The Bible Now [Hardcover]

Richard Elliott Friedman (Author), Shawna Dolansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2011

For millennia, people have used the Bible as a touchstone on important social and political questions, and rightly so. But many use the Bible simply as a weapon to wield against opponents in a variety of debates--without knowing what the Bible actually says about the issue in question.
In The Bible Now, two respected biblical scholars, Richard Elliott Friedman and Shawna Dolansky, tell us carefully what the Hebrew Bible says or does not say about a wide range of issues--including homosexuality, abortion, women's status, capital punishment, and the environment. In fascinating passages that shed new light on some of today's most passionate disputes, the authors reveal how the Bible is frequently misunderstood, misquoted, mistranslated, and misused. For instance, those who quote the Bible in condemning homosexuality often cite the story of Sodom, and those who favor homosexuality point to David's lament over the death of Jonathan. But as the authors show, neither passage is clearly about homosexuality, and these texts do not offer solid footing on which to make an argument. Readers learn that female homosexuality is not prohibited--only male homosexuality. And on the subject of abortion, the Bible is practically silent, with one extraordinary exception.
The Bible has inspired people to do great good but has also been used by people to do great harm, so it is vitally important for us to pay attention to it--and to get it right. The Bible Now shows us how we can--and cannot--use this ancient source of wisdom to address our most current and pressing issues.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Without taking and arguing a particular side, this is a lucid discussion, informed by strong scholarship, of the biblical texts at issue for the issues. Some readers may wish for 'the answers'; the rest of us will be relieved at their absence."--Publishers Weekly

"A refreshingly honest look at what the ancient Bible teaches us about contemporary controversies, as explained by biblical scholars who can write for lay readers. You will be surprised at their novel interpretations of texts that have been misused to justify both right and left wing positions on homosexuality, abortion and capital punishment."
- Alan Dershowitz, Genesis of Justice and The Trials of Zion

"Friedman and Dolansky offer fascinating observations and, with lucidity, passion, and humor, they help all readers across the religious spectrum to ask the right questions."
-- Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Vanderbilt University

"This is a timely book. Friedman and Dolansky look at several hot-button issues and give a dispassionate, scholarly presentation of the biblical evidence. That evidence is seldom if ever clear cut, and does not provide the kind of absolute authority that ideologues often claim. This is an excellent study in the problems of applying the Bible to modern issues."
-- John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale University

"Friedman and Dolansky are accomplished and respected scholars who bring their knowledge to bear on all of the contemporary issues under discussion in The Bible Now . . . [C]apable of addressing a lay readership with perfect clarity and explaining even the most abstruse concepts in plain English. That is what makes The Bible Now not only an important book but a useable one." --Jewish Journal

"[Friedman and Dolansky] skillfully employ an impressive array of scholarly tools and insights, including literary criticism, archaeology, anthropology, and ancient languages . . . A fine example of careful scholarship, even if one may disagree with some of the authors' specific conclusions." --Library Journal

"The Bible Now is an honorable book." --Tablet

"...should be required reading for all who use the good book to further their causes." --olumbus Post Dispatch

"This is a thoughtful, well-researched, and well-written analysis of modern issues and how the ancient texts can give us wisdom and guidance in making decisions." -- ewish Book World

"...well worth a read...."--CHOICE

"In fascinating passages that shed new light on some of today's most passionate disputes, the authors reveal how the Bible is frequently misunderstood, misquoted, mistranslated, and misused...The Bible Now shows us how we can--and cannot--use this ancient source of wisdom to address our most current and pressing issues."--Jewish Media Review

"[The book's] thoroughness and new interpretations make it a valuable resource for teachers, pastors, and laity wishing to have a more solid understanding about this ancient text's back-story and how it can, or cannot, be applied to today's moral debates."--Interpretation

About the Author

Richard Elliott Friedman is the Davis Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Georgia and Katzin Professor of Jewish Civilization Emeritus of the University of California, San Diego. A nationally recognized biblical scholar, Friedman is the author of the bestselling Who Wrote the Bible? as well as The Disappearance of God, The Hidden Book in the Bible, Commentary on the Torah, The Bible with Sources Revealed, and The Exile and Biblical Narrative.
Shawna Dolansky is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Northeastern University. She is the author of Now You See It, Now You Don't: The Relationship Between Magic and Religion in the Hebrew Bible and the editor of Sacred History, Sacred Literature.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (July 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195311639
• ISBN-13: 978-0195311631
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Elliott Friedman is professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature and holds the Katzin Chair at the University of California, San Diego. One of the premier biblical scholars in the country, he received his doctorate at Harvard and was a visiting fellow at Oxford and Cambridge. Author of The Hidden Face of God, The Hidden Book in the Bible, Commentary on the Torah, The Exile and Biblical Narrative, and the bestselling Who Wrote the Bible?, Friedman is also the president of the Biblical Colloquium West. A consultant to universities, journals, encyclopedias, and publishers, he is also the editor of four books on biblical studies and has authored over fifty articles, reviews, and notes in scholarly and popular publications.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sane, responsible, accessible, scholarly, and helpful March 4, 2012

By Emily Zimmerman

Format:Hardcover

After some close encounters with Christian fundamentalists' authoritarian claims to "One Right Way" I sought help from this book. The authors' rare combination of scholarly exactitude, conversational tone, and depth of appreciation for the Hebrew Bible teaches the reader how to read the Bible carefully and responsibly. By zeroing in on references to five current "hot button" topics -- abortion, homosexuality, women's rights, the death penalty, and human responsibility for our impact on our habitat -- the authors explain what the Bible actually says, without taking sides politically. Instead they provide clear and powerful explanations for why relevant passages are or are not interpreted accurately by either side of these polarized debates. After reading this book, I was not only better informed about what the Bible actually says, but I ended up gaining more interest in reading the Bible because the authors show it to be an extraordinary document well worth studying for its wisdom about the human condition. This outcome is ironic, given how most fundamentalists' manner of talking about the Bible resulted in my devaluing the Bible and seeing it as a cause of -- and pretext for -- stupidity, cruelty, bigotry and war. I believe that anyone open-minded enough to read "The Bible Now" would find it engaging, rigorous, and enlightening.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking March 3, 2012

By Happy Doodle

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Too often we read only the words in the Bible without a real understanding of the cultural, historical, or archaeological context of the words. We project our own biases and perspective on the biblical texts. The Bible Now examines current social issues in light of the ancient Hebrew scriptures. The authors attempt to be even handed in their treatment of issues such as abortion, homosexuality, and feminism, examining these issues not from a particular political or social point of view, but through the lens of the Bible, answering the question, What does the Bible really say?

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic!! April 29, 2013

By Matthew

Format:Kindle Edition

Excellent source for arguments used for and against cultural and moral issues of the modern day. It tackles all the arguments you've probably heard and then some. Highly recommended. I finished it in one sitting!!