John J. Pilch is visiting professor in the Odyssey Program at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and was adjunct professor of biblical literature at Georgetown University for eighteen years. His other books include Flights of the Soul: Visions, Heav
John H. Elliott
-- University of San Francisco
"A Cultural Handbook to the Bible is a splendid resource for
teachers (at any level), preachers, and general readers seeking to
bridge the gaps (geographical, historical, social, cultural)
separating us today from biblical times and everyday life in
antiquity." Joan C. Campbell
-- Atlantic School of Theology
"From beginning to end, John Pilch breaks the cultural world of the
Bible wide open, enabling readers along the whole theological
spectrum to be more considerate readers of texts that derive from a
social system vastly different from our own. With this aid at their
side, readers of the Bible will avoid common misinterpretations of
biblical terms, symbols, behaviors, values, and more. This is a
must-have resource for theologians, preachers, and students." Bruce
J. Malina
-- Creighton University
"John Pilch's expertise in Middle Eastern culture shines through in
pointed scenarios concerning the cosmos, the earth, persons,
family, language, human consciousness, God and the spirit world,
and entertainment." Jerome H. Neyrey
-- University of Notre Dame
"Pilch's Cultural Handbook to the Bible is so interesting that
readers will find it hard to stop reading. Very accessible for a
wide range of readers - college students, seminarians, theologians,
laypersons. . . . Materials from this book would give lots of fizz
and snap to sermons." Peter C. Phan
-- Georgetown University
"In a highly accessible style yet with deep and wide scholarship,
John Pilch, an international authority on the biblical social
world, leads us, like a trustworthy tour guide, through the
highways and byways of the ancient world. Thanks to his work, the
Bible becomes alive to us again as God's Word in human words. I
most strongly recommend this handbook to both scholars and general
readers." Douglas E. Oakman
-- Pacific Lutheran University
"An award-winning predecessor volume by John Pilch (The Cultural
Dictionary of the Bible) proved enormously useful for my
undergraduate biblical-studies classroom. This new compilation of
articles once again demonstrates Pilch's rich knowledge of biblical
culture and provides the readers with many satisfying insights. A
Cultural Handbook to the Bible will well serve students, clergy,
and university-level teachers." Halvor Moxnes
-- University of Oslo
"Once more Pilch has given us what we have come to expect from him
-- thorough knowledge from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean
cultures giving new and unexpected insights into the texts of the
Bible. Short essays on a wide range of topics provide answers to
the curious Bible reader, and bibliographies give students tools to
pursue their own explorations into the fascinating world of the
Bible. This is a book to enjoy and learn from!" Interpretation
"An important and accessible resource for scholars, pastors, and
laity alike; it will be useful for all readers who wish to explore
biblical categories in an ancient Near Eastern setting." Review &
Expositor
"The book is easy to read and very insightful concerning ancient
Mediterranean culture. . . . Anyone with an interest in the
biblical world will find A Cultural Handbook to the Bible a
worthwhile read." Reviews in Religion and Theology
"This fascinating book is an excellent introduction to all kinds of
topics concerned with the ancient Middle Eastern culture of the
Bible. . . . I would wholeheartedly recommend this work, written in
a wonderfully free style. Read with discernment, disagree, discuss,
but do not dismiss." Journal for the Study of the New Testament
"Introduces general readers and undergraduate students to the
fascinating world of biblical anthropology." Review of Biblical
Literature
"This book is one that could be used by students who are getting
into the social and cultural world of the Bible. . . . It is a good
book for preachers or Bible school lecturers who want to share the
insights of social and cultural anthropology in a distilled and
very accessible way to an audience. The book is also a good
reference source for scholars." Southwestern Journal of
Theology
"An excellent collection of Pilch's insights into the biblical
world." Congregational Libraries Today
"A solid reference work. . . . Highly recommended for clergy,
seminarians, and other students of the Bible." Booklist (American
Library Association)
"An insightful collection of articles that helps place the Bible in
a historically accurate cultural context." Wisconsin Lutheran
Quarterly
"Pilch is never dull, and the objective of this book is laudable.
Its value lies in its raising questions that every interpreter of
Scripture needs to ask."
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