In the Shadow of Empire: Reclaiming the Bible as a History of Faithful Resistance [Paperback]

Richard A. Horsley (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2008

The Bible tells the stories of many empires, and many are still considered some of the largest of the ancient and classical world: the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and finally the Romans. In this provocative book, nine experts bring a critical analysis of these world empires in the background of the Old and New Testaments. As they explain, the Bible developed againstthe context of these empires, providing concrete meaning to the countercultural claims of Jews and Christians that their God was the true King, the real Emperor. Each chapter describes how to read the Bible as a reaction to empire and points to how to respond to the biblical message to resist imperial powers in every age.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard A. Horsley is Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and the Study of Religion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is a prolific author with twenty New Testament studies to his credit, including Scribes, Visionaries, and the Politics of Second Temple Judea, published by WJK.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press (October 31, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664232329
• ISBN-13: 978-0664232320
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #670,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mixed collection of articles from liberal scholars, September 6, 2010

By 

Marc Axelrod (Potter, Wi USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Shadow of Empire: Reclaiming the Bible as a History of Faithful Resistance (Paperback)

This was a very interesting collection of articles that encourage readers to read the Bible as a history of resistance to anti-faith empires, and I am sympathetic to the overall thesis, even if I demur at some of the particulars (questionable interpretations of Jesus' statement "Give to Caesar What is Caesar's and to God what is God's).

I think the writers wisely note Israel's resistance to anti-God regimes in Egypt, Babylon, the Medo-Persian Empire, and the Roman Empire of Jesus' day. The interpretation of Revelation was also well done.

The article about Paul's writings was the worst one of the bunch. All of a sudden on page 114, Neil Elliott launches an inexplicable, inaccurate, withering assault on the credibility and integrity of the apostle Paul and what he wrote in Holy Scripture. It is so arrogant, and so sacrilegious that I question the wisdom of the editor in allowing Elliot to leave it in the book.

But generally speaking, in spite of the terribly liberal biases of Elliot and one or two of the other writers, I think the book does a good job of highlighting the Bible as a history and narrative of faithful resistance and questioning of real politik.