In ronald hendel s erudite, wellwritten and surprisingly sparse and entertaining the book of genesis. Beginning with two accounts of the creation and of humankind, the narrative relates the initial disobedience of the man and the woman and their consequent expulsion from gods garden. In hendels story of the life and the afterlife of genesis, the plot moves from figural to literal and back to figural again. Professor hendel has been a member of the berkeley faculty since 1999 and has served as chair of jewish studies, the department of near eastern studies, and the graduate program in ancient history and mediterranean archaeology. The opening chapters provide two not entirely compatible accounts of how god created the world and mankind. In ronald hendels erudite, wellwritten and surprisingly sparse and entertaining the book of genesis. For his part, hendel is telling the story of genesis not retelling stories from it.
During the heyday of the reformation, with social upheaval, religious. At the christmas season we see nativity scenes populated by shepherds, wise men, and barnyard animals, including the occasional reindeer red nose optional. The bibles first book is the focus of this contribution by hendel, professor of hebrew bible and jewish studies at the university of california, berkeley, to princetons lives of great religious book. List of books and articles about book of genesis online. With clarity and skill, acclaimed biblical scholar ronald hendel provides a panoramic history of this iconic book, exploring its impact on western religion. The book of genesis 9780691196831, 9781400844593 vitalsource. Dec 14, 2012 one honest response to the lunacy of the world is to laugh.
Written by leading experts in the field, the book of genesis. Nov 28, 2012 for his part, hendel is telling the story of genesis not retelling stories from it. The book of genesis has had one of the most intriguingly complex lives of all biblical texts. The primeval history sets out the authors or authors concepts of the nature of the deity and of humankinds. Much like the larger book to which it is an overture, genesis reads more like an anthology than a single composition.
Hendel proves himself a very skillful and competent biographer. Ron hendel center for jewish studies university of. Hendels book is a thought provoking, wellresearched, concisely constructed and thoroughly enjoyable discussion of the major themes and paradoxes of one of. The bibles first book is the focus of this contribution by hendel, professor of hebrew bible and jewish studies at the university of california, berkeley, to princetons lives of. A biography treats a classic religious text as if it were alive. Genesis jensis, 1st book of the bible, first of the five books of the law the pentateuch or torah ascribed by tradition to moses. The book of genesis, the first book of the hebrew bible and the old testament, is an account of the creation of the world and the origins of the jewish people. Hendel will explore some of these byways, including genesis as apocalypse, allegory, mysticism, and literature. The first section contains studies of a more general nature, including the history of genesis in critical study, genesis in literary and. The book of genesis, the first book of the hebrew bible and the old testament, is an account of the creation of the world and the origins of the jewish people it is divisible into two parts, the primeval history chapters 111 and the ancestral history chapters 1250.
Its twentynine essays fall under four main sections. Its one of the most easily recognizable opening lines from any literary work, the book of genesis, a. Hendels engaging and accessible biography reminds us that genesis remains an astonishing book of marvelous realism and the root from which we came. Reading genesis presents a panoramic view of the most vital ways that genesis is approached in modern scholarship. Hendel approaches the hebrew bible from a variety of angles history of religions, textual criticism, linguistics, comparative mythology, literature, and cultural memory. A biography, by ronald hendel, appears in a new series of short volumes from princeton university press that intends to recount the complex and fascinating histories of important religious texts from around the world for general readers back flap of cover jacket. Ronald hendel is the norma and sam dabby professor of hebrew bible and jewish studies at uc berkeley. A biography princeton, november 2012 in conversation with rabbi stephen pearce of temple emanuel, san francisco, and the very rev. A biography, the bible the book is treated as a written document that is living and thriving across the ages. The book of genesis by ronald hendel home facebook. The book of genesis ebook by ronald hendel rakuten kobo. And god said, let there be light, and there was light. Ronald s hendel during its 2,500yearlife, the book of genesis has been the keystone to almost every important claim about reality, humanity, and god in judaism and christianity. Ronald hendel the book of genesis in the western imagination 1.
A biography, the biblethe bookis treated as a written document that is living and thriving across the ages. The book of genesis plays an important comic role in the first volume, the horrifying and dreadful deeds and prowesses of the most famous pantagruel, king of the dipsodes, son of the great giant gargantua 1532. The first section contains studies of a more general nature, including the history of genesis in critical study, genesis in literary and historical study. Sep 04, 2017 as bible scholar ronald hendel notes in his 20 examination of the history of the bibles first book, the book of genesis a biography, luthers rejection of allegory was part and parcel to his repudiation of the authority of the catholic church. With clarity and skill, acclaimed biblical scholar ronald hendel provides a panoramic history of this iconic book, exploring its impact on western religion, philosophy, science, politics, literature, and more.
