This volume is a collection of studies on the history of theology and the world of the New Testament. Particular weight is given to the synoptic Jesus tradition, Paula (TM)s letters and Johna (TM)s Book of Revelation. The contents focus on questions about Israel, traditional-historical preconditions and lines of development in Paula (TM)s theology, in that of his followers and in the Revelation to John.

The topic of covenant is as important to the study of ancient Near Eastern religions, Second Temple Judaism, early Christian literature, and the early Christian Church and Rabbinic Judaism as it is complex and disputed among ancient and modern scholars. It permeates much of biblical and cognate literature throughout many centuries. The essays in this collection explore the diverse spectrum of covenant concepts that emerged during this time period in different parts of the ancient Near East and the Eastern Mediterranean. They also discuss theological implications and later applications in mostly religious texts from different scholarly perspectives. The result is a detailed, comprehensive, and thorough presentation of the tremendous range of covenantal concepts and their complexities in biblical and cognate literature throughout the ages, together with a keen look at the history of pertinent scholarly research.

Few deny that in the Muslim world religion and law are intimately linked. However, local legal realities mean that Islamic law is often pushed out of the picture by customary law, which is usually tribal, and by state law. The three may at times produce similar or identical rulings and it is thus often difficult to identify which is at work under such circumstances. When the different legal systems clash, problems start to emerge. "Shattering Tradition" concentrates on customary law, which is the least investigated of the three and considers the ruptures and potential for conflict in Muslim law as well as the continuities and interactions. This groundbreaking series of empirical case studies investigates the varying ways in which different forms of law interrelate and it analyzes how the tensions between them are resolved in local settings.