Biblical Interpretation

Karel Van Der Toorn (Author)

Israelite Religion: From Tribal Beginnings to Scribal Legacy

9,A panoramic, thousand-year history of Israelite religion, from the Iron Age to the birth of Judaism, by a renowned biblical scholar From its Iron Age beginnings to its aftermath in the Roman period, Israelite religion went through significant changes and transformations. As the Israelites responded to major historical events and political realities, their collective beliefs and practices evolved over time and developed new forms, even as earlier elements of religious culture remained an active substratum. Weaving together biblical literature, archaeology, and comparative sources, award-winning author Karel van der Toorn tells the sweeping story of how Israelite religion evolved from a tribal cult honoring the ancestors and the "god of the fathers" to a scriptural religion practiced by an ethnic minority within the Roman Empire. He demonstrates how religion was integral to nation-building as Israel transitioned from a nomadic chiefdom to a monarchical state; how religious practices changed in response to the loss of political independence; and how in the final centuries before the Common Era, as Hellenistic culture permeated the Eastern Mediterranean, Israelite religion gave ...

Jo Rose (Author)

The Book of Saints: A History of Saints from the Time of Christ to the Present Day

4, "God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but what is still more wonderful: He makes saints out of sinners." --Soren Kierkegaard Who are saints? The Catholic Church recognizes more than 10,000 people who were "saintly," but that does not mean "weak." They had lives of sacrifice, hard work, struggle and suffering. Saints often accomplished great things. They took on corrupt governments, battled enriched orthodoxies (occasionally within the Church itself), and fought superstitious ignorance. They healed the sick, baptized the enslaved, and often traveled thousands of miles under the worst conditions imaginable. And they often endured persecution for their positions and beliefs. This book profiles more than 150 saints, chosen for how worthwhile their lives were and how interesting their stories and achievements continue to be. Each is accompanied by a timeline of birth and death, when they were canonized, what their feast day is, who they patronize and other names they may be known as. Also accompanying each profile is a full-color classic artwork -- paintings, mosaics and murals by masters. Often churches and convents associated with the saint are ...

James Clarke &. Co (Author)

The Misunderstanding of the Church