Hendel, 9780521732390, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Superbly interweaving many different readings of genesis, from the allegorical and scientific to the historical and literary, ronald hendel covers diverse moments of reception, such as galileos writings, darwins theory of evolution, the american civil war, and kafkas parables. It is essentially as its name implies the quintessential prototype of a book, and whether we take it as the word of god, whether. Ronald hendel will introduce his forthcoming book, the book of genesis. Jane shaw, dean of the grace cathedral, san francisco. Genesis exodus leviticus numbers deuteronomy joshua judges ruth 12 samuel 12 kings 12 chronicles ezranehemiah esther job psalms proverbs ecclesiastes song of songs. The book of genesis by ronald hendel overdrive rakuten. During its 2500year life, the book of genesis has been the keystone to almost every important claim about reality, humanity, and god in judaism and christiani.
In medieval times, humor was often coarse and obscene, and the more effective because of it. Hendel approaches the hebrew bible from a variety of angles history of religions, textual criticism, linguistics, comparative mythology. With clarity and skill, acclaimed biblical scholar ronald hendel provides a panoramic history of this iconic book, exploring its. The book of genesis a biography by ronald hendel and publisher princeton university press. The book traces how genesis has shaped views of reality, and how changing views of reality have shaped. As bible scholar ronald hendel notes in his 20 examination of the history of the bibles first book, the book of genesis a biography, luthers rejection of allegory was part and parcel to his repudiation of the authority of the catholic church.
Distinguished contributors survey methods both old and new, all focused on the book of genesis. Save up to 80% by choosing the etextbook option for isbn. In the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth. Essays by ten eminent scholars cover the perspectives of literature, gender, memory, sources, theology, and the reception of genesis in judaism and christianity. Laughter relieves anxiety and fear, and it pokes holes in the pretensions of the powerful. Ronald s hendel during its 2,500year life, the book of genesis has been the keystone to almost every important claim about reality, humanity, and god in judaism and christianity. Lives of great religious books princeton and oxford. During its 2,500year life, the book of genesis has been the keystone to almost every important claim about reality, hum. The book of genesis ebook por ronald hendel 9781400844593. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. Composition, reception, and interpretation offers a wideranging treatment of the main aspects of genesis study. And it continues to play a central role in debates about science, politics, and human rights. Hendel traces how genesis has shaped views of reality, and how changing views of reality have shaped interpretations of genesis. Hendels book, composed in an end page 450 engaging prose and constructing a fascinating narrative of the life of genesis, is indeed accessible to nonspecialists.
Sep 30, 2015 in the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth. This learned, engaging, elegantly written and handsomely produced little book by ronald hendel, professor of hebrew bible and jewish studies. The beginning in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth. The book traces how genesis has shaped views of reality, and how changing views of reality have shaped interpretations of genesis. Ronald hendel provides a panoramic history of this iconic book, exploring its impact on western religion, philosophy, literature, art, and more.
One of jewish ideas s 40 best jewish books of 2012 hendels engaging and accessible biography reminds us that genesis remains an astonishing book of marvelous realism and the root from which we came. Hendel begins with the genesis of genesis, a palimpsest of motifs taken from ancient near eastern works and three source texts with varying conceptions of humans and god, e. Luthers rough handling of his opponents is rooted in this medieval tradition. During its 2,500year life, the book of genesis has been the keystone to almost every important claim about reality, humanity, and god in judaism and christianity. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the book of genesis. It has an original context, original authors, audience, and so forth, but it grows in various ways in western civilization. Its one of the most easily recognizable opening lines from any literary work, the book of genesis, a book that has been. A critical edition, a new critical edition of the hebrew text, whose first volume proverbs, by michael v. His book is recommended to all those who would like to strike up an acquaintance with genesis in its austere beauty and intriguing complexity. Well the book of genesis i think is a really prime example of a book whose life changes, it grows, it takes different directions, and so the metaphor of something thats alive i think is quite nice for this book. A biography, by ronald hendel, appears in a new series of short volumes from princeton university press that intends. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of god was hovering over the waters.
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