... In sum, we can see that in antiquity and today, traditional prayer is a performative, embodied activity through which the cultural tradition is reclaimed, mediated, sacralized, and renewed, shaping selves and communities in the process. Prayer practice and performance open up spaces for the extension of scripture; they are intertwined.This essay is about a lot more than Jonah's prayers.
For more on Professor Newman's book Before the Bible, see here.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.