The study presents archival evidence to show how President Kaunda raised political and economic exclusivity in Zambia in the early years of Zambia's independence, and how this retarded capital investment. Despite formal reforms and a new government, this institutional mechanism still dominates and constrains Zambia's political economy today.

John Barton and Peter Groves present a range of chapters by leading scholarly voices from the worlds of biblical studies and the Church, looking at the study of the New Testament within and around the Church and the impact it has had and can have on Christian theology. The essays in the volume adopt a style of critical engagement with biblical texts, through the prism of a modern and living Church. The focus of the volume is thus not only upon the New Testament itself, but upon how reading the New Testament is important for dialogue within the Church and within Christian denominations. Among the highly distinguished contributors are John Barton, Eric Eve, Mark Goodacre, Christopher Rowland, and Rowan Williams.

A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.

James Barr is a Professor of the Hebrew Bible at Vanderbilt University, and was formerly Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford. This is a collection of essays in honour of his seventieth birthday by twenty-four leading figures in biblical studies and theology in Britain, North America and Europe. Barr's own work covers an enormous range, from highly detailed linguistic and textual study of the biblical languages and ancient versions, to broad issues in the interpretation of the Bible and its place in theology. The essays assembled here mirror the range of these interests, with essays on textual criticism, linguistics, biblical translation, theological themes in the Bible, and the history of biblical scholarship. There is also an evaluation of Barr's work by the editors. Contributors: Samuel Balentine, John Barton, Bertil Albrektson, Emanuel Tov, Jeremy Hughes, Robert Hanhart, Edward Ullendorff, Ernest Nicholson, Douglas Knight, John Emerton, Lothar Perlitt, Joseph Blenkinsopp, P. D. Miller, James L. Mays, Walter Harrelson, Hans Barstad, Michael Fishbane, William Scott Green, Jane Barr, Brevard Childs, Rudolf Smend, John McIntyre, Dietrich Ritschl, Maurice Wiles.

This collection of John Barton's work engages with current concern over the biblical canon, in both historical and theological aspects; with literary reading of the Bible and current literary theory as it bears on biblical studies; and with the theological reading and use of the biblical text. John Barton's distinctive writing reflects a commitment to a 'liberal' approach to the Bible, which places a high value on traditional biblical criticism and also seeks to show how evocative and full of insight the biblical texts are and how they can contribute to modern theological concerns. This invaluable selection of published writings by one of the leading authorities on biblical text and canon, also includes new essays and editorial introductions from the author.

This entertainment by and about the Kings and Queens of England includes music, poetry, speeches, letters and other writings. The Hollow Crown has been performed in America and England by stars from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The four readers enact the writings of royals from William I to Victoria; the three singers intersperse songs from the proper period - some of which are sad tunes on the death of kings while others are uproariously funny.1 woman, 3 men

The volume presents the results of a joint research project run by the Universities of Bonn and Oxford.

This collection of John Barton's work engages with current concern over the biblical canon, in both historical and theological aspects; with literary reading of the Bible and current literary theory as it bears on biblical studies; and with the theological reading and use of the biblical text. John Barton's distinctive writing reflects a commitment to a 'liberal' approach to the Bible, which places a high value on traditional biblical criticism and also seeks to show how evocative and full of insight the biblical texts are and how they can contribute to modern theological concerns. This invaluable selection of published writings by one of the leading authorities on biblical text and canon, also includes new essays and editorial introductions from the author.

This title was first published in 2000. From the work of Hegel and Schelling to the dialectical theology of Barth, Bultmann and Gogarten, "Revelation" has developed a long, rich tradition of diverse thought, as well as many misunderstandings. Meaning, first and foremost, "God's encounter with those to whom God wishes to communicate God's own self", Revelation seeks to be recounted and communicated to others. As a theological expression, Revelation aims to direct our attention to the modes and areas in which we have a basis for expecting encounter with God - through stories, nature, the world as creation. From a rediscovered emphasis on "story", narrative theology has emerged - a concept the English-speaking world has welcomed for its neutrality between history and imaginative fiction and stress on narrative rather than doctrinal dimension of biblical text. This volume brings into relationship a concern with theology of revelation and an interest in the theology of story or narrative theology.

This title was first published in 2000. From the work of Hegel and Schelling to the dialectical theology of Barth, Bultmann and Gogarten, "Revelation" has developed a long, rich tradition of diverse thought, as well as many misunderstandings. Meaning, first and foremost, "God's encounter with those to whom God wishes to communicate God's own self", Revelation seeks to be recounted and communicated to others. As a theological expression, Revelation aims to direct our attention to the modes and areas in which we have a basis for expecting encounter with God - through stories, nature, the world as creation. From a rediscovered emphasis on "story", narrative theology has emerged - a concept the English-speaking world has welcomed for its neutrality between history and imaginative fiction and stress on narrative rather than doctrinal dimension of biblical text. This volume brings into relationship a concern with theology of revelation and an interest in the theology of story or narrative theology.

