...Excerpted from Critical Companion to the Bible a Literary Reference Reading the Bible as Literature The Bible was written by many human authors, some of whom are known with certainty and some of whom are disputed. What is more, if you were to ask believing Jews or Christians, they would name a different author of the Bible: God is said to have “inspired” the writing of the Scriptures. The Bible is a religious book, not just for one community of faith, but for several: Jews and Christians of different denominations, including both Catholic and Protestant traditions. These groups disagree as to which books actually belong in the Bible. In addition, over time, several different approaches to interpreting the Bible have been developed by these groups. In this volume, the Bible is examined mainly from a literary point of view. A literary approach to this unique book, however, will only be successful if we are conscious of the fact that it is not to be judged according to the rules of modern literature but rather as a document of the ancient Near Eastern and Jewish-Hellenistic cultures. One Book, Many Books: Which Texts Belong to the Bible The Bible is not a single, unified work but a compilation of individual texts commonly called books. Which books belong to the Bible? This question is answered differently by different religious communities. The Hebrew Bible is the Holy Scripture of the Jews. It contains books originally written in the ancient Hebrew and partly in...
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...An Analysis of Shylock's Speech in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice By Hamada Shehdeh Abid Dawood Discourse Analysis English Department Faculty of Arts Hebron University 2010/2011 Abstract This paper aims at examining, analyzing and revealing Shylock's utterances in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, by relating his words to the power, ideology, value, and etc. in the play. What is found in this study is that Shylock, the Jew merchant, lacks power and ideology, but when he seeks to find these elements, he loses all of them. In addition, Shylock's language varies from both situations. When he is the weaker, he is the source where Christians used to evacuate their insults. Introduction William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and was the son of a glove maker. When he was 18, he married Anne Hathaway, and had three children. At the age of 20, he left Stratford and went to London where he became an actor and playwright. William Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice around 1596. It is regarded by some scholars as the strongest and most successful of Shakespeare's early comedies (Encarta Encyclopedia, 2002). Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock has long been fodder for debate among scholars. By Shakespeare’s time, Jews had been officially banned from England for centuries. Because of this, they had come to represent to many citizens of the time a sinister unknown. Shylock’s inability to grant mercy to Antonio and his tendency to value...
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...Liberty University Book Review: Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament Submitted to Dr. Gary Schnittjer in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for OBST 515 Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary by CURTIS TERRY Lynchburg, Virginia Tuesday February 18, 2014 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Summary 3 Critical Interaction5 Conclusion8 Bibliography9 Introduction Dr. Christopher J.H. Wright love for Hebrew scripture played a major role in his decision to write Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament. Dr. Wright wrote that he was saddened that so many Christians love Jesus but know so little about who he thought he was and what he had come to do. Dr. Wright background is one of Anglican descent born in Belfast, North Ireland during World War II. He is the son of missionaries and a graduate of Cambridge. Dr. Wright was ordained by the Anglican Church of England in 1977 and has served in the capacities of high school teacher, associate pastor, Old Testament scholar. Dr. Wright has served at Union Biblical Seminary in India as seminary professor and served as Principal of All Nations Christian College from 1993-2001. Dr. Wright has authored numerous books and currently serves as the International Director for Langham Partnership International. This paper will provide a review of Dr. Wright’s Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament by providing a summarization of the work and provide an analysis of various theological topic discussed by Dr. Wright...
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...Jesus: Fact from Fiction Christianity is currently the largest religion in the world with approximately 2.1 billion people identifying themselves as Christians. Jesus is the central focus of attention and worship in Christianity, and is held by most Christians to be the Messiah, foretold in the Hebrew Bible or “Old Testament”. They believe him to be the savior of mankind, and the son of God. However, in modern times, the use of critical scholarship in analysis of the Bible and to the New Testament Gospels in particular, has lead to an accelerating rate of disintegration in the traditional Christian belief system. The term "scholarship" implies the application of the scientific method of the evaluating evidence on the basis of objective standards unhindered from any personal involvement or biases. The main source of information on Jesus is from the Christian Gospels. Some scholars claim that the sources on which the Gospels are based were written within the living memory of Jesus' lifetime. There are four such Gospels the earliest being Mark (68-73 AD), followed by Matthew (70-100 AD), Luke (80-100 AD), and John (90-110 AD). Many conservative Christians accept these writings as evidence for a historical Jesus and as an account of his life and death. According to the Christian Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem between 6 BC and 6 AD. The Gospel Mark, reports that Jesus was "the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon" he also states that Jesus had sisters. Nothing of Jesus...
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................................ 5 The Greek Conquerors ..................................................................................................... 6 Alexander the Great (331-320 BC) ................................................................................. 6 The Ptolemaic Period (320-198 BC)............................................................................... 6 The Seleucid Period (198-167 BC) ................................................................................. 7 Antiochus IV Epiphanes as a Ruler ............................................................................ 8 Antiochus Epiphanes and Egypt ................................................................................. 9 Persecution of Jews under Antiochus Epiphanes ....................................................... 9 Jewish Self-Rule .............................................................................................................. 11 The...
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...theories surrounding the origins and nature of the Essene community at Khirbet Qumran. Gabriele Boccaccini discusses his theory on the origins of the Essene movement, specifically at Khirbet Qumran, in his book Beyond the Essene Hypothesis. In his book, Boccaccini argues that the Essene movement was actually an offspring of Enochic Judaism during the Second Temple period, which later led to the parties of Jesus and John the Baptist. Boccaccini looks at the historiographical analysis and systematic analysis of the Essene community at Qumran to construct his argument. Boccaccini believes that Khirbet Qumran was not the only Essene settlement, but a group of Essenes which were further isolated from society, and followed a stricter covenant than the mainstream Essene community. Beyond the Essene Hypothesis does not suggest anything too radical regarding the Essene hypothesis; but, Boccaccini believes that the term “Qumran” and “Essene” should not be interchangeable with one another. Qumran was merely one example of an Essene settlement throughout the Palestinian area of that time. Comparing the historical writings of Jewish to non-Jewish authors, Boccaccini largely looks at the writings of Philo; the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus; and Pliny the Elder for historiographical analysis. Boccaccini looks at the ancient historical writings and their examination of the location and extent of the Essenes, as well as the Essenes attitudes towards communal ownership and marriage. Boccaccini...
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...BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Book Review: Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament Submitted to Dr. Homer Heater, Professor of Biblical Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of OBST 515 –D11 Old Testament Orientation I by Wuan D. Miller November 29, 2014 Introduction Christopher J. H. Right, author Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, is an Anglican clergyman and an Old Testament scholar. A Ph.D. graduate of Cambridge, he currently is the Director of International Ministries for the Langham Partnership International. Wright records at least ten years prior to the release of this work, three things inspired him to research this topic; his students at Union Biblical Seminary who listened to his initial thoughts; John Goldiway’s articles related to the Old Testament and Christian faith; and a friend, Jim Punton, who personally requested that he write a book on how the Old Testament influenced Jesus. Thus, Wright explores the connection between Jesus and the Old Testament with the intention of showing how his identity, mission, and values are interwoven within its metanarrative. In doing so, he prefaces this work with his conviction that “the deeper you go into understanding the Old Testament, the closer you come to the heart of Jesus.”[1] While there is much to be gained from Wright’s work, a critical examination of the underlying themes will reveal a need for further evaluation of critical theological foundations for...
