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Written for students with no prior knowledge of the Bible and no knowledge of Hebrew, this text provides the ideal introduction both to the contents of Scripture and to its magnificent religious and literary stature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Comprehensive Study of the Old Testament (Christianity) or the TANAK (Judaism)
This reviewer's son gave the undersigned a copy of this book about 15 years ago for which the undersigned is grateful. Samual Sandmel's book titled THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES is an excellent comprehensive precise of the Old Testament/TANAK. The book is divided by the Pre-Exilic and Post Exilic Prophets, The Torah or Pentateuch, and Deuteronomic Histories. Sandmel showed careful attention to detail and had an excellent bibliography and indices at the end of the book. Serious scholars and readers of the Bible (Jewish and Christian) can learn so much from this book.

The beginning sections of the book dealt with the "haziness" of the actual sources and meanings of the Hebrew Scriptures. Sandmel stated that some clarity can be gleaned upon careful study and refusal to understand these difficulties can lead from haziness to blindness. Readers should know that the Hebrew Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic and were much more allegorical than some moderns may think. Even Ancient historical Jewish scholars such as Philo (c 20 BC-C 40 AD) stated very clearly that the Hebrew Scriptures were allegorical which some of the early Church Fathers also stated. Sandmel makes a compelling case that, in spite of what the Book of Joshua states, the Hebrew language may have been borrowed from the Cananites. Sandmel informed the reader that much of the Hebrew Scriptures were set to music and chanted when read.

Many of the Pre-Exilic Prophets connected G-d to the land of Palestine or Israel. This is reflected in much of the Prophetic literature which was both hopeful and sadly pessimistic. These men dealt with the difficult issue of G-d's providence vs. free will which was a problem the Prophets and later theologians never resolved. As Sandmel and other biblical scholars have stated, the Book of Isaiah may have had two or three authors. Isaiah: 1-39 is very pessimistic while the remaining 27 chapters are more optimistic. The Book of Micah is very gloomy and forbodding with reminders of right living (Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with G-d-Micah 6:6-8).

The same tension was mentioned in Sandmel's treatment of the Book of Nahum whom Sandmel thought was one of the Hebrew writers who helped make theHebrew religion's transition from Hebrew Monotheism to Judaism. Sandmel remarked that Nahum mourned the status of Israel while developing some concept of a Messiah. Such a transition is also reflected in Jeremiah who argued that G-d could be worshipped in Babylon as well as in Israel. As Sandmel noted, this is in contradiction with the 137th. Psalm which is a Psalm of lamentation and unadulterated hatred. Some biblical historians argue that the 137th. Psalm was directed at a group of people called the Edomites rather than the Babylonians. The two peoples may have been historically related.

Such latitude is furthered mentioned in the Book of Isaiah who wrote about worship of Jews with Gentiles in Babylon. Isaiah and Jeremiah may have produced what some biblical scholars call Religious Imperialism. This means that G-d was not confined to the land of Israel but was G-d of all men/women and lands. Sandmel briefly dealt with Christian and Jewish interpretations of the Prophets including Isaiah. Some people read the Prophets as almost fortune tellers when they were social critics and reminders of what men should be rather than what they are. They also predicted social and political disasters if they adhered to power and greed which can be destructive forces.

Sandmel's study of Exilic and Post Exilic biblical literature is interesting. He also showed some of the historical errors of the writers of the Book of Danial who credit Cyrus the Great(600-501 BC) with events which historians associate with Darius I (550-486 BC). Sandmel's interpretation of the Book of Esther was interesting. The Book of Esther does not contain
G-d's name. Some religious men have critisized the Book of Esther for bloody revenge. Yet, the Rabbis established the celebration of Purim as a joyous event including drinking, costumes, fun. etc. As Sandmel noted, the Rabbis may have included such a festive celebration to avoid making Judaism as a too austere religion.

Other minor books of the Hebrew Bible include Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Proverbs is a collection of comment dealing with prudence and caution. As Sandmel noted the Book of Ecclesiastes is a grim reminder that men and women get old, decrepit, and die. The message in Ecclesiastes is that men and women should not revel in their youth too much because age can undermine thoughtless youthful enthusiasm. Some of men's youthful enthusiasms and "falling in love" can be described in the Book of Song of Songs.

