Purification by Fire, Water, and War: Doing the Work of the Lord in the Dead Sea Scrolls - Softcover

Blau, Anne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1439235864 ISBN 13: 9781439235867

Publisher: Booksurge Publishing, 2009

Synopsis

The Dead Sea Scrolls are exceedingly important original texts, yet the general public is still largely unaware that our understanding of what happened 2,000-years ago needs revision. It appears that the sectarians behind the Scrolls initiated an extreme form of fundamentalism and a militant messianic agenda. Two interrelated themes are expressed in this book: the allusions in the Scrolls to mystery rites, replete with virgins and angels; and the expansion of the works of the classical prophets to inspire unusual acts of faith in the era of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The author also elaborates on some exotic borrowings from Babylon and Egypt, which she believes became absorbed into the developing sectarian "way." The reader will see why this schism in ancient Judaism left a lasting, but not altogether positive imprint on religious mysticism today.

About this title

About the Author

Anne Blau has been immersed in research on the Dead Sea Scrolls for four decades. As a sociologist, she has traced links between the various texts to synthesize biblical scholarship with sociological and historical perspectives. Dr. Blau has published with her coauthor Ita Sheres several journal articles and a book, The Truth about the Virgin: Sex and Ritual in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Continuum, 1995). Dr. Blau received her Ph.D. from Boston College.

Edition details

• Publisher: Booksurge Publishing
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1439235864
• ISBN 13: 9781439235867
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 296