The first five books of the Bible contain many of its most famous
stories, populated by vivid characters altogether human in their
triumphs and failings--and an equally complicated deity. Many works
of Western art and literature appeal to these stories, from
Michelangelo's painting of Adam and Eve to a novel like William
Faulkner's Go Down, Moses. The three great Abrahamic religions
(Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are rooted here. So is much of
Western political theory and constitutional polity, for a good half
of these books contains legislation (torah) of various kinds, as
indicated by the ancient title: the book of the Torah. Law and
narrative together render the character of the ancient covenant
community known as Israel, as well as the God who rules over that
community. In this revised and expanded version of his popular book
of 1988, Mann engages literary criticism and theology in attending
both to the composite nature of the Torah (or Pentateuch) and to
its final, canonical shape. Mann's study provides a lucid
introduction to the heart of the Hebrew Bible, suitable for
students and general readers, but also of interest to biblical
scholars. "Mann's study of the foundational texts of biblical faith
has long been a reliable staple of pedagogy and interpretation. In
it he combines a well-honed capacity for critical judgment with an
acute theological sensibility, all of which is presented in an
accessible format. For these reasons this new edition is a welcome
offer. In it he has . . . added materials that could not have been
on the horizon in the first edition. This book will evoke many
grateful readers." --Walter Brueggemann Columbia Theological
Seminary Praise for the first edition: "I would find this volume
extremely useful in introducing my students to this basic part of
the Old Testament. I am quite excited about this project."
--Patrick D. Miller author of Stewards of the Mysteries of God "A
sound piece of work. Its holistic, final-form approach reflects the
major trend in biblical criticism. It is perceptive, sensitive,
thoughtful, and stimulating." --David Gunn coauthor of Narrative in
the Hebrew Bible Thomas W. Mann has taught at Princeton Theological
Seminary, Converse College, Salem College, and Wake Forest
University. For twenty-three years he was also the minister of
Parkway United Church of Christ in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
He is the author of The Book of the Former Prophets (Cascade Books,
2011), a sequel to this book; Deuteronomy (1995); and God of Dirt:
Mary Oliver and the Other Book of God (2004).
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