Alice Laffey's rereading of the major themes of the first five books of the Bible will enable readers to gain a firm grasp of the contents of this major literary corpus. Like other volumes in this series, it will also point the way to a different reading of Scripture, one that raises today's questions-power, liberation, justice, and preeminently connectedness. Laffey highlights neglected resources in the text in order "to approach these texts from the perspective of a respectfully interdependent worldview." In this work we witness a radical expansion and transformation of feminist biblical criticism to incorporate concern for all humans, all animals, all nature in a global, even cosmic way.

The conversations in this collection open by challenging ideas that have become standard and subjecting them to critical re-examination. The central thread of all these essays is a reflection on the processes of reading and theologizing. Many focus on the relation of Paul to the energetic and complex Judaism of the 1st century, and one reads the Gospel of John in this light. Others highlight eschatology. Among the contributors to this volume are David E. Aune, Jouette Bassler, Daniel Boyarin, Neil Elliott, Victor Paul Furnish, Lloyd Gaston, Steven J. Kraftchick, Robert C. Morgan, J. Andrew Overman, Mark Reasoner, Peter Richardson, and Robin Scroggs. Juanita Garciagodoy and David H. Hopper offer appreciations of Calvin Roetzel as a teacher and colleague.

The Bible and Western culture is a burgeoning area of interest in recent scholarship, but comparatively little has been written on the Bible and music. Leneman's is a groundbreaking work, making some pioneering forays across an important interdisciplinary divide. The Performed Bible is an in-depth study of the librettos and music of 12 operas and oratorios on the story of Ruth from the last two centuries, establishing the potential of music, as a kind of midrash, for transforming a Bible text, its narrative and its characterization. The book includes detailed analyses of musical segments, the author being a cantor and professional musician in whose Jewish tradition biblical texts are chanted, not read. This fresh and insightful work will no doubt prove attractive to biblical scholars, to musicians and to music lovers generally.

Few scholars have thought so long or so carefully about the role of biblical authority in the light of historical- and literary-critical scholarship as has James D. G. Dunn. Even fewer are as capable of communicating profound respect for the biblical witness with genuine insight into its complexity and pluriformity. Avoiding easy - and possibly misleading - answers, Dunn offers precise responses to questions about the history behind the Gospels and their consequent trustworthiness; the original scandal presented by Jesus' teaching, and by Paul's; the problem of pseudonymity in the Pauline letters and elsewhere; and what weight should be given to what the Bible itself says about scriptural authority, and to the final shape of the biblical canon. This Second Edition includes new essays on "bridging the gap between the academy and the church," the hallmarks of "good exposition" of scripture, and a concluding chapter on the Bible as living tradition.

Employing a formalistic analysis set within a broad tradition-history context, this analysis investigates the relationship between Passion story and Gospel story in Mark. Broadhead looks especially at the narrative morphology and narrative syntax of individual stories, their relation to the Passion account, and their interaction with the larger world of the narrative. He reveals in Mark 14-16 a carefully-crafted text which is intimately linked to the larger Gospel story. This is particularly true of the strategies of characterization and of the christological portrait they support. This book invites reconsideration of basic questions about Mark: its nature and purpose; the role of the community behind it; assumptions about authorial intention; patterns of development for the Gospel tradition; and the form and function of the Gospel genre.

1 Cor 8.1-11.1 is concerned with the subject of idolatry in first-century Christianity and ancient Judaism. Jews and Christians differ over what constitutes idolatry, and even within ancient Judaism and early Christianity there was no consensus. In this book, a set of definitions are created, which are applied to the examination of the various relevant Diaspora Jewish literature, inscriptions and papyri, and finally, the NT passage. This examination reveals different attitudes adopted by different Jews towards idolatry, which serve as parallels to the three positions in 1 Cor 8.1-11.1, 'the strong', 'the weak', and Paul. The resolution of the issue of idolatry lies in the question of who determines what is idolatrous and what constitutes proper Christian behaviour. This is accomplished through a comparison and contrast between leadership structures within Diaspora Jewish assemblies and the Corinthian church. Almost all the definitions of idolatry set up are operative in Paul, whose way of resolving the issue of idolatry is by appeal to biblical history. By insisting on his authority, as the founding apostle and father of the Corinthian church, Paul can issue the injunction to the 'strong' to flee from idolatry because idolatrous behaviour would incur the wrath of God and lead to God's punishment, which is the loss of one's eschatological salvation. For the Diaspora Jews, the 'final court of appeal' was the law; but for the Corinthian church, the authority Paul sets up is Christ, the gospel, salvation, and Paul himself as the founding apostle.

Mary Ann Tolbert, George H. Atkinson Professor of Biblical Studies at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, offers "one of the freshest interpretations of Mark's Gospel I have ever had the privilege to read. . . . It marks a milestone in the recent history of Markan research" (Jack Dean Kingsbury).

In its twelfth volume this text examines a number of Patristic texts and early Christian documents from a feminist perspective."The Feminist Companion to Patristic Literature" is the twelfth volume in the "Feminist Companion to the Bible and Early Christian Literature" series. Presenting cutting-edge studies by both established scholars and new voices from diverse cultures and contexts, the series not only displays the range of feminist readings, but also offers essential readings for all students of the New Testament and early Christian literature.This volume examines a number of Patristic texts and early Christian documents from a feminist perspective including "Clement of Rome", "Clement of Alexandria", the "Christian Martyr" and the "Gospel of Thomas". The contributors include: Barbara Bowe, Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley, Denise Buell, Virginia Burrus, Elizabeth Castelli, Elizabeth Clark, Kathy Gaca, Robin Jensen, Ross S Kraemer, Carolyn Osiek, Carolyn Osiek, and Theresa Shaw. It is suitable for libraries; academics; postgraduates and upper level undergraduates.