Revelation and Story explores the relationship between the theology of revelation and the theology of story or narrative theology. Mediating between German systematic theology's concern for revelation and current Anglo-Saxon interest in narrative theology and centrality of 'story', this book illuminates both traditions. Exploring 'revelation' and 'story' from both theological and philosophical perspectives, this book connects these concepts with questions of the authority of religious and literary texts, particularly the Bible. Believing that God's revelation precedes and forestalls all human perception of God, all speech about God, and every attempt to experience anything about God or know Him, leading scholars from both Anglo-Saxon and German traditions are brought together to present a diverse range of conceptions relating to how God's revelation occurs, resulting in a new theory of the relation of revelation and story which transcends the traditional cultural divide. Stanley Hauerwas contributes the Foreword. Revelation and Story offers a valuable new contribution to systematic theology, hermeneutics, and the study of the authority of Scripture, as well as presenting insights into important overlaps between British and German theology. This book will be of particular interest to scholars and students of philosophy and theology, and to students of literature and literary theory with an interest in hermeneutics.

In the first two chapters of the book of Amos, the prophet denounces a number of neighbouring nations for committing atrocities in war and then declares Israel to be equally blameworthy in view of the social injustices prevailing in his time (the eighth century BC). Amos is widely held to be ahead of his age, not only in recognising the idea of 'war crimes' but also in attributing to the God if Israel any concern with or power over other nations. In this detailed study of Amos 1 and 2, Dr Barton shows that the book in fact presupposes both these notions; there were already accepted conventions of warfare in the ancient Near Eastern cultures and there was already recognition in Israel of the universality of God's power. The essential contribution of Amos to Old Testament theology is to be found in his radical criticism of Israel and in his prediction that it is about to be destroyed by its own God.

In the context of growing concern over climate change and other environmental pressures, Biblical Prophets and Contemporary Environmental Ethics explores what an ecological reading of the biblical text can contribute to contemporary environmental ethics. The Judeo-Christian tradition has been held partly to blame for a negative attitude to creation - one that has legitimised the exploitative use of the earth's resources. Hilary Marlow explores some of the thinking in the history of the Christian tradition that has contributed to such a perception, before discussing a number of approaches to reading the Old Testament from an ecological perspective.
Through a detailed exegetical study of the texts of the biblical prophets Amos, Hosea and First Isaiah, Marlow examines the portrayal of the relationship between YHWH the God of Israel, humanity and the non-human creation. In the course of this exegesis, searching questions emerge: what are the various understandings of the non-human creation that are present in the text? What assumptions are made about YHWH's relationship to the created world and how he acts within it? And what effect do the actions and choices of human beings have on the created world?
Following this close textual study, Marlow examines the problem of deriving ethical norms from the biblical text and discusses some key ethical debates in contemporary environmental theory. The book explores the potential contribution of the biblical exegesis to such debates and concludes by proposing an inter-relational model for reading the Old Testament prophets in the light of contemporary environmental ethics.

A comprehensive and lively introduction to the Old Testament, suitable for sixth-form, university and ministerial students, as well as the interested general reader. It provides a complete course covering history, archaeology, geography and textual interpretation. Its core is a set of chapters on central biblical themes including the nature of God, human suffering, ethics, the relation of God to Israel and the covenant. There are detailed chapters on aspects such as prophecy, worship, law, apocalyptic and wisdom literature and historiography. The book is extensively illustrated and easily navigable with icons, sidebars and boxes providing helpful information and questions for discussion.

The Bible: The Basics is an accessible and engaging introduction to the Bible as both a sacred text, central to the faith of millions, and a classic work of Western literature, containing a tapestry of genres, voices, perspectives, and images. This guide skilfully addresses both aspects of the Bible's character by exploring: the rich variety of literary forms, from poetry to prophecy and epistles to apocalypses; the historical, geographic, and social context of the Bible; contemporary attitudes to the Bible held by believers and non-believers; the status of biblical interpretation today. The second edition has been updated throughout and includes maps and detailed suggestions for further reading. This is an ideal starting point for people of any faith, or none, who are studying the Bible in any setting or who simply want to know more about the best-selling book of all time.

