Concise, convenient and comprehensive: this handy dictionary will inform and enlighten all who want to understand how the Bible came together, the history of the various texts behind it, the versions in which it has appeared, the process of editing and compilation, and the different methods of interpretation that have developed over the centuries. Much of this material can be found in larger reference works and commentaries, but most students and lay people find that most of these books are written by scholars for scholars, which means the reader can feel bogged down in too much technical detail. Informed by the latest advances in biblical scholarship, this handy dictionary provides the reader with concise, manageable information on all the key issues and topics. It will be especially helpful to students of religion and related subjects, as well as to religious educators in schools, colleges and churches of all denominations.

A Concise Dictionary of Bible Origins and Interpretation By Alec Gilmore

Formerly known by its subtitle “Internationale Zeitschriftenschau für Bibelwissenschaft und Grenzgebiete”, the International Review of Biblical Studies has served the scholarly community ever since its inception in the early 1950’s. Each annual volume includes approximately 2,000 abstracts and summaries of articles and books that deal with the Bible and related literature, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha, Non-canonical gospels, and ancient Near Eastern writings. The abstracts – which may be in English, German, or French - are arranged thematically under headings such as e.g. “Genesis”, “Matthew”, “Greek language”, “text and textual criticism”, “exegetical methods and approaches”, “biblical theology”, “social and religious institutions”, “biblical personalities”, “history of Israel and early Judaism”, and so on. The articles and books that are abstracted and reviewed are collected annually by an international team of collaborators from over 300 of the most important periodicals and book series in the fields covered.

A noted researcher/archaeologist tackles crucial, faith-challenging questions about the Bibles claims to be divine communication. All evidence available today, concludes the author, upholds even more strongly the age-old views of orthodox Christianity.

A House Divided helps answer the question, how do Christians form moral judgments about sex-linked issues? After analyzing key differences between conservative and progressive Christians on such divisive issues as abortion, sex education, and same-sex marriage, readers will learn how a combination of four factors can lead to principled Christian morality. First, a review of diverse interpretive comments on relevant Scriptures can help identify a foundation for agreement as well as sharpen differences. Second, a review of psychological factors can help identify prejudices, personality traits, and powerful emotions that intensify and color public debate. Third, new research on moral psychology will add six dimensions of analysis to appreciating the reasons conservatives and progressives draw upon when forming moral judgments. And finally, knowledge about sexual attraction, sexual orientation, conception, and sexual health is vital to thinking ethically about the specific issues addressed in this book.

How do we begin to carry out such a vast task-the examination of three millennia of diverse uses and influences of the biblical texts? Where can the interested scholar find information on methods and techniques applicable to the many and varied ways in which these have happened? Through a series of examples of reception history practitioners at work and of their reflections this volume sets the agenda for biblical reception, as it begins to chart the near-infinite series of complex interpretive 'events' that have been generated by the journey of the biblical texts down through the centuries. The chapters consider aspects as diverse as political and economic factors, cultural location, the discipline of Biblical Studies, and the impact of scholarly preconceptions, upon reception history. Topics covered include biblical figures and concepts, contemporary music, paintings, children's Bibles, and interpreters as diverse as Calvin, Lenin, and Nick Cave.

For the pastor or serious layperson, the realm of biblical interpretation can be a confusing maze of personalities, communities, methods, and theories. This maze can often result in obscuring the main goal of interpreting Scripture: hearing and knowing God better. The Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible is a groundbreaking reference tool that introduces readers to key names, theories, and concepts in the field of biblical interpretation. It discusses these approaches and evaluates their helpfulness in enabling Christians to hear what God is saying to the church through Scripture. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds, and the dictionary covers a broad range of topics with both clarity and depth.

Ezekiel has long been considered the most difficult of all the prophetic books to understand. The prophet's bizarre visions, extraordinary behaviour, and extravagant imagery have perplexed and fascinated readers for more than 2,500 years. The prophet has had an impact not only on theology and the life of Church and Synagogue, but also on culture, art and architecture. The volume brings together 15 new essays on Ezekiel's impact by leading scholars, and they focus on a range of different parts of the book and periods of reception. Historically they cover the reception of Ezekiel from the New Testament to the present day, and include both Jewish and Christian readings of the book. Methodologically, they offer a wide sample of the different approaches to reception/history of interpretation current in contemporary biblical studies.