The Bible in History: How the Texts Have Shaped the Times

The Bible in History explores the relationship between Scripture and the social and cultural contexts that shape its interpretation, tracing how specific biblical texts have inspired movements that have changed the course of history. This revised and expanded second edition adds two new chapters that examine the text in Matthew 28:18-20 and assesses biblical texts that address male homosexuality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 488 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Over 15 years after its original publication, The Bible in History remains an essential examination of the symbiotic relationship between Scripture and the social and cultural contexts shaping its interpretation. David W. Kling traces the fascinating story of how specific biblical texts, sometimes a single verse, other times a selection of verses or chapters, even books, have at various times emerged to be the inspiration of movements that have changed the course of history. Episodes range from Anthony's call to the desert and a life of monasticism after hearing Jesus's directive to the rich young man to give up his possessions, to the Anabaptists' non-violent ethic in following Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, to the varied applications of the exodus motif in African American history. This revised and expanded second edition adds two new chapters. The first examines the text in Matthew 28:18-20 and considers the multitudinous interpretations before, during, and after the text emerged as the iconic Great Commission of missionary motivation in the modern period. The second assesses those biblical texts that encompass the divisive and ongoing issue of male homosexuality. Both chapters engage the question of how the texts have shaped the times, but, as Kling argues, the times have also exerted an enormous impact on shaping the interpretation of the texts, and hence, on the continuing disputes over the meaning of those texts.

Over 15 years after its original publication, The Bible in History remains an essential examination of the symbiotic relationship between Scripture and the social and cultural contexts shaping its interpretation. David W. Kling traces the fascinating story of how specific biblical texts, sometimes a single verse, other times a selection of verses or chapters, even books, have at various times emerged to be the inspiration of movements that have changed the course of history. Episodes range from Anthony's call to the desert and a life of monasticism after hearing Jesus's directive to the rich young man to give up his possessions, to the Anabaptists' non-violent ethic in following Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, to the varied applications of the exodus motif in African American history. This revised and expanded second edition adds two new chapters. The first examines the text in Matthew 28:18-20 and considers the multitudinous interpretations before, during, and after the text emerged as the iconic Great Commission of missionary motivation in the modern period. The second assesses those biblical texts that encompass the divisive and ongoing issue of male homosexuality. Both chapters engage the question of how the texts have shaped the times, but, as Kling argues, the times have also exerted an enormous impact on shaping the interpretation of the texts, and hence, on the continuing disputes over the meaning of those texts.

Weight: 630g
Dimension: 235 x 156 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197669075
Edition number: 2 Revised edition