AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE - SACRED TEXTS AND IMPERIAL CONTEXTS

This groundbreaking introductory textbook explores the emergence and development of the Bible, placing it in the broader context of world history. It particularly focuses on the role of a number of empires in the formation of the Biblical canon.
Explores the historical role the Bible has played in subsequent empires, and its enduring influence in the contemporary world, resulting in a balanced overview of the historical forces that shaped the canon
Explores topics including: the formation of the Pentateuch, the development of the earliest Old Testament stories, the historical study of the Gospel traditions surrounding Jesus; the influence of Roman rule in the provinces where Paul spent much of his ministry; and the interpretation of the Biblical texts and their use by different faith communities
Incorporates numerous student-friendly features throughout, including study questions, review sections, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations and photos

David M. Carr is Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary in New York. His previous books include Reading the Fractures of Genesis: Historical and Literary Approaches (1996); The Erotic Word: Sexuality, Spirituality and the Bible (2003); and Writing on the Tablet of the Heart: Origins of Scripture and Literature (2005).
Colleen M. Conway is Professor of Religious Studies at Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. Her books include Men and Women in the Fourth Gospel: Gender and Johannine Characterization (1999) and Behold the Man: Jesus and Greco Roman Masculinity (2008).

"Carr and Conway have broken free from the typical Introduction to the Bible by framing their readable prose around the key effect of empire(s) on the development of biblical traditions. While not ignoring fundamental issues such as authorship, genre, and dating, their unique approach tells a compelling story of crucial periods in canonical history. Helpful sidebars provide readers with key texts as well as comments on content and method, and every chapter is richly illustrated with pictures, photographs, and maps. The whole approach is oriented towards a pedagogy in which students are invited into the conversation through overviews, exercises and reflection questions for each chapter. Students will find this book intellectually engaging and a pleasure to read. Instructors will be pleased to have a creative textbook as a partner in their teaching."
—Richard S Ascough, Queen’s University, Canada
“As reliable as Carr and Conway are in their guidance to the Bible and to biblical scholarship, they are also not afraid to push at the cutting edge. Combine that fearlessness with a genuine concern for and knowledge of how students actually learn, and you’ve got a truly outstanding textbook.”
—Tod Linafelt, Georgetown University

List of Figures.
List of Maps.
List of Boxes.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
List of Abbreviations.
Overview of the Historical Period.
Timeline.
Prologue: Orientation to Multiple Bibles and Multiple Translations.
1 Studying the Bible in Its Ancient Context(s).
2 The Emergence of Ancient Israel and Its First Oral Traditions.
3 Echoes of Empire in Monarchal Israel.
4 Narrative and Prophecy amidst the Rise and Fall of the Northern Kingdom.
5 Torah and Other Texts Written in the Wake of the Assyrian Empire.
6 Bible for Exiles: Promise and Story in the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
7 Persian Empire and the Emergence of a Temple-Centered Jewish Community.
8 Hellenistic Empires and the Formation of the Hebrew Bible.
9 Studying the New Testament in Its Ancient Context.
10 Paul and his Letters in the Roman Colonial Context.
11 Mark’s Story of Jesus in the Midst of Roman Retribution.
12 The Gospel of Matthew: Defining Community in the Wake of Destruction.
13 Negotiating the Empire in Luke–Acts.
14 The Gospel of John and the Johannine Epistles: Turning Inward as a Strategy for Life in the Empire.
15 Variations on Responses to Empire in other New Testament Writings.
Epilogue: The Final Formation of the Jewish and Christian Bibles.
Glossary.
Index.