The Bible: The Basics is an accessible and engaging introduction to the Bible as both a sacred text, central to the faith of millions, and a classic work of Western literature, containing a tapestry of genres, voices, perspectives, and images. This guide skilfully addresses both aspects of the Bible’s character by exploring:

the rich variety of literary forms, from poetry to prophecy and epistles to apocalypses;

the historical, geographic, and social context of the Bible;

contemporary attitudes to the Bible held by believers and non-believers;

the status of biblical interpretation today.

The second edition has been updated throughout and includes maps and detailed suggestions for further reading. This is an ideal starting point for people of any faith, or none, who are studying the Bible in any setting or who simply want to know more about the best-selling book of all time.

Table of Contents

List of figures

Preface to the first edition

Preface to the second edition

1

The Bible in the modern world

2

The nature of the Bible

3

Major genres

4

Religious themes

5

The Bible and history

6

The social world of the Bible

7

Biblical interpretation today

Bibliography

Index

In the context of growing concern over climate change and other environmental pressures, Biblical Prophets and Contemporary Environmental Ethics explores what an ecological reading of the biblical text can contribute to contemporary environmental ethics. The Judaeo-Christian tradition has been held partly to blame for a negative attitude to creation - one that has legitimised the exploitative use of the earth's resources. Hilary Marlow explores some of the thinking in the history of the Christian tradition that has contributed to such a perception, before discussing a number of approaches to reading the Old Testament from an ecological perspective. Through a detailed exegetical study of the texts of the biblical prophets Amos, Hosea, and First Isaiah, Marlow examines the portrayal of the relationship between YHWH the God of Israel, humanity and the non-human creation. In the course of this exegesis, searching questions emerge: what are the various understandings of the non-human creation that are present in the text? What assumptions are made about YHWH's relationship to the created world and how he acts within it? And what effect do the actions and choices of human beings have on the created world? Following this close textual study, Marlow examines the problem of deriving ethical norms from the biblical text and discusses some key ethical debates in contemporary environmental theory. The book explores the potential contribution of the biblical exegesis to such debates and concludes by proposing an inter-relational model for reading the Old Testament prophets in the light of contemporary environmental ethics.

This is the second volume of three volume collection which collates the most important published papers of James Barr (1924-2006). The papers deal with questions of theology (especially biblical theology), biblical interpretation and ideas about biblical inspiration and authority, and questions to do with biblical Hebrew and Greek, along with several lexicographical studies, essays and obituaries on major figures in the history of biblical interpretation, and a number of important reviews. Many of pieces collected here have hitherto been available only in journals and hard-to-access collections.
This collection will prove indispensable for anyone seeking a rounded picture of Barr's work. It incorporates work from every period of his academic life, and includes a number of discussions of fundamentalism and conservative biblical interpretation. Some pieces also shed light on less well-known aspects of Barr's work, such as his abiding interest in biblical chronology. Barr's characteristic incisive, clear, and forthright style is apparent throughout the collection.
The three volumes are thematically compiled. Each is accompanied by an introduction by John Barton, providing a guide to the contents.
Volume 1 begins with a biographical essay by Ernest Nicholson and John Barton. It contains major articles on theology in relation to the Bible, programmatic studies of the past and future of biblical study, and reflections on specific topics in the study of the Old Testament.
Volume 2 is concerned with detailed biblical interpretation and with the history of the discipline. It also contains material on biblical fundamentalism.
Volume 3 is a collection of Barr's extensive papers on linguistic matters relating to Biblical Hebrew and Greek, and to biblical translation in the ancient and the modern world.

The Oxford Bible Commentary is a Bible study and reference work for 21st century students and readers that can be read with any modern translation of the Bible. It offers verse-by-verse explanation of every book of the Bible by the world's leading biblical scholars. From its inception, OBC has been designed as a completely non-denominational commentary, carefully written and edited to provide the best scholarship in a readable style for readers from all different faith backgrounds. It uses the traditional historical-critical method to search for the original meaning of the texts, but also brings in new perspectives and insights - literary, sociological, and cultural - to bring out the expanding meanings of these ancient writings and stimulate new discussion and further enquiry.
Newly issued in a series of part volumes, the OBC is now available in an affordable and portable format for the commentaries to the Pauline Epistles. Includes a general introduction to using the Commentary, in addition to an introduction to study of the New Testament, and to the Pauline Corpus in particular.

Apocalyptic themes have formed a significant part of the Jewish and Christian religions. This is becoming more widely recognized, but it is the pervasiveness of such themes in art, literature and history which contributes most to this collection of essays, moving from the study of biblical apocalyptic to its role in wider culture. The interest in apocalypticism which was prompted by the turn of the millennium should not be a temporary phase in intellectual life since, as these essays indicate, the wide influence of apocalypticism deserves a central place in theological and historical study.>