Yoo & Watts, Cosmologies of Pure Realms and the Rhetoric of Pollution (Routledge)

NEW BOOK FROM ROUTLEDGE:

Cosmologies of Pure Realms and the Rhetoric of Pollution

By Yohan Yoo, James W. Watts

Copyright Year 2021

Hardback £120.00

eBook £33.29

ISBN 9780367712051 Published May 31, 2021 by Routledge 178 Pages

Book Description

This collaboration between two scholars from different fields of religious studies draws on three comparative data sets to develop a new theory of purity and pollution in religion, arguing that a culture’s beliefs about cosmological realms shapes its pollution ideas and its purification practices.

The authors of this study refine Mary Douglas’ foundational theory of pollution as "matter out of place," using a comparative approach to make the case that a culture’s cosmology designates which materials in which places constitute pollution. By bringing together a historical comparison of Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean religions, an ethnographic study of indigenous shamanism on Jeju Island, Korea, and the reception history of biblical rhetoric about pollution in Jewish and Christian cultures, the authors show that a cosmological account of purity works effectively across multiple disparate religious and cultural contexts. They conclude that cosmologies reinforce fears of pollution, and also that embodied experiences of purification help generate cosmological ideas.

Providing an innovative insight into a key topic of ritual studies, this book will be of vital interest to scholars and graduate students in religion, biblical studies, and anthropology.

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Nelson (trans.), Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai (JPS 2006)

NOTABLE BOOK FROM THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY:

Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai

Translated and explicated by W. David Nelson
Edward E. Elson Classic Series
1100 pages

Hardcover
November 2006
978-0-8276-0799-6
$75.00

About the Book

A timeless collection of midrash never before available in English.

The Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai is a collection of classical midrashic interpretation of the biblical Book of Exodus. Lost for centuries, the text was reconstructed and recovered in the 19th and 20th centuries by both German and Israeli scholars from a variety of source materials, including medieval manuscripts of the text and midrashic anthologies. As one of the first collections of rabbinic biblical interpretation, the Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai is an indispensable source for understanding the history, beliefs, and practices of the earliest rabbis. This edition, translated and explicated for the first time in English by W. David Nelson, is The Jewish Publication Society’s latest contribution to making ancient Jewish literature accessible to modern readers. A critical introduction provides the reader with a firm grounding in the historical setting of the text, as well as its source material, reconstruction, subject matter, and significance for understanding the history of Judaism. Set in a modern, readable typeface, the Hebrew text faces the English translation with the author’s annotation beneath. Indexes include scriptural verse citations and rabbinic sages named in the text.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai (Yochai) is the traditional (pseudepigraphic) author of the Zohar, the premier book of Jewish mysticisim.

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The four tiers of Paul

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: The Quest for the Historical Paul. James Tabor considers Biblical and external accounts of the apostle.

Baur put his finger squarely on the problem: There are four different “Pauls” in the New Testament, not one, and each is quite distinct from the others. New Testament scholars today are generally agreed on this point.

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The masculinities of Paul

ANCIENT JEW REVIEW: Becoming a Man: The Apostle Paul and Masculinity (Grace Emmett).

Grace Emmett, “Becoming a Man: Un/Manly Self-Presentation in the Pauline Epistles.” PhD diss., King’s College London, 2021.

... This continual process of reinterpreting Paul shows that in some ways he is also a man forever in the process of becoming.

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Temple sites in Iron Age Transjordan

THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST TODAY: Temples and Cult Places in Iron Age Transjordan (Margreet L. Steiner).

But what was the situation across the River Jordan, where the kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom were flourishing? Many fewer excavations have taken place there than in ancient Israel. Nonetheless several cultic complexes have been unearthed: three in the Jordan Valley (part of ancient Ammon), four in Moab, and one in Edom. What do these tell us about cult practices among Israel and Judah’s rivals?

For more on the Balaam inscription from Tel Deir 'Alla (Deir Alla), see here and links.

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Scrolling

VARIANT READINGS: The Vocabulary of Reading a Papyrus Roll (Brent Nongbri). It's harder than you'd think.

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Review of NICOT Commentary on Nahum, Habakkuk, & Zephaniah

READING ACTS: Thomas Renz, The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (NICOT) (Phil Long).

Renz, Thomas. The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. NICOT; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2021. xxxix+703 pp. Hb; $56.00.

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The Society for Late Antiquity

THE AWOL BLOG: Society for Late Antiquity. With lots of print and online resources.

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Tel Agol and Amos' earthquake

I WAS EXPECTING AN EARTH-SHATTERING KABOOM: Israel’s Earthquake, 8th Century B.C.E. (Nurit Feig, TheTorah.com).

Amos and Zechariah mention an earthquake in the time of King Uzziah. Its effects were uncovered in the excavations at Tel Agol in the Jezreel Valley: It turned the city, fortified for centuries to defend against the Assyrian threat, into a poor squatter town that could not recover.

