreign Genesis gentiles give given God’s gospel Greek Hebrew hope Hosea human idea important included interpretation Isaiah Israel Israelite Jeremiah Jerusalem Jesus Jesus’s Jewish Jews John Judah Judean judgment king kingdom land later leaders letters living Luke major Mark Matthew means monarchy Moses narrative oral original particularly Paul Paul’s period Persian present Press priests probably promise prophecy prophets Psalms reading refer reflect Roman Rome rule sayings scholars seen Song Source story suggests teaching Temple term Testament texts themes Torah traditions translations understand writing written Yahweh

About the author (2010)

DAVID M. CARR is Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary in New York. His previous books include Reading the Fractures of Genesis: Historical and Literary Approaches (1996); The Erotic Word: Sexuality, Spirituality and the Bible (2003); and Writing on the Tablet of the Heart: Origins of Scripture and Literature (2005).

COLLEEN M. CONWAY is Professor of Religious Studies at Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. Her books include Men and Women in the Fourth Gospel: Gender and Johannine Characterization (1999) and Behold the Man: Jesus and Greco Roman Masculinity (2008).

Bibliographic information

TitleAn Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts
AuthorsDavid M. Carr, Colleen M. Conway
Editionillustrated
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons, 2010
ISBN1405167386, 9781405167383
Length408 pages
  
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