The Beloved And I Genesis To Deuteronomy

One Abingdon's most beloved studies of the Bible has been updated!

In the ancient Jewish practice of the kavannah (a meditation designed to focus one’s heart on its spiritual goal), Lawrence Kushner and David Mamet offer their own reactions to key verses from each week’s Torah portion, opening the biblical text to new layers of understanding. Here is a fascinating glimpse into two great minds, as each author approaches the text from his unique perspective, each seeking an understanding of the Bible’s personalities and commandments, paradoxes and ambiguities. Kushner offers his words of Torah with a conversational enthusiasm that ranges from family dynamics to the Kabbalah; Mamet challenges the reader, often beginning his comment far afield—with Freud or the American judiciary—before returning to a text now wholly reinterpreted. In the tradition of Israel as a people who wrestle with God, Kushner and Mamet grapple with the biblical text, succumbing neither to apologetics nor parochialism, asking questions without fear of the answers they may find. Over the course of a year of weekly readings, they comment on all aspects of the Bible: its richness of theme and language, its contradictions, its commandments, and its often unfathomable demands. If you are already familiar with the Bible, this book will draw you back to the text for a deeper look. If you have not yet explored the Bible in depth, Kushner and Mamet are guides of unparalleled wisdom and discernment. Five Cities of Refuge is easily accessible yet powerfully illuminating. Each week’s comments can be read in a few minutes, but they will give you something to think about all week long. Lawrence Kushner teaches and writes as the Emanu-El Scholar at The Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco. He has taught at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City and served for twenty-eight years as rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Sudbury, Massachusetts. A frequent lecturer, he is also the author of more than a dozen books on Jewish spirituality and mysticism. He lives in San Francisco. David Mamet is a Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright. He is the author of Glengarry Glen Ross, The Cryptogram, and Boston Marriage, among other plays. He has also published three novels and many screenplays, children's books, and essay collections.

This study, based on Dr. Mears’ perennial best-seller, invites readers to explore the world of the biblical Patriarchs in Genesis and journey with the ancient Israelites on their liberating exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. Through 12 sessions of study, readers will get to know Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and others, and see God’s timeline for Israel’s formation and salvation unfold. Plus, Dr. Mears’ signature approach to the sweeping biblical narrative is to focus on Christ, so readers will also come to understand how even the earliest events of Scripture point forward to Jesus and His faithfulness to us today. Each session includes questions for discussion or personal consideration, ideal for group or individual study, as well as journaling space for deeper reflection.

One of Abingdon's most beloved Bible studies has been updated!

The New Believer's Bible commentary is an easy to read study guide designed for people who did not grow up in the church and the people who minister to them. It provides the background information needed to fully understand scripture, and emphasizes what this means in a person's life. In Genesis -Deuteronomy the sacrifices, feasts and laws are explained in a way that makes them easy to understand. Older Christians may enjoy this too, as it is a comfortable reminder of why you believe and a chance to revisit old friends. The book shows people in a very human light that one can relate to and identify with, helping us to understand how we should and should not behave, and what faith truly is.

John H. Walton and Victor H. Matthews provide an accessible passage-by-passage commentary on the archaeological and cultural background of the first five books of the Bible.