New Meanings for Ancient Texts: Recent Approaches to Biblical Criticisms and Their Applications

by Steven L. McKenzie (Editor), John Kaltner (Editor)

Overview

This book is a supplement and sequel to To Each Its Own Meaning, edited by Steven L. McKenzie and Stephen R. Haynes, which introduced the reader to the most important methods of biblical criticism and remains a widely used classroom textbook. This new volume explores recent developments in, and approaches to, biblical criticism since 1999. Leading contributors define and describe their approach for non-specialist readers, using examples from the Old and New Testament to help illustrate their discussion. Topics include cultural criticism, disability studies, queer criticism, postmodernism, ecological criticism, new historicism, popular culture, postcolonial criticism, and psychological criticism. Each section includes a list of key terms and definitions and suggestions for further reading.

Contributors: Timothy Beal, Warren Carter, Norman C. Habel, Gina Hens-Piazza, Nyasha Junior, D. Andrew Kille, Hugh S. Pyper, Linda S. Schearing, Jeremy Schipper, Ken Stone, and Valarie H. Ziegler.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780664238162
Publisher:	Westminster John Knox Press
Publication date:	08/23/2013
Pages:	196
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Steven L. McKenzie is Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and Spence L. Wilson Senior Research Fellow at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He is author, editor, or coeditor of many books, including To Each Its Own Meaning: An Introduction to Critical Methods of Biblical Study, published by Westminster John Knox Press.

John Kaltner is Virginia Ballou McGehee Professor of Muslim-Christian Relations at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the author of several books, including Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know and The Old Testament: Its Background, Growth, and Content.

Read an Excerpt

"As . . . newer approaches [to biblical criticism] become more established and influential, it is essential that students and other serious readers of the Bible be exposed to them and become familiar with them. That is the main impetus behind the present volume, which is offered as a textbook for those who wish to go further than the approaches covered in To Each Its Own Meaning by exploring more recent or experimental ways of reading."
—from the introduction

Table of Contents

List of Contributors ix

Preface xi

1 Cultural-Historical Criticism of Bible Timothy Beal 1

2 Disability Studies and the Bible Nyasha Junior Jeremy Schipper 21

3 Ecological Criticism Norman C. Habel 39

4 New Historicism Gina Hens-Piazza 59

5 The Bible and Popular Culture Linda S. Schearing Valarie H. Ziegler 77

6 Postcolonial Biblical Criticism Warren Carter 97

7 Postmodernism Hugh S. Pyper 117

8 Psychological Biblical Criticism D. Andrew Kille 137

9 Queer Criticism Ken Stone 155

Index 177