Journal Of Biblical Literature 136 3 2017

Trans Talmud places eunuchs and androgynes at the center of rabbinic literature and asks what we can learn from them about Judaism and the project of transgender history. Rather than treating these figures as anomalies to be justified or explained away, Max K. Strassfeld argues that they profoundly shaped ideas about law, as the rabbis constructed intricate taxonomies of gender across dozens of texts to understand an array of cultural tensions. Showing how rabbis employed eunuchs and androgynes to define proper forms of masculinity, Strassfeld emphasizes the unique potential of these figures to not only establish the boundary of law but exceed and transform it. Trans Talmud challenges how we understand gender in Judaism and demonstrates that acknowledging nonbinary gender prompts a reassessment of Jewish literature and law.

The Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics brings together two different but related disciplines; the first is contemplative or theoretical, asking what are the beliefs or doctrines that characterize Christianity, whilst the second is practical, asking what are the ethical practices that attend its teachings. The movement between the theoretical and practical aspects is not, however, one way, as doctrine and life are mutually informing. In this comprehensive volume, leading scholars address key topics, problems and debates in this hotly debated topic within a truly global context. Comprising over 35 chapters by a team of international contributors, the handbook is divided into three parts based on the three persons of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Within these sections, cutting-edge issues are examined, including: God and genetics War, peace, and violence White supremacy Creation and sexuality Digital ethics Transgender studies Climate change Immigration and refugees Adopting a practical approach that must consider new concerns that have arisen with recent social, political, and cultural shifts, The Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics is essential reading for students and researchers in Christian ethics, religious ethics and Christianity studies. The handbook will also be very useful for those in related fields such as ethics and philosophy.

When it comes to sex, the Bible is marred by inequality. To address the consequences of that, What the Bible Says About Sex asserts that modern perspectives on sexuality and gender should be separated from the more constraining, historical views of traditional biblical interpretation. What does the Bible say about sexuality? How have traditions of biblical interpretation influenced our understanding of sex and gender? What the Bible Says About Sex answers that and many other questions. Not shy, it analyzes why the Church claimed dominion over marriage, while the female body remained a source of potential evil. It wrestles with how sexuality is used, not only in the past but also in the present, to reinforce notions of honor, and how it can be used to manipulate others. Deftly, it handles a discussion of semen as both profane and the "seed of life." It looks brazenly at the pornographic and the erotic passages of the Bible, and how traditions of interpretation veiled them. With the Bible frequently invoked to support arguments in the present age over the moral limits of sexuality and gender, having a greater awareness of what the Bible says about sex and how it is, and has been, interpreted is critical now more than ever. What the Bible Says About Sex is suitable for students, scholars, and the general reader with an interest in sexuality and the Bible, and sex and desire in both ancient and modern Christianity.

In the post-Christian world, we find sincere efforts in traditional Christian apologetics repeatedly running into invisible walls. These blocks happen when cultural issues are neglected. With mere rational arguments presented as a defense of Christianity, logical answers alone are not attracting the nonbelievers nor resolving their skepticism. People today have different obstacles in coming to the Christian faith, particularly their own cultural presuppositions. How do we present, defend, and commend Christianity to people whose culture gives them a frame of mind—the one that cares very little about how rational the arguments are? Cultural Contextualization of Apologetics explores the world of the New Testament and the ministry of the apostle Paul to excavate a fresh model for apologetics with cultural engagement to present an answer. Matt W. Lee analyzes the dynamics involved in Paul’s cultural connection with his audience and how it relates to their receptivity, uncovering a scheme of apologetics engagement patterned in his apologetics speeches. From the background of Paul’s world to the forefront of contemporary apologetics preaching, Cultural Contextualization of Apologetics offers a vision of apologetics communication that is both biblical and practical.

