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For centuries Christians have referred to the New Testament for
guidance on moral conduct. But did the writers of the New Testament
themselves agree on such questions as divorce, political obedience,
wealth and the toleration of other religions? And have their often
inconsistent views any relevance today? In Ethics and the New
Testament, the author applies strict critical standards to the
Gospels, epistles and other writings, which he examines in
historical perspective. His explanation of contemporary
attitudes--including gnosticism--helps to clarify the striking
moral differences between Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James and
Paul. He attempts to discern the ethical standards and teachings of
Jesus which are sometimes hidden in the present Biblical texts. And
finally, he relates the moral injunctions of Christianity's central
text to the modern age.
In February 1994 a quite remarkable document appeared from the
Pontifical Biblical Commission with a preface by Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger, on The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church. It is
remarkable, because at a time when official Roman Catholic
teachings like Veritatis Splendor and the new World Catechism have
displayed marked conservatism, it represents an endorsement of all
the main types of modern biblical interpretation, and firmly
rejects conservative literalism and fundamentalist ways of using
the Bible. There was one snag: the document was published in
instalments in a journal with limited circulation, and not at all
easy to obtain. Certainly there was no active promotion of it.
Hence its present publication in book form. The document itself,
which forms the bulk of the book, is a succinct but exhaustive and
'lucid account of the various methods that are now used in the
analysis and interpretation of scripture with a judicious
evaluation and discussion of applications. It would make an
admirable introductory textbook. To this have been added some
previously published reviews and discussions from Britain, the
Netherlands and the United States, and three specially commissioned
articles commenting on the document from different perspectives, by
Robert Carroll, John Muddiman and Kenneth Stevenson. Leslie Houlden
contributes the article in which he introduces the document, and a
preface.
Jesus: a first-century Jew from Galilee, a small and remote
province of the Roman Empire. No other person has had such a
profound and far-reaching influence on world history. But what,
historically, can we know about him? And what are we to make of the
kaleidoscope of beliefs and images that people have since built up
around him? Those are the two essential questions investigated by
J. L. Houlden in this absorbing account of the key historical,
theological and cultural issues surrounding the enigmatic figure of
Jesus. Written primarily for the enquiring lay person, this is a
book that will engage the interest of believer and non-believer
alike. It will also provide a clear and concise introduction fr
anyone studying the origins and evolution of Christianity as a
major world religion.
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