Sandmel introduced the reader to the Torah or Pentateuch in the latter sections of the book when most biblical histories usually introduce the reader to these books earlier in the text. Sandmel clearly proved that the Torah or First Five Books of the Bible had different sources which are often called E, J, P, and D. Not all biblical readers agree with this view, but this reviewer does in part. This is a matter of honest debate. Some of Sandmel's comments dealt with priestly purity especially in the Book of Leviticus. The Book of Deuteronomy established the concept that the Torah was for all Hebrews and not just specialists or elite classes.

Some of the concluding chapters of the book examined the Books of Samuel, Books of Kings, etc. The original authors of these books noted that good and honest kings lived but a short time. Yet, evil monarchs lived much longer, and the message that old age and survival are not due to inherent goodness. As was suggested, those who live longest often suffer the most.

Sandmel's sections on Book of Psalms was thoughtful. He described the Psalms as poetry of lamentation, praise, and thanksgiving. Other bibilical scholars describe the Psalms as One Mood Pslams, Dynamic Psalms, Messianic Psalms, and Hymnic Psalms. Sandmel and others confidently state that the Psalms have several sources.

Samuel Sandmel's book THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES is honest and informative for both Christians and Jews. His work was carefully organized and well written. As the undersigned stated above, the book has good indices and an excellent bibiliography. Readers should note that this book is comprehensive but well worth the time to read and carefully study.

James E. Egolf

December 13, 2009 ... Read more

Product Description
Religion has always been an integral part of the literary tradition: many canonical and non-canonical texts engage extensively with religious ideas, and the development of English Literature as a professional discipline began with an explicit consideration of the relationship between religion and literature. Literature also plays an important role in religious writing, as twentieth-century work on narrative theology has acknowledged. Both the recent theological turn of literary theory and the renewed political significance of religious debate in contemporary western culture have generated further interest in this interdisciplinary area. An Introduction to Religion and Literature offers a lucid, accessible and thoughtful introduction to the study of religion and literature. While the focus is on Christian theology and post-1800 British literature, substantial reference is made to earlier writers, texts from North America and mainland Europe, and other faith positions. Each chapter takes up a major theological idea and explores it through close readings of well-known and influential literary texts. ... Read more

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From the author of The Alchemist, a unique and edifying literary journey inspired by the four elements.

One of the world's best-loved storytellers, Paulo Coelho has brought joy and wisdom to millions. In Inspirations, his arrangement of his personal favorite literary classics is as selective as a bouquet of flowers, a gift to his readers. This compendium of works will becomes a perennial gift and perfect companion to Coelho's own bestselling classic, The Alchemist.

Coelho's inspiration draws from each work' affinity to the four elements.
Earth includes Oscar Wilde and D.H. Lawrence
Air includes Nelson Mandela and Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Fire includes Rumi and Mary Shelley
Water includes Hans Christian Andersen and Niccolo Machiavelli ... Read more

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Racial Blasphemies, using critical race theory and literary analysis, charts the tense, frustrated religious language that saturates much twentieth-century American literature. Michael Cobb argues that we should consider religious language as a special kind of language - a language of curse words - that furiously communicates not theology or spirituality as much as it signals the sheer difficulty of representing race in a non-racist manner on the literary page. ... Read more

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This book provides readers with the tools and resources for exploring the many dimensions of religion as a central reality of human life. It provides a functional definition of religion that suggests that religion is important to everyone because each person's life is shaped by, and all persons are concerned about, occasions in their lives that threaten or promote fulfillment of the individual's basic values and commitments. Chapter coverage includes the six major world religions as they relate to: traditions, artistic expression, ways of conceiving the divine, the problem of evil, understanding the self, sin and guilt, death and the self, salvation and redemption, interpersonal relations, corporate expressions of ethical concerns, social stability and social change, human response to the natural process, and order and origins. For anyone interested in the formal study of religion.

Customer Reviews (2)

Analysis of Philosophical and Religious Issues
I use this text in my intro level religion classes. It's not a world religions text however. The book is organized thematically, which can be confusing for non-linear thinkers. For example, if the topic is "religious experience" the text will compare various texts (primary and secondary) from different traditions. Consequently, one can see the similarities and difference between various religious traditions. It's a rather postmodern religious studies text.

