Old Testament: Text and Context - Hardcover

Matthews, Victor Harold; Moyer, James C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1565631684 ISBN 13: 9781565631687

Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers Inc, 1997

Synopsis

"The Old Testament: Text and Context" examines the literature, history, and social context of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and their relevance for making sense of this ancient collection. Particular attention is paid to the original Mediterranean context and to how that differs from our modern Western culture; the significance of critical scholarly methods as well as the value of archaeology are likewise explored.By focusing on four fundamental themes in the biblical narratives" covenant, universalism, wisdom, and remnant" the authors help readers to appreciate the unity and diversity within the Hebrew Bible."It has been said that the way to find a good textbook for an introductory course is to write it yourself. Victor Matthews and James Moyer have done that for those of us who are interested in a social science approach to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. They have employed both historical and literary critical approaches with competence and insight. The result is a comprehensive introduction to a very complex collection of writings. Beginning students will find the text both readable and informative. The maps, charts, and glossary add to the usefulness of this fine book."" Dianne Bergant, CSA, Catholic Theological Union"Matthews and Moyer, veteran teachers themselves, have designed this book with the realities of the classroom in mind. They presuppose students with traditional religious backgrounds and use the biblical canon itself as their basic outline. Along the way, carefully and cautiously, they introduce the fundamentals of modern critical scholarship. This format and approach allows the teacher and students considerable flexibility in pursuing criticalissues." Max Miller, Emory University

About this title

From the Back Cover

This substantially updated edition provides students with an accessible introduction to the literature, history, and social context of the Old Testament.

Praise for previous editions

"The book is well organized and well written. It is easily accessible to the college-level student and written with such students in mind. . . . The authors make generous use of maps, charts, photographs, and sidebars to illuminate the information in the main discussions, and each section and chapter ends with study questions. . . . The great strength of this book is, as suggested by the title, the blending of matters related to the text and the context of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. It not only summarizes what is in the OT/HB but also provides insight into the world of the biblical characters and biblical writers by integrating relevant archaeological data, social-historical issues, and insights from critical scholarship. . . . This textbook does a fine job of preparing the student to read the OT/HB intelligently."
--Phillip Camp, Review of Biblical Literature

"Artistic in its design and solid in its content and presentation, this work provides students with the necessary background to understand the Bible and its diverse cultures and rich heritage. With its engaging style and sharp attention to biblical methodology, archaeology, history, and literary genre, as well as its clear explanations of important biblical terms and thoughtful study questions, this text is a gem for both students and teachers alike. . . . It is a superb work, and I am grateful to Victor Matthews and James Moyer for providing teachers of the Bible with a text that answers the needs of today's students."
--Carol J. Dempsey, University of Portland

"This is a fine undergraduate textbook that examines not only the literary and historical aspects of the biblical texts but also the social context of the people."
--The Bible Today

About the Author

Victor H. Matthews is dean of the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and professor of religious studies at Missouri State University. He received his PhD from Brandeis University and has written numerous popular as well as scholarly articles. He is the author of Manners and Customs in the Bible and coauthor of Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East and The Social World of Ancient Israel.James C. Moyer is professor of religious studies at Missouri State University. He received his PhD from Brandeis University and has written numerous popular as well as scholarly articles.

Edition details

• Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers Inc
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1565631684
• ISBN 13: 9781565631687
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 308