Ethnicity, Race, Religion - by Katherine M Hockey & David G Horrell (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Religion, ethnicity and race are facets of human identity that have become increasingly contested in the study of the Bible - largely due to the modern discipline of biblical studies having developed in the context of Western Europe, concurrent with the emergence of various racial and imperial ideologies. The essays in this volume address Western domination by focusing on historical facets of ethnicity and race in antiquity, the identities of Jews and Christians, and the critique of scholarly ideologies and racial assumptions which have shaped this branch of study.

The contributors critique various Western European and North American contexts, and bring fresh perspectives from other global contexts, providing insights into how biblical studies can escape its enmeshment in often racist notions of ethnicity, race, empire, nationhood and religion. Covering issues ranging from translation and racial stereotyping to analysing the significance of race in Genesis and the problems of an imperialist perspective, this volume is vital not only for biblical scholars but those invested in Christian, Jewish and Muslim identity.

Review Quotes

"This volume is important and deserves to be discussed broadly in the field of biblical studies. Its interests are wide and timely, expanding our understanding not only of ancient texts but also of issues related to modern biblical interpretation." --Review of Biblical Literature

"This timely collection of essays investigates the diversity of social identities in the biblical literature, but also questions the lenses through which we see the performances and language of identity. The "meta-critical" discussions make for essential reading" --MARK BRETT, Whitley College, Australia

"This fascinating collection of diverse essays rewards careful perusal. The authors are some of the most distinguished scholars of antiquity, the Bible, and the history of Christianity and Judaism. The essays evince obvious theoretical sophistication around issues of race, ethnicity, and identity, a sophistication too often lacking in the fields of biblical and classical studies. The collection is timely, interesting, and valuable. A great read." --DALE B. MARTIN, Yale University, USA

"In this rich and highly stimulating volume, editors Katherine M. Hockey and David G. Horrell have collected and organised into three thematically oriented parts a treasure trove of perceptive and thought-provoking essays by a group of internationally renowned scholars. While diverse in topic and argument, these essays combine into a unified effort aimed at dismantling historical and contemporary discourses on identity. Doing so, they open up routes for new and creative ways of envisioning the future of biblical studies as a truly global discipline. This is essential reading for historians and theologians alike, as well as for anyone interested in the dynamics involved in identity formation as a social phenomenon and its effects on modern scholarship." --ANDERS RUNESSON, University of Oslo, Norway

"'"It is often easier to see how scholarship of the past was enmeshed in the racial and religious ideologies of its time than it is to appreciate how far our own present work continues to be shaped by such ideologies" (David Horrell, in the Introduction). This volume succeeds in doing both things and hence constitutes a strongly articulated challenge to traditional biblical scholarship that no reflective person should miss." --TROELS ENGBERG-PEDERSEN, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

About the Author

Katherine M. Hockey is Kirby Laing Postdoctoral Fellow in New Testament at the University of Aberdeen, UK.

David Horrell is Professor of New Testament Studies, and the Director of the Centre for Biblical Studies at the University of Exeter, UK.