Tobit

Reviews / Votes

"With this engaging treatment of Tobit, Michele Murray continues the high standards of the Wisdom Commentary Series. The social world of the story comes alive through comparisons to historical and modern equivalents. Feminist and intersectional concerns are prominent, creating a dialogue between ancient text and modern social issues. I was challenged on every page to return again to the text with new questions."
Lawrence M. Wills, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry "This book, the first full-length feminist commentary on the Book of Tobit, is simply a delight-a commentary that fixes its lenses on the ancient context and our own. Not only does it inform the reader concerning the background of Tobit and the interpretive issues it raises, but it also addresses, with sensitivity and grace, the fundamental matters of equity that emerge from the book. Its intersectional approach lifts up the connections among gender, sexuality, race, and ability as they pertain to social justice. And it accomplishes all this in a highly readable, compelling style."
Adele Reinhartz, Distinguished University Professor, University of Ottawa "Tobit is a romp and this commentary is a feminist tour through its fantastical world. With an expert's hand, Michele Murray guides the reader through Tobit's deeper questions about suffering, community identity, and God. At the same time, she offers a range of personal reflections (from others as well as her own) on disability, childlessness, pregnancy loss, widowhood, and the companionship of dogs. Altogether, an engaging and thought-provoking commentary."
Jennifer L. Koosed, Professor of Religious Studies, Albright College "An innovative approach to reading Tobit that interweaves basic information, feminist questions, and reflection arising out of the author's personal experience."
Eileen Schuller, Professor Emeritus, McMaster University, Ontario "In her learned and lucid commentary on the humorous book of Tobit, Michele Murray bridges the distance between an ancient text and modern readers by harnessing the dynamic intersectional perspectives of contemporary feminism. Combining scholarly observations that shed light on the literary, intertextual, and cultural world of this work with insightful personal reflections and illustrative vignettes prompted by the social, ethical, and emotional dimensions of the story, Murray ensures that her readers will discover new meanings in the text and in themselves."
Christine Hayes, Sterling Professor of Religious Studies, Yale University "A good introduction to a fascinating though too often side-lined book. Without being an in-depth critical commentary of Tobi, it serves as a useful guide for pastoral practice and an aid for the general student."
The Downside Review "The commentary on Tobit does call the reader to consider the ways in which biblical texts can, with a shift in perspective and a little imagination, lead us to building a more just and humane world."
Catholic Books Review "This excellent historical-critical commentary offers a feminist hermeneutical perspective. Murray carefully examines the intersection of biblical content with contemporary issues, particularly those impacting women, resulting in a reading experience akin to a monograph rather than a traditional commentary."
Catholic Media Association Book Awards "The philosophy behind the Wisdom Commentary series is anchored in a feminism that is conscious of the hauntings of the past, the urgency of the present, and the looming futurities of biblical criticism. This commentary would appeal to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the book of Tobit and offers insight and tools to better explain it in an educational setting and for a diverse audience."
Interpretation