For more on the archaeology of Amos' earthquake, see here.

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The ancient coin market

NUMISMATICS: Four Reasons the Ancient Coin Market is Complicated (Tyler Rossi, CoinWeek). You may or may not be interested in the headline topic. But I note the article because it includes nice photos of coins of kings mentioned in the Bible: Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:5, 21 [the he-goat from the west], 11:3) and Antiochus III the Great (Daniel 11:10-19, the king of the north).

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Heller, Shul Going (Wipf & Stock)

RECENT BOOK FROM WIFP AND STOCK:

Shul Going
2500 Years of Impressions and Reflections on Visits to the Synagogue

by Charles Heller
Imprint: Resource Publications
178 Pages, 5.00 x 8.00 x 0.00 in

Paperback
9781532667152
Published: July 2019
$23.00 / £18.00 / AU$32.00

eBook
9781532667176
Published: July 2019
$23.00 / £17.00 / AU$34.00

Hardcover
9781532667169
Published: July 2019
$53.00 / £40.00 / AU$72.00

DESCRIPTION

Covering 2500 years, here are the impressions of synagogue worshipers and visitors, Jews and non-Jews, told in their own words, from Jeremiah to George Washington, Liszt, and Yossele Rosenblatt, from the slums of Rio to the shtetls of Ukraine to the temple in Jerusalem. Here is the Jewish experience--tragic, comic, and inspiring by turns.

The term "synagogue" is used pretty loosely for the earliest period. Nevertheless the book collects a good array of primary texts.

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Teigen, A Manichaean Church at Kellis (Brill, open access)

NEW OPEN-ACCESS BOOK FROM BRILL:

A Manichaean Church at Kellis

Series: Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies, Volume: 100

Author: Håkon Fiane Teigen

This volume offers a comprehensive account of a Manichaean community in fourth-century Roman Egypt. The study analyses papyrological material from Kellis, a village in Egypt’s Dakhleh Oasis, and their implications for Manichaeism as a socio-religious movement.

Drawing on social network theory and engaging with current trends in the study of lived ancient religion, Teigen explores how lay families at Kellis cohered as a religious community. Whereas recent scholarship has seen the laity here as largely detached from distinctively Manichaean traditions, he argues that the papyri in fac reveal a community immersed in Manichaean ideas and practices. The book thereby shows how new religious identities were deeply entangled in everyday social life in late antiquity.

Prices from (excl. VAT): €125.00 / $151.00 Hardback

E-Book (PDF)
Availability: Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-45977-9
Publication Date: 08 Jun 2021
Copyright Date: 01 Jan 2021

Hardback
Availability: Not Yet Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-45976-2
Publication Date: 10 Jun 2021
Copyright Date: 01 Jan 2021

Cross-file under Manichean Watch (Manichaean Watch) and Coptic Watch. I noted a book on the documentary texts from Kellis here and a PhD dissertation on the the Manichaeans of Kellis here.

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Nissinen, Reste altorientalischen Prophetentums in der Bibel (De Gruyter)

NEW BOOK FROM DE GRUYTER (IN GERMAN):

Martti Nissinen

Reste altorientalischen Prophetentums in der Bibel
Remnants of Ancient Near Eastern Prophethood in the Bible

In: Julius-Wellhausen-Vorlesung, 9
De Gruyter | 2021
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110748253

About this book

Current research has revealed that biblical prophecy was part of Ancient Near Eastern prophecy. The properties typical of Ancient Near Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean prophecy are clear to discern in the Old and even in the New Testament. This includes, for instance, the concept of the word of God, the writing down of prophecy and its political significance, the temple as the "spiritual home," gender inclusivity, and prophetic ecstasy.

Paperback £18.00

Formats

eBook
Published: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 9783110748253

Paperback
Published: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 9783110747188

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Römer et al. (eds.), The Joseph Story between Egypt and Israel (Mohr Siebeck)

NEW BOOK FROM MOHR SIEBECK: The Joseph Story between Egypt and Israel. Edited by Thomas Römer, Konrad Schmid, and Axel Bühler 2021. VI, 178 pages. Archaeology and Bible 5. 64,00 € including VAT. sewn paper ISBN 978-3-16-160153-8.

Published in English.
Within the context of the Torah, the Joseph story can be read as a transition that explains why Jacob and his family came to Egypt. However, if one looks at other texts of the Hebrew Bible, there is no mention of the Joseph story; instead, the arrival of the Israelites is said to be the result of the decision of a »father« or of »fathers« to go down do Egypt. Indeed, there are very few references to Joseph at all in the whole Hebrew Bible. Apparently, the Joseph story is not necessary for explaining why the Israelites found themselves in Egypt. The question therefore arises: Why was this story written, when, and for what audience?
This volume offers an overview of the current discussion on the origins, composition, and historical contexts behind the Joseph narrative. There is a tendency to date the story (or its original version) to the Persian period, but this volume includes divergent voices about this issue. The volume also shows that scholarly discussion about the historical location of the Joseph story requires to bring together Egyptologists and biblical scholars.