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...belief classifications - Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Even though, number of various spiritual movements has increased all over the years, these three belief classification have mad the most influence on development of the West. To better appreciate this influence, it is essential to draw the progress of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and assess the correlations between them. Whereas, each belief category is distinctive, there are several similarities because of their common foundations. According to Smith, (1991), Christianity, Islam and Judaism are all referred to as Abrahamic religions because they all mention Abraham as their originator. As such, they have several general beliefs. Christians and Jews share some of the similar Holy Scriptures that is the first five books of the Old Testament in the bible. There are a not many common foundations and several common aspects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism –in what is referred to as Abrahamic spiritual heritage. Similarities The beliefs and practices of Christianity, Islam and Judaism most significantly starts with the originator of the Hebrews called Abraham ca 1800 B.C.E. Historically, these ideas were also pledged to by nomadic tribes, who settled in current Palestine, close to Mt. Sinai. The individuals of these tribes did not tag themselves same as Hebrews, and knew god of Abrahim as the supreme God (Peters, 2003). This merged as God assured Abraham a son, and in the development of the incidents hesitant that...
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...William James was a philosopher and psychologist from New York City.In the book ‘the varieties of religious experience’, James concluded that religious experience testifies that “we can experience union with something larger that ourselves and in that union find our greatest peace”. He defined such experiences as “experiences of the divine” and believed that religious experience was at the heart of religion, true religion unlike religious teachings, practices and attitudes as these, for James are ‘second hand’ religion which later develops as individuals reflect on their common experience. It is the actual experience which points to God. However this theory does little to prove religious experiences simply because many of his claims do not stand up to critical analysis. James looked at a variety of religious experiences, particularly mystical experiences, this refers to experiences where God is revealed directly and there is a sense of oneness with the divine. James claimed that there are 4 criteria which are all characteristics of mystical experiences. Firstly an experience has to be ineffable, meaning that it is beyond proper description as it cannot adequately be described in words, language limitations prevent description. It also must be noetic, not just feelings but however the experience gives you a deep and direct knowledge of God which could not have been achieved through reason alone. Another criteria of mystical experience is that it must be transient, the experience...
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...Critical Analysis Essay “Letter from Birmingham Jail” In arguing, writers use different techniques to effectively convey their message to their intended audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was a response to "A Call for Unity" by eight white clergymen in which King’s presence in Birmingham and his methods of public demonstration were questioned. King’s letter was not only a response to his presence in Birmingham, but he also used the opportunity to address the unjust proposals by the clergymen that Negroes wait for the legal system to abolish segregation and unjust laws. King uses rhetorical modes of persuasion such as ethos, pathos and logos to meticulously address and discredit the claims made by the eight white clergymen. Throughout his letter, King also makes many comparisons to effectively illustrate how the Negro pursuit of freedom was timely. To answer the question of his presence in Birmingham, King uses both ethos and pathos to explain why he is qualified to be present leading the demonstrations. To argue the perception of him being “an outsider coming in”, King first states that because he has organizational ties in Birmingham, he has an obligation to be available whenever he is needed. This statement discredits the notion that he is an outsider. To lay the foundation of his argument, King states, “But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.” This statement is used to make King’s presence seem less personal...
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...In the book ‘the varieties of religious experience’, James concluded that religious experience testifies that “we can experience union with something larger than ourselves and in that union find our greatest peace”. He defined such experiences as “experiences of the divine” and believed that religious experience was at the heart of religion. For James, religious teachings, practices and attitudes are second hand religion, which later develop as individuals reflect on their common experience. It is the actual experiences that directly point to God. However this theory does little to prove religious experiences simply because many of his claims do not stand up to critical analysis. James looked at a variety of religious experiences, particularly mystical experiences. This refers to experiences where God is revealed directly and there is a sense of oneness with the divine. James claimed that there are four criteria which are all characteristics of mystical experiences. Firstly an experience has to be ineffable, in that it is beyond proper description as it cannot adequately be described in words. It must also be noetic. James said that mystical states are not just feelings, but rather the experience gives the mystic a deep and direct knowledge of God. Another criteria of mystical experiences is that it must be transient. Although the experiences effects may last a long time, the experience is temporary and cannot be sustained. Lastly, it must be passive, meaning the experience...
