This book introduces students with a little background in biblical studies to the scholarly study of the Pentateuch (Genesis to Deuteronomy). Existing introductions to the Pentateuch are either mainly concerned with historical criticism or taken up with a survey of the contents of the five books, or both. This book is distinctive in that every chapter is concerned with the whole Pentateuch, and in that it approaches the subject from three completely different points of view, following the way in which biblical scholarship has developed over the past 30 years. The first part attempts to understand the text as it stands, as narrative, law and covenant. The second surveys the work that has been done on the history and development of the text, and its historicity. The third is concerned with its reception and interpretation. There are many detailed examples throughout, and aids to study include tables and boxes in the text, questions to enable students to come to grips with the issues either in private study or in class, and detailed guides to further reading.
Can the Old Testament help us in keeping the excesses of capitalism in check? How can a book that goes on about “justice and righteousness,” but says “there will always be poor people in the land” and accepts slavery have anything to say to us about social justice? Did kings of Israel draft their subjects—and which subjects—for forced labor? What does it mean when the Psalms say God is coming to judge the world? Is charity justice?—or is justice more than charity? Does Genesis give us the right to use the earth and its creatures as we like? These are some of the questions that Walter Houston asks, and tries to answer, in this book of essays from his work over the last twenty-five years.
The distinction between clean and unclean animals, probably originating in tensions between shepherds and farmers, is in the biblical laws of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 transformed into an important theological principle. In this wide-ranging and elegantly written study, Houston argues that the avoidance of 'unclean' foods is a mark of the exclusive devotion of Israel to one god. In a concluding chapter, it is suggested that the abolition of the distinction in early Christianity corresponds to the universal horizon of the new faith.
A fully revised and updated analysis of the texts on social justice in the Old Testament; highlighting their importance in shaping a Christian theological approach to injustice.
What does the Bible have to say about justice, and what relevance has this for people, particularly Christians, today? 'Justice: The Biblical Challenge' offers readers a balanced assessment of the biblical treatment of justice and what we might learn from this. The book opens with a brief overview of the differing social contexts which shaped how people thought about justice in biblical times. The examples of justice are grouped under three key narratives: the story of creation (justice as cosmic order), the story of the Exodus (justice as faithfulness), and the story of Israel (justice as a community of equals). The story of Jesus in Mark is then examined as exemplifying all three narratives. The book then applies these biblical stories to the world we live in now, applying an innovative 'justice audit' which uses the three biblical narratives of justice as yardsticks. The book concludes with an exploration of how readers might apply the ideas raised in the book to working for justice.
This study guide to Amos is divided into three parts. The first sets out to describe the genre, style, shape and aim of the text, along with its leading ideas, with the help of recent scholarship on the Hebrew Bible in general and the prophets in particular. Special note is taken of the many images of violence in Amos, along with its denunciations of injustice, and its overwhelming emphasis on the ineluctable destruction awaiting Israel. The second part sets the book in its historical and social context, with particular focus on the social context of the injustices denounced by Amos. Houston also provides an overview of the various proposals made in the last 50 years for how the book has assumed its present shape. The final part outlines the ways in which the book has been read over the centuries, with an emphasis on the modern period, in which it has become a rallying call for those concerned with injustice in their own world.
During the brief history of the Republic of Texas (1836-1845), over 10,000 Germans emigrated to Texas. Perhaps best remembered today are the farmers who settled the Texas Hill Country, yet many of the German immigrants were merchants and businesspeople who helped make Galveston a thriving international port and Houston an early Texas business center. This book tells their story. Drawing on extensive research on both sides of the Atlantic, Walter Struve explores the conditions that led nineteenth-century Europeans to establish themselves on the North American frontier. In particular, he traces the similarity in social, economic, and cultural conditions in Germany and the Republic of Texas and shows how these similarities encouraged German emigration and allowed some immigrants to prosper in their new home. Particularly interesting is the translation of a collection of letters from Charles Giesecke to his brother in Germany which provide insight into the business and familial concerns of a German merchant and farmer. This wealth of information illuminates previously neglected aspects of intercontinental migration in the nineteenth century. The book will be important reading for a wide public and scholarly audience.
Book Summary All of us are being influenced by the relationships we have established with other people: our neighbors. What kind of relationships do you have with your neighbors and why should you care? If you are like most persons, there will be times when you will find it difficult getting along with the other people you will encounter throughout the course of your life. The types of relationships we establish are important because of the influence they will have in determining the quality of our life. You must learn how to have good relationships with other people if you want to experience the very best that life has to offer. Dr. Wade has written a book that will show you how, with Gods help, you can improve the quality of your relationships with other people. This may seem difficult to do at first, but it is well worth the effort. Make improving your relationships with other people a priority and you will forever change your life for the better. About the Author Dr. Walter H. Wade is a native of Chicago and an Associate Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He is a graduate of Carthage College and received his medical training at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, the Medical College of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. He has specialty expertise in rehabilitation medicine and a special interest in medical ethics. He is currently living in the Houston area with his wife and son.
The book of Amos is one of the first books of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible many students have to read, and this short guide to the book therefore has students chiefly in mind. But since the scholarly study of the book has taken off in new directions in recent years, this Guide packs enough into its relatively small compass for more advanced readers to learn from it as well. Following recent trends in the study of the Hebrew Bible in general, it gives as much attention to the text as it now stands as to its formation and history, and also gives an account of its reception history. Each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading. Amos: Justice and Violence is divided into three Parts. The first sets out to describe the genre, style, shape and aim of the text, along with its leading ideas, with the help of recent scholarship on the Hebrew Bible in general and the prophets in particular. Special note is taken of the many images of violence in Amos, along with its denunciations of injustice, and its overwhelming emphasis on the ineluctable destruction awaiting Israel. The second Part sets the book in its historical and social context. Walter Houston's particular interest in the social matrix of the Bible is evident here as he sketches the social context of the injustices denounced by Amos. He goes on to review the various proposals made in the last 50 years for how the book has assumed its present shape. The final Part studies the ways in which the book has been read over the centuries, with an emphasis on the modern period, in which it has become a rallying call for those concerned with injustice in their own world.
From 1946 to 1994, Sky & Telescope magazine featured a column called Deep-Sky Wonders, in which amateur astronomer Walter Scott "Scotty" Houston captured the wonder and delight of exploring the farthest reaches of the deep sky. In this book, Sky & Telescope contributing editor Stephen James O'Meara presents a month-by-month selection of Scotty's columns along with insightful observations and warm recollections of his time with Scotty. More than a field guide, Deep Sky Wonders is the work of a man who was a major influence on the development of amateur astronomy for nearly half a century.
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