God's people in God's land : family, land, and property in the Old Testament / Christopher J.H. Wright.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wright, Christopher J. H., 1947-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Old Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Bible. Old Testament.

Land use--Biblical teaching.

Land use.

Economics in the Bible.

Sociology, