Overview

Just like us, the writers of the Bible tried to understand the world and their place in it. Using the literary device of allegory, the ancient Israelites created foundational stories for the people to coalesce around, giving them a sense of belonging and purpose. To illustrate, the tale of the Israelite Exodus from slavery in Egypt provided a sense of a communal struggle, but archaeological evidence shows that the Exodus did not in fact take place. As another example, subjects who questioned the actions of the early kings of Israel were placated by tales of ancient leaders-such as Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and Moses-who behaved in a like manner. As their story unfolded, the ancient Israelites recorded and preserved texts which are central to Judaism and provide a foundation for the two largest religions in the world: Christianity and Islam. By merging the last fifty years of archaeological findings from the Ancient Near East with his expertise in Ancient Semitic languages and his vast knowledge of the ancient text, in Biblical Origins: The Political Intent of the Bible's Writers S. David Sperling takes readers on a compelling exploration of the political circumstances that led to the creation of these foundational stories-revealing that the Bible is a very human document that speaks with many voices.

Full Product Details

9798986764702

Table of Contents

Reviews

accessible to lay and academic readers alike . . . promises to be vital and illuminating for all -Rabbi David Ellenson, Chancellor Emeritus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion a work of remarkable historical investigation . . . a fascinating intellectual journey -Dale Pauls, Minister Emeritus, Stamford Church of Christ provides new insights about the historical contexts in which these texts were composed . . . and why they are central to faith and community -Marilyn Harran, Professor of Religious Studies and History, Chapman University

Author Information

David Sperling has been a world-famous authority on the Bible for five decades. He retired in 2019 from a 40+ year career as a professor of Bible at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York City. He has also been a visiting professor at New York University, Syracuse University, the College of William and Mary and The Jewish Theological Seminary. Professor Sperling served as Consulting Editor to The Haftarah Commentary by W. Gunther Plaut, translated by Chaim Stern (URJ Press, 1996), and to The Torah: A Modern Commentary by W. Gunther Plaut and David E.S. Stein (URJ Press, 2005). Additionally, he has contributed to some 145 articles published in the Encyclopaedia Judaica (2007), as well as serving as Editor of the Bible section. His current project is a book on the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118). Professor Sperling was ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1967, following which he earned his Ph.D. in Ancient Semitic Languages from Columbia University. He is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Tara Keiter graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1987 with a double degree in Economics and Sociology. After an 8-year career in the financial services industry in New York City, Tara left the workforce to raise her children. In 2014, Tara began to blog summaries of the Torah Study sessions at Temple Israel of Northern Westchester. The Torah Study sessions are led by Rabbi Jennifer Jaech (wife of David Sperling) and oftentimes build upon David's work and share a similar approach to the sacred text. Summaries of the sessions are hosted on Substack and can be found at Rabbi Jennifer Jaech's Torah Study-summarized. A podcast of the same material is hosted on Buzzsprout and can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon's Audible by searches as Biblical Origins or TINW Torah Study. Jennifer Jaech became the Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel of Northern Westchester in 2006. She is passionate about interpreting the complexity of contemporary American life through the prism of Jewish history and traditions. She is active in interfaith work in her community with an emphasis on social justice. Rabbi Jaech is a former Co-Chair of Reform Jewish Voice of New York State, and served on the Union for Reform Judaism's Commission on Social Action and the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Committee on Justice, Peace and Civil Liberties. Rabbi Jaech received her MA in Hebrew Literature from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York City in 2002, becoming an ordained rabbi in 2003. While at HUC-JIR, she earned thirteen academic prizes in several disciplines, including history, liturgy, human relations and Hebrew. She completed her undergraduate education at The Evergreen State College, earning a BA with a concentration in American Studies in 1985. Prior to joining the rabbinate, she worked in higher education administration, government relations, and politics.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available