At the same time, that may be its weakness. I usually recommend that students have already taken world religions prior to the class where we read this book.It can be a great springboard for discussion and other projects.However for students who don't know much about religion and philosophy (or history, etc) the text may prove a bit superficial. On the other hand, because of how it's organized there is usually something that everyone can relate to.

fair
While the book does present an accurate and unbiased view of worldreligions, the text itself is less than gripping (the writing is dry), andthe book's organization is a little confusing.This may not be the besttext to use if you are interested in getting a clear, overall picutre of aparticular religion.It includes studies of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism,Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... Read more

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This guide is a basic reference tool for anyone interested in writing for religious markets. It contains accessible, "how-to" articles, listings of regional and denominational publications and Jewish/Judaica publishers, expanded lists of scholarly and professional journals, plus addresses, phone/FAX numbers, contact names, and more. ... Read more

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Focusing on the period between the Wycliffite critique of images and Reformation iconoclasm, Shannon Gayk investigates the sometimes complementary and sometimes fraught relationship between vernacular devotional writing and the religious image. She examines how a set of fifteenth-century writers, including Lollard authors, John Lydgate, Thomas Hoccleve, John Capgrave, and Reginald Pecock, translated complex clerical debates about the pedagogical and spiritual efficacy of images and texts into vernacular settings and literary forms. These authors found vernacular discourse to be a powerful medium for explaining and reforming contemporary understandings of visual experience. In its survey of the function of literary images and imagination, the epistemology of vision, the semiotics of idols, and the authority of written texts, this study reveals a fifteenth century that was as much an age of religious and literary exploration, experimentation, and reform as it was an age of regulation. ... Read more

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It is a remarkable fact that the writings of Philo, the Jew from Alexandria, were preserved because they were taken up in the Christian tradition. But the story of how this process of reception and appropriation took place has never been systematically research.In this book the author first examines how Philo's works are related to the New Testament and the earliest Chritian writing, and then how they were used by Greek and Latin church fathers up to 400 c.e., with special attention to the contributions of Clement, Origen, Didymus, Eusebius, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose, and Augstine.Philo in Early Christian Literature is a valuable guide to the state of scholarly research on a subject that has thus far been investigated in a rather piecemeal fashion. ... Read more

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This translation of, and introduction to, the "Alsfeld Passion Play" is intended to fill a gap in German literary and linguistic scholarship by: making the play available to an English-speaking audience; examining its origins, development, staging, and contributions to the genre; and providing a companion text for students of late Middle High German. The play represents the culmination and perhaps the most complex stage of development of the German Passion Play tradition. The Alsfeld Play was a three-day play, with performances in 1501, 1511 and 1517. With roles for 188 players, it was presented on the open market square and was conspicous for its extensive devils' scenes. The original manuscript, preserved at the Landesbibliothek in Kassel, contains 8095 lines of a dialogue along with incipits, stage directions and a variety of liturgical songs. Text and translations appear on facing pages throughout this volume. ... Read more

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Bajo el Cielo Peruano: The Devout World of Peralta Barnuevo examines two of Peralta Barnuevo's overtly religious texts as contexts for the rich erudition demonstrated in other literary and historical genres authored by the early eighteenth-century Peruvian writer. This critical edition makesLa Galeria de la Omnipotencia and Pasion y Triunfo de Christo available in print for the first time in over 260 years. The two major works span the years 1729 to 1738.

La Galeria celebrates the canonization of Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo in a literary tribute, and exemplifies how Peralta textualized the contradictions of viceregal loyalty and a commitment to a distinct American identity. Through an analysis of the trans-Atlantic history of the poetic joust in Hispanic letters, David Slade demonstrates how La Galeria exceeds the restrictions of its formulaic genre by offering a perspective on colonial Peru alternative to that of the official metropolitan discourse. Pasion y Triunfo, written in response to Peralta's crisis of faith, enters theological debates and displays the author's mature erudition, elevated rhetoric, and talent for invoking religion and history to serve literary production. Rebuked by the Inquisition, Peralta mounted a convincing defense to save both himself and the text from censorship.

With the aim of centering Peralta within the canon of Latin American letters, Slade and co-editor Jerry Williams provide examples of problems and critical questions to be addressed when reading or teaching the two texts. They offer La Galeria and Pasion y Triunfo as a challenge to readers to reevaluate Peralta's legacy with respect to how he engaged Enlightenment influences, to teach his writings, and to treat them as an exegesis of religious writings in colonial Peru. ... Read more