Published to commemorate the four hundredth anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, Manifold Greatness tells the story of the creation and immediate afterlife of the King James translation of the Bible, first published in 1611. Revolutionary at its time, the King James translation quickly became the dominant authorized translation of the Christian Bible in English. There are more than one billion copies in print, making it the best-selling book of all time, and its effect on the English language is incalculable, both in common speech and in literature. This accessible and richl... View More...
Paul's statement that 'letter kills but the spirit gives life' [2 Corinthians 3.6] has had an extraordinary impact on Christian thought through the ages. It has been read both as affirming the saving power of the new covenant in comparison to the old, and as a key to hidden, spiritual meanings in the text of scripture. It is, however, an ambiguous phrase, followed by a tangled story. This book explores the Pauline distinction both in its original context and in its aftermath in the early church, the Reformation and modern Biblical Studies. It then considers a postmodern reversal, where ideas o... View More...
In recent decades scholarly study of the Bible has taken a literary turn. Now literary theory has taken its place at the hermeneutical table and demands a voice in the conversation. Words and the Word, edited by David Firth and Jamie A. Grant, offers eight informative and stimulating essays that will bring readers abreast of this conversation. This volume's contributors are united in their belief that a proper understanding of key aspects of literary theory can make a significant contribution to biblical interpretation. Their essays survey general issues in the field, take a look at some speci... View More...
The Bible is fundamental to Western culture. Political philosophers from Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau to modern political theorists such as George H. Sabine, Leo Strauss, and Sheldon S. Wolin have drawn upon biblical examples. American political leaders, such as Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, and William Jennings Bryan all drew heavily upon the Bible. Today, most contemporary politicians display less familiarity with Scripture although many proudly proclaim themselves to be born-again Christians.Politics in the Bible has a simple goal: to help readers to think critically about how ... View More...
The Bible is funny Very funny, according to Douglas Adams. In this book, Adams demonstrates how readers can discover this often-neglected humor looking at the Bible as a whole and seeing biblical stories with all their rough edges--the unethical and ambiguous characters, the unsolved problems, and the surprising endings. Adams argues that by missing the humor and irony of the Bible, readers often miss intended meanings as well.
The Bible is funny Very funny, according to Douglas Adams. In this book, Adams demonstrates how readers can discover this often-neglected humor looking at the Bible as a whole and seeing biblical stories with all their rough edges--the unethical and ambiguous characters, the unsolved problems, and the surprising endings. Adams argues that by missing the humor and irony of the Bible, readers often miss intended meanings as well.
Exterior of book very good. Contents show scattered marks to text, and many dog-eared pages. Previous owner's name stamped on front foredge. View More...
Staplebound book. A few marginal marks in the text, little other wear. Reprinted from 'The Jews: Their History, Culture and Religion,' ed. by Louis Finkelstein. View More...
From the recipient of the National Jewish Book Award for Lifetime Achievement, a hugely entertaining and irreverent (Adam Gopnik, New Yorker) account of the art of translating the Hebrew Bible into English In this brief book, award-winning biblical translator and acclaimed literary critic Robert Alter offers a personal and passionate account of what he learned about the art of Bible translation over the two decades he spent completing his own English version of the Hebrew Bible. Alter's literary training gave him the advantage of seeing that a translation of the Bible can convey the text's mea... View More...