Understanding the Bible as a Scripture in History, Culture, and Religion

The Bible is a popular subject of study and research, but biblical studies give little attention to its religious role as a scripture. Understanding the Bible as a Scripture in History, Culture, and Religion integrates the history of the religious interpretation and ritual uses of biblical books into a survey of their rhetoric, composition, and theology in their ancient contexts. It emphasizes insights from comparative studies of different religious scriptures and combines discussion of the Bibles origins with its cultural history into a coherent understanding of its past and present function as a scripture. James W. Watts, a prominent expert on biblical rhetoric and the ritualization of books, describes how Jews and Christians ritualize the Bible by interpreting it, expressing it in recitations, music, art, and film, and venerating the physical scroll and book. The book is organized around the Torah and the Gospels and treats the history of other biblical books in relation to these two central blocks of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The third section on the cultural history and scriptural function of modern bibles concludes by discussing their influence today and the controversies they have fueled about history, science, race, and gender.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 13 May 2021
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

The Bible, a widely studied and researched subject, receives limited attention in biblical studies regarding its religious significance as a scripture. Understanding the Bible as a Scripture in History, Culture, and Religion delves into the historical context of religious interpretation and ritual uses of biblical books, encompassing their rhetoric, composition, and theology within their ancient settings. By drawing insights from comparative studies of various religious scriptures, this comprehensive approach combines discussions on the Bible's origins with its cultural history to provide a coherent understanding of its past and present function as a scripture.

James W. Watts, a renowned expert in biblical rhetoric and the ritualization of books, explores the ways in which Jews and Christians ritualize the Bible through various means, including interpretation, recitation, music, art, and film. The first two sections of the book focus on the Torah and the Gospels, which have been central to the ritualization of scriptures from ancient to modern times. These sections examine the history of other biblical books in relation to these two foundational blocks of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. In addition to analyzing the semantic contents of all the Bible's books as persuasive rhetoric, Watts also delves into their ritualization in the iconic and expressive dimensions over the centuries since they began to function as scriptures. He explores their origins in ancient Judaism and Christianity and their evolution as religious texts.

The third section on the cultural history and scriptural function of modern bibles concludes by discussing their influence today and the controversies they have sparked regarding history, science, race, and gen. This section highlights the ways in which modern bibles have been adapted and translated to suit different cultural contexts, while also addressing the challenges and debates surrounding their interpretation and application. By examining the Bible as a scripture in its historical, cultural, and religious contexts, Understanding the Bible as a Scripture in History, Culture, and Religion offers a comprehensive and nuanced perspective on this influential text. It sheds light on the ways in which the Bible has been interpreted, ritualized, and debated throughout history, and provides valuable insights into its ongoing significance and relevance in contemporary society.

Weight: 622g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781119730378