Advent is a season almost forgotten by the secular world. With new toys and electronics available, why should we focus on this time of anticipation? Most everyone cannot wait for Christmas morning to arrive, but is it for the right reason? Sarah A. Reinhard designed "Welcome Baby Jesus" for you and your family to capture some of what's intended by the liturgical season of Advent. Each day has a Scripture quote from the Sunday gospel readings, a brief reflection, and an action to complete. With each passing Sunday, your Advent Wreath will grow brighter, your family's faith will grow stronger, and the true meaning of this season will be discovered.

Eusebius of Caesarea (d. 339) is our major historical witness to the triumph of Christianity in the early fourth century. His commentary on the Book of Isaiah has only been available to modern scholars since 1975. The present book, the first comprehensive study, examines how Eusebius interpreted Isaiah in the context of Constantine's conversion.

This book reflects J. Christian Beker's experience of more than twenty years of teaching an introductory course in New Testament. In distinction from a history-of-religions approach, he aims at allowing the theological thrust of the New Testament to become transparent for today's readers.

In its twelfth volume this text examines a number of Patristic texts and early Christian documents from a feminist perspective."The Feminist Companion to Patristic Literature" is the twelfth volume in the "Feminist Companion to the Bible and Early Christian Literature" series. Presenting cutting-edge studies by both established scholars and new voices from diverse cultures and contexts, the series not only displays the range of feminist readings, but also offers essential readings for all students of the New Testament and early Christian literature.This volume examines a number of Patristic texts and early Christian documents from a feminist perspective including "Clement of Rome", "Clement of Alexandria", the "Christian Martyr" and the "Gospel of Thomas". The contributors include: Barbara Bowe, Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley, Denise Buell, Virginia Burrus, Elizabeth Castelli, Elizabeth Clark, Kathy Gaca, Robin Jensen, Ross S Kraemer, Carolyn Osiek, Carolyn Osiek, and Theresa Shaw. This book is suitable for libraries; academics; postgraduates and upper level undergraduates.

The Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament Series (ACNT) is written for laypeople, students, and pastors. Laypeople will use it as a resource for Bible study at home and at church. Students and instructors will read it to probe the basic message of the books of the New Testament. And pastors will find it to be a valuable aid for sermon and lesson preparation.

Hear Then the Parable is an innovative literary-social reading of all the parables of Jesus.

Green argues that the Beatitudes in Matthew's version are a carefully constructed poem, exhibiting a number of the characteristics of Hebrew poetry as we know it from the Old Testament; but as certain of these, such as rhyme and alliteration, cannot survive translation, what we have here is an original composition in Greek. This is shown to be no isolated phenomenon in the gospel; a series of texts found at specially significant points in it disclose similar characteristics. The findings cut across conventional source attributions and reveal the creative hand of the evangelist. By studying the individual beatitudes in their relation to each other as revealed by the formal structure, fresh light is thrown upon their meaning and their background in the scriptures of the Old Testament.>

The Augsburg Commentary on the new Testament is written for laypeople, students, and pastors. Laypeople will use it as a resource for Bible study at home and at church. Students and instructors will read it to probe the basic message of the books of the New Testament. And Pastors will find it to be a valuable aid for sermon and lesson preparation.

This commentary builds on the work of previous scholarship and addresses contemporary issues. It gives serious attention to questions of textual criticism, philology, history, and Near Eastern backgrounds and is sensitive to the literary conventions characteristic of the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. The book is an earnest attempt to hear the message of the ancient prophets, a message that remains relevant today. The Old Testament Library provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing.

Are the stories of Daniel at the court of the Persian king simply cheerful tales of a clever and successful courtier, as many assume? Valeta doubts it, insisting that the playful and fantastic storyline must have a more serious meaning. The key to these narratives lies in their genre. These tales of lions and ovens and the like are examples of Menippean satire, argues Valeta, an ancient genre foregrounded in modern literary study by Bakhtin, who saw in the characteristic interplay of voices in the Menippean satire a prime instance of his dialogism . Especially typical of the Menippean satire is an indecorous mixing of styles and elements, which may be the explanation why the Daniel narratives are both comic and serious, Hebrew and Aramaic, episodic and unified. Viewed as satire, the Daniel narratives emerge in their true colours as resistance literature to the regime of Antiochus IV and so form a perfect accompaniment to the visions of Daniel 7 12.

This volume aims to compare the author of Matthew's Gospel with a selection of contemporary Christian authors and/or texts. Recent Matthean scholarship has highlighted the distinctiveness of this early Christian writer by emphasising his clear Jewish perspective in addition to his Christian affiliation. He can accurately be perceived as both Jewish and Christian because he holds that Christian commitment demands both observance of the Mosaic Law and faith in Jesus as the Messiah. But if Matthew is distinctively Jewish and Christian, how does he compare with other early Christian writers? Much of the New Testament literature was composed by Paul himself or by his later followers, and these Christians held the view that the Mosaic Law no longer had relevance in the light of the Christ event. Other New Testament texts that are not Pauline, e.g. the Gospel of John and the letter to the Hebrews, appear to agree with Paul on this point. Consequently, Matthew stands apart from other texts in the canon with the possible exception of the letter of James. The volume will therefore establish the distinctiveness of Matthew by comparing his theological perspective with his major sources, Mark and Q, and with the two remaining Gospels, the Pauline epistles, the letter to the Hebrews and the epistle of James. The comparison of Matthew with non-canonical texts, the Didache and the letters of Ignatius of Antioch, is important because much work has been done in these areas recently. Given Matthew's distinctive portrayal of Jesus, a comparison of Matthew and the historical Jesus is also demanded in the context of this volume.