書介 用新的眼光讀聖經。全書英文寫作。 目錄 Introduction / Huang Po Ho Part I Theological Discourse on Biblical Hermeneutics and the Role of Contextuality Walking Makes the Way: Possible Paths and Changes / Paulo Ueti Roots of Crashing Encounters The path Is Made by Walking Desiring the Path and Accepting Its Consequences Matching the Other’s Pace – Beginning with Reality Creating Space for Prayer: Disseminating the Potential of the Text (Body, Writing and Speech) Suspecting Silence, Hearing Silence: What Isn’t Said, What Isn’t Seen Listening: Letting the Other Speak, Learning from the Other Which Texts, Which Theology? Choices and Attitudes Hospitality — Caring as a Hermeneutic Key to Recognizing the Word (Jesus) Religion: Reconnecting with the Community, Continuing the Mission, Transforming Life The Text Approaches You and You Approach the Text Facilitation – Being Midwives, Not Professors Resuming, Continuing “You Shall Have No Other Gods”: A Critique of the Neoliberal Economic System / M. P. Joseph Absolutism of Neoliberal Capitalism Religion of Growth Earth: Victim of Economic Growth De-growth to Sustain Life Anthropocentrism Is Not the Problem The Widening Gap between the Rich and the Poor Militarization – Fascism Text to Become Gospel Jesus: Victim of Absolutes Christianity and Religious Pluralism / Rienzie Perera Chrisitanity and Asian Religions Reading the Bible in the Asian Context of Plural Religions Re-reading the Bible to Renew Our Inter-religious Relationships Revisiting the Christian Mission by Reading the Bible with New Eyes Part II Reflections from the Contexts of Taiwan Methodological Approaches to Reading the Bible in the Contexts of Taiwan / Huang Po Ho Introduction The Word of God and Kerygma Historical Development of Biblical Hermeneutics Reading the Bible from Contexts Asian Attempts on Reading the Bible in Contexts Reading the Bible with New Eyes in Churches in Taiwan An Evaluation of the Reading the Bible with New Eyes Movement in Taiwan Mata and Roziq (eyes) / Omi Wilang Introduction Body of the Text Conclusion The Taiwan Ecumenical Forum for Justice and Peace (TEF) /Victor Hsu Implications and Challenges for the Ecumenical Movement Part III Biblical Illustrations A Re-reading of the Palm Sunday Narratives Scripture Reading: St. Mark 11:1-11 / Jason Selvaraj Introduction Re-reading the Narratives of Palm Sunday Conclusion The Magnificat: Recovering the Prophetic Voices in the Church Today Luke 1:46-55 / Gloria Mapangdol Was the Magnificat Originally Mary’s? How was the Magnificat described/understood? What does the Magnificat say and what does it do with rethinking the Mission? Conclusion: The Magnificat Rhoda (Acts 12:12-17) “Un-covering” and “Re-covering” Rhoda: A Feminist Perspective/ Yak-hwee Tan Introduction The Acts of the Apostles – From the Beginning… Methodological Considerations A Socio-literary Analysis of Acts 12:12-17 A Feminist Perspective of Acts 12:12-17 “Un-covering” and “Re-covering” Rhoda Conclusion Appendix Appendix 1. Conference Agenda Appendix 2. Introduction of the Contributors What Is New about Reading the Bible with New Eyes? Introduction Reading the Bible is essential to the lives of Christians and the shaping of their identity. Regardless of the many differences among Christian denominations and theological trends, the Bible is commonly considered by Christians as the Word of God and is the most important way to acquaint the will of God. This is even more true to Christians with a Confucian background taught to respect the classics and teachings. Nevertheless, reading the Bible has never been neutral. It involves hermeneutic controversies of different theological trends and is subjected to the ideological positions and interests of its interpreters and readers. Traditional anthropocentric, androcentric and white-oriented interpretations of the Bible have not only misled the perception of biblical truth, but also created many oppressive frames, such as discrimination and persecution, which cause suffering. How to read the Bible and read it properly is thus crucial and imperative. Reading the Bible with New Eyes is an ecumenical theological endeavor and an attempt to help churches and individual Christians in their struggle for making the Bible a liberating message of the Christian God, who was revealed through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The concept of “New Eyes” thus is a critical view through which to examine the existing interpretations of the Bible, addressing, in particular, those who interpret the Bible, whether intentionally or non-intentionally, with dominant and privileged perspectives or for the purpose of maintaining the status quo. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deut. 10:17-19) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:4-6) The newness of the new eyes therefore is essentially seeking to be authentic and original. God’s Words need to be interpreted in God’s nature and intention. Theological confession to perceive the nature and intention of God thus is prior to the literary meaning of the biblical texts. The current publication of What Is New about Reading the Bible with New Eyes? is an outcome of an international theological consultation jointly held in December 2019 by the following organizations: The Evangelism Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Tainan Theological College and Seminary, Tainan Theological College Foundation, Taiwan Church Press, Grace Foundation, the Asian Theological Academy, and the Academy for Contextual Theologies in Taiwan. This consultation was, on the one hand, to respond to the ecumenical theological efforts to transform theological reflections from traditional Western domination, and, on the other hand, to enhance a two-decade-long mission program of Reading the Bible with New Eyes of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan by a theological revisit to the characteristic of newness in Taiwan’s contexts. The content of this book is divided into three parts with an appendix; the first part focuses on theological discourse on biblical hermeneutics and the role of contextuality; the second part is reflections from the contexts of Taiwan; the third part provides biblical illustrations; finally, for the sake of memory, we put a brief introduction of the contributors and program schedule of the consultation in the appendix. For this book to be published, I have to acknowledge and give my thanks to all the contributors and the joint hosts of the consultation for their cooperation and solidarity, and the editorial board members, particularly Jomei Tsai, who has devoted much energy and time to proofread the whole book. The publishing sector of Taiwan Church Press who helped with cover design and all the publishing work is also greatly appreciated. By Rev. Dr. Huang Po Ho Director Academy for Contextual Theologies in Taiwan May 20, 2020

How did the author of the Gospel of Luke intend it to be read? In The Spiral Gospel, Rob James shows that the assumptions many modern readers bring to the text – that it claims to be historically factual, or merely regurgitates existing stories – are not those of antiquity. Building on the central insight that it was written for a community who would have used it as their pre-eminent text, James argues convincingly for a continuous, cyclical reading of Luke’s narrative. The evidence for this view, and also its consequences, can be seen in the gospel’s intratextuality. Context is given at the end of the gospel that informs the beginning, and there are countless other intratextual elements throughout the text that are most readily noticeable on a second or subsequent reading. This deliberate, creative interweaving on the author’s part opens up new levels of appreciation and faith for those who read in the way Luke’s first audience received his work.

Connects monumentality and material culture to questions of textual authority and literary history. It includes a comprehensive comparative study of the Decalogue (including new translation and analysis) and Levantine monuments that will be of interest to scholars of Hebrew Bible, Jewish studies, religious studies, archaeology, and art history.

For many people, skeptics and believers alike, the Old Testament is rife with controversial passages and events that make both belief and sharing our beliefs with others difficult. Often our solutions have tended toward the extremes--ignore problem passages and pretend they don't matter or obsess over them and treat them as though they are the only thing that matters. Now with clarity of purpose and fidelity to the message and spirit of Scripture as a whole, Tremper Longman confronts pressing questions of concern to modern audiences, particularly young people in the church: - the creation/evolution debate - God-ordained violence - the historicity of people, places, and events - human sexuality Pastors, leaders in the church, and thoughtful and troubled Christians in the pews will find here a well-reasoned and faithful approach to dealing with the Old Testament passages so many find challenging or disconcerting.