(See larger photo)

Product Description

This title is also available to U.S. retail stores through our $uper$aver program.

Handbook of Biblical Social Values explains the values that guided behavior in biblical times. Over 100 entries cover such topics as freedom, family-centeredness, obedience, parenting, and power. These entries, written by an array of experts in the social-scientific study of the Bible, focus on culture and personal relationships in the ancient Mediterranean world. This useful and accessible guide will illumine your understanding of the world and words of the Bible. It corrects common misinterpretations of social relationships in the Bible. How did the people of biblical times view their social obligations and standards? How are these ancient social values different from those of our modern Western culture? These questions and others are addressed in this thought-provoking book. Handbook of Biblical Social Values is an updated edition of the popular Biblical Social Values and Their Meaning. It features a new preface, additional articles, and updated bibliographical information.

Reviews

“A pastor innocently picking up this book might think it is a typical Bible commentary, for one finds entries such as compassion, faith/faithfulness, grace/favor, and love. However, a closer look reveals entries not in the typical Bible reference work, for example, activeness/passiveness, curiosity, dyadism, group orientation, ordering, and purposiveness/end orientation. The thirteen contributors are associated with social science criticism in biblical scholarship and interpret key values in the Bible from the perspective of how such values were understood in antiquity. A value is ‘a general, normative orientation of action in a social system’ that is ‘an emotionally anchored commitment to pursue and support certain directions of types of actions.’. . . Preachers and Bible teachers will want to have this resource on the desk. An index lists all scripture passages (and other ancient sources) discussed.”
—Encounter

John J. Pilch, Ph.D., has been teaching Scripture in the Department of Theology at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., since 1993. He is a biblical scholar, international speaker, and author of books, articles, and multimedia resources. He also serves as book review editor for the Biblical Theology Bulletin.

Bruce J. Malina is Professor of Biblical Studies at Creighton University. Internationally known for his work in New Testament social science criticism, he is the author of numerous books, including New Testament World: Insights from Cultural Anthropology and Windows on the World of Jesus: Time Travel to Ancient Judea.

Explore This Book

The above links require the Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have the reader, click on the 'Get Acrobat Reader' button to obtain it.