Though the Hebrew Bible often reflects and constructs a world that privileges men, many of its narratives play extensively with the gender norms of the society in which they were written. Drawing from feminist, masculinity and queer studies, Gender-Play in the Hebrew Bible uses close literary analysis to argue that the writers of the Bible intentionally challenge gender norms in order to reveal the dangers of destabilizing societal and theological hierarchies that privilege men and masculinity. This book presents a fascinating argument about the construction and import of gender in...

The concept of death, particularly violent death, is prevalent throughout the writings of Paul the Apostle. His letters in the New Testament address this topic from a variety of perspectives, some of which can appear to be almost contradictory. However, this need not be problematic. Paul and Death uses the method of psychological exegesis to show that the different attitudes toward death in Paul s letters make for a much more coherent discourse if they are seen as an aid to individual and collective psychological coping.

Taking the differences between each of Paul s...

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, strangers are indispensable to the formation of a collective Israelite identity. Encounters between the Israelites and their neighbors are among the most urgent matters explored in Biblical narratives, yet relatively little scholarly attention has been paid to them. This book corrects this imbalance by carrying out close readings of the accounts of Israel s myriad interactions with the surrounding nations.

The book follows the people of Israel from leaving Egypt to inhabiting Canaan and ultimately creating the nation of Israel. The introduction...