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...Microcultures in Canada A Comparative Approach Introduction Every society contains both a mainstream culture and many different subcultures. The mainstream culture is how one is identified as. However, microcultures consist of how we identify ourselves within the global mainstream culture. There are multitudes of ways to participate in a microculture. It could be along ethnic, religious lines, or even lifestyle. All these factors come into play with regards to the different aspects of microcultures. This paper will delve into all three types of microcultures; it will look at Vietnamese, Jewish, and Vegan cultures and compare them to mainstream Canadian culture. The subsequent comparative analysis aims at finding differences in an attempt to better understand and communicate more effectively, by clarifying the common misunderstandings that arise when communicating with different microcultures, whether in business or everyday life. Vietnamese Background/History/Evolution Representing one of the largest non-European sub-cultures in Canada, the Vietnamese community ranks 5th in terms of size and comprises just over 150,000 individuals. Concentrated in metropolitan areas, close to 60% of the population resides in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or Calgary (Statistics Canada see Appendix B). Despite currently being a sizable group, this sub-culture was virtually non-existent prior to the Vietnamese war that took place between 1964 and 1975. It wasn't until the conflict arose...
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...The History of US-Israel Relations Against Our Better Judgment The hidden history of how the United States was used to create Israel Louis Brandeis, flanked by Rabbi Stephen Samuel Wise, founding secretary of the American Federation of Zionists (right) and Nathan Straus, co-owner of Macy’s (Source: Library of Congress) By Alison Weir April 18, 2013 Alison Weir is Executive Director If Americans Knew and President of the Council for the National Interest. She is available to give presentations on this topic and can be reached at contact@ ifamericansknew.org. How the U.S. “special relationship” with Israel came about W hile many people are led to believe that U.S. support for Israel is driven by the American establishment and U.S. national interests, the facts don't support this theory. The reality is that for decades U.S. foreign policy and defense experts opposed supporting the creation of Israel. They then similarly opposed the massive American funding and diplomatic support that sustained the forcibly established state and that provided a blank check for its aggressive expansion. They were simply outmaneuvered and eventually replaced. Like many American policies, U.S. Middle East policies are driven by a special interest lobby. However, the Israel Lobby, as it is called today in the U.S.[1], consists of vastly more than what most people envision in the word "lobby." As this article will demonstrate, the Israel Lobby is considerably more powerful and...
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...C/ The merchant and the philosopher: two similar figures Conclusion Introduction: I/ The merchant is an outcast At the beginning of the 20th century, a german team of archeologists found a Mesopotamian town named Uruk, situated in what is today Iraq. The city is considered to have existed in 4000 BC and is thought to be one of the first cities of humanity. The searchers underlined that Uruk was divided into several areas: governors were separated from the craftsmen and traders. In this way, we see that since almost the beginning, traders are put together and parked apart from the rest of society. In this first part, we will answer these questions: why was trading an activity mainly done by foreigners? Why is the figure of the Jew associated with trade? Why is the merchant considered as an immoral person? A/ Merchants are marginalized In Philosophy of Money, the German philosopher Georg Simmel offers a very particular point of view on trade, on money and on the destiny of the merchant. He tried to understand why trading was at first an activity reserved to marginal people. Georg...
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...Americans as a result of the country’s present state of affairs. In their own communities Muslims are forced to defend themselves against their enemies. To be a Muslim is not just an individual activity it is a community identity and responsibility. Islam is considered a total way of life for the religious community. For many in America who are raised with the idea of the separation of church and state and the sense that religion is a private affair, Islam can seem confusing, especially since Islam does not have a “church” to preserve and promote its beliefs. There is a great diversity among Muslims as there is among other religious communities in America. Because America is predominantly Judeo-Christian it is sometimes easier for Christians and Jews to practice their faith. American schools do not recognize Muslim holidays. Even such a simple task as attending Friday congregational prayer and taking a break to perform the salat during working hours are often difficult. Muslim culture has become prominent in coutries other than Islam. Countries that have a large Muslim following include Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States. Accepting Cultural Differences in Muslims Since the tragedy of 9-11 a portion of American citizens are under the beliefs that all Muslims are terrorists. There are extremists in every religion but it appears that it is the Muslim faith that is categorized as...
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