Violence in the New Testament
Jesus Followers and Other Jews Under Empire
Published on 1. May 2005
Book
Paperback/Softback
168 pages
978-0-567-02500-5 (ISBN)
Description
New Testament passages suggesting that early Christ-believers were violently persecuted (the 'stone throwing' passages from John, the 'persecuted from town to town' passages in Matthew, the stoning of Stephen in Acts, Paul's hardship catalogue in II Corinthians, etc.) are frequently read positivistically as windows onto 1st century persecution; at the other extreme, they are sometimes dismissed as completely a-historical. In either case, scholars up until now have provided little in the way of methodological reflection on how they have reached such conclusions. A further problematic issue in previous readings of passages suggesting such violence is that the perpetrators of violence are frequently cast as 'Jews' while the violated are cast as 'Christians,' in spite of the growing consensus that it is impossible to tease out these two distinct and separate religious identities, Jew and Christian, from first century texts. This volume takes up crucial methodological questions about how to read passages suggesting violence among Jews in texts that eventually became part of the New Testament canon.
It situates this intra-religious violence within the violence of the Roman imperial order. It provides new readings of these texts that move beyond the 'Jew as violator'/'Christian as violated' binary.
It situates this intra-religious violence within the violence of the Roman imperial order. It provides new readings of these texts that move beyond the 'Jew as violator'/'Christian as violated' binary.
Reviews / Votes
"[T]his collection of essays in an invaluable addition to New Testament studies that should stimulate much discussion. It raises key issues relating to the violent language of the new Testament and, one hopes, will fuel much research in this vital area and facilitate a mutual consideration of the New Testament from the perspectives of Jewish and Christian scholars alike."- Mark Bredin, The Society of Biblical Literature, January 2006 Review ~ International Review of Biblical Studies, vol 51, 2004/05 -Mention. Theology Digest/ Vol. 52 No. 3/ Fall 2005 -- Theology Digest "At a time of growing concerns about religion and violence many Christians have exempted their tradition from much-needed scrutiny. The distinguished contributors to Violence in the New Testament remind us that violent themes and expectations lie at the heart of the New Testament and need to be understood and challenged." -Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer * Blurb from reviewer * "Violence in the New Testament addresses a topic of enormous importance--far too often ignored -- in New Testament studies." -Elaine Pagels, Princeton University * Blurb from reviewer * "Derived from lectures given to the Society for Biblical Literature, these essays delve into violent language and depictions of violence among Jews in the New Testament. Contributors challenge the basic assumption that the New Testament is solely a work of love, mercy, and peace. Content is analytical and theoretical, with endnotes for further detailed research. The scholarly style, a very usable index, and references make this collection of essays helpful to those seeking new perspectives about the causes and motivations for the violence that appears in the New Testament." - Church and Synagogue Library Assocation, Nov/Dec 2005 * Church and Synagogue Libraries * "The collection includes a splendid essay by Richard Horsley. "By the finger of God: Jesus and Imperial Violence" offers an excellent overview of his innovative research, sustained by suggestive exegesis, which locates Jesus's message as a challenge to a world shaped and scarred by imperial violence, where terror is an instrument of policy." Church Times, March 2006 -- Philip Lewis, Bradford University * Church Times * 'Collectively...the essays function powerfully to call into question the notion of Jewish violence directed against the early Jewish followers and, as such, this collection is to be commended.' ~ Lloyd K. Pietersen, Vol 28.5, 2006 -- Lloyd K. Pietersen * Journal for the Study of the New Testament * "...a rigorous reassessment of how best to interpret the use of violence in these texts.... The goal is to help modern-day believers correctly understand the mention of violence in the New Testament as not supporting the 'Jew as violator' vs. 'Christian as violated' theological dichotomy that may have given rise historically to much anti-Semitism." -Library Journal, 5/1/05 * Library Journal * mentioned * Theologische Literaturzeitung *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight
256 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-567-02500-5 (9780567025005)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Shelly Matthews | E. Leigh Gibson
Violence in the New Testament
E-Book
03/2005
1st Edition
T.& T.Clark Ltd
€30.99
Available for download
Persons
Shelly Matthews is Assistant Professor of Religion at Furman University. E. Leigh Gibson is an independent scholar based in Princeton, New Jersey, who has taught at Oberlin College and Rutgers University
Content
List of Contributors and Topics: 1. Richard A. Horsley (University of Massachusetts, Boston), "Imperial Violence and the Historical Jesus" 2. John G. Gager (Princeton University), "Violence and Paul" 3. Melanie Johnson DeBaufre (Luther College), "Violence and the Q Community" 4. Warren Carter (Saint Paul School of Theology), "Representing Violence and Matthew's Gospel: Violent Jews? Non-Violent Christians?" 5. Adele Reinhartz (Wilfrid Laurier University), "The Rhetoric of Violence in the Gospel of John" 6. John W. Marshall (University of Toronto), "Collateral Damage: Insider Violence in John's Apocalypse" 7.Shelly Matthews (Furman University), "The Need for the Stoning of Stephen" 8.David Frankfurter (University of New Hampshire), "Afterward"