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Josephus and the standards

LAUDATOR TEMPORIS ACTI: Standards (Michael Gilleland). All the things about ancient Roman military standards (i.e., banners).

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Yip, Ezekiel's Message of Hope and Restoration (De Gruyter)

NEW BOOK FROM DE GRUYTER:

Hei Yin Yip

Ezekiel's Message of Hope and Restoration
Redaction-Critical Study of Ezekiel 1–7

In: Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 532
De Gruyter | 2021
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110711578

About this book

The first twenty-four chapters of the book of Ezekiel are characterised by vehement declarations of judgement. This observation leaves the impression that Ezekiel 1–7 is devoid of references to hope and restoration. However, there is a redactional stratum in this section that supplemented the texts with material that conveys restoration and hope for the future.

In Ezekiel 1–7, many of these additions focus on priestly topics. The motif of restoration in the redactional material of Ezekiel 3–5 is expressed by the reinstatement of Ezekiel in his priestly role. This editorial emphasis on Ezekiel as priest in the redactional material suggests that the redaction was influenced by Zechariah 3, a text that depicts the reinstitution of the exiled Zadokite priesthood. Moreover, the redactional material of Ezekiel 6-7 drew inspiration from the Law of the Temple in Ezekiel 43-46, as the redactors sought to enhance Ezekiel’s priestly role.

The study provides new insights into how redactors, who may have been associated with the Zadokite priesthood, inserted the message of hope and restoration into the literary unit Ezekiel 1-7 during the post-exilic period.Hardcover £79.00

Formats

eBook
Published: April 19, 2021
ISBN: 9783110711578

Hardcover
Published: April 19, 2021
ISBN: 9783110711264

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Starr, Toward a History of Jewish Thought: The Soul, Resurrection, and the Afterlife (Wipf & Stock)

RECENT BOOK FROM WIPF AND STOCK:

Toward a History of Jewish Thought
The Soul, Resurrection, and the Afterlife

by Zachary Alan Starr
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
456 Pages, 7.00 x 10.00 x 0.00 in

Paperback
9781532693052
Published: March 2020
$46.00 / £35.00 / AU$63.00

eBook
9781532693076
Published: March 2020
$46.00 / £33.00 / AU$71.00

Hardcover
9781532693069
Published: March 2020
$65.00 / £49.00 / AU$88.00

DESCRIPTION

The work is a history of Jewish beliefs regarding the concept of the soul, the idea of resurrection, and the nature of the afterlife. The work describes these beliefs, accounts for the origin of these beliefs, discusses the ways in which these beliefs have evolved, and explains why the many changes in belief have occurred. Views about the soul, resurrection, and the afterlife are related to other Jewish views and to broad movements in Jewish thought; and Jewish intellectual history is placed within the context of the history of Western thought in general. That history begins with the biblical period and extends to the present time.

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Mystical creation theology

PROF. RABBI ARTHUR GREEN: Making Kiddush: Mysticism in the Age of Science (TheTorah.com).

The Torah describes God creating through speech, midrash mores specifically understands creation through the letters of the aleph-bet, and the kabbalists envision it as a series of divine emanations, contractions, and primal pairings. What meaning can we find in these ancient creation myths in light of evolution?

Whatever you make of the modern mystical panentheism, the history of the midrashic and kabbalistic theology of creation is fascinating.

Arthur Green has written a great deal on Jewish mysticism and mystical theology. For an article by him on the Zohar, see here.

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Russia's restorations of Palmyra

PALMYRA WATCH: Russia gains foothold in Syria’s Palmyra through archaeological restoration. Russia has begun a project to rehabilitate Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra in its latest efforts to gain a foothold in the country’s vital sectors (Mohammed Hardan, Al-Monitor).

As you can guess from the headline, the author is concerned about the geopolitical implications of Russia's involvment. I have no view about this. The question is outside my expertise. But I do think it's good news that somebody is concerned about the restoration of Palmyra.

For many posts on the ancient metropolis of Palmyra, its history and archaeology, the Aramaic dialect once spoken there (Palmyrene), and the city's tragic reversals of fortune, now trending for the better, start here and follow the links.

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Anabasis on the Arkasid world

BIBLIOGRAPHIA IRANICA: The Arsakid World (Anabasis, 10).

Volume 10 (2019) of Anabasis. Studia Classica et Orientalia is now out. This is a special volume, entitled “The Arsakid World: Studies on the History and Culture of Western and Central Asia” edited by Marek Jan Olbrycht and Jeffrey D. Lerner.

Follow the link for a link to the journal and the TOC of the volume.

For PaleoJudaica posts on Parthia and the ancient Parthians and Arcasids (Arkasids), see here and links (cf. here, here, and here).

In addition to its general background interest for PaleoJudaica, this volume of Anabasis has a specific biblical connection. A bonus point if you can find it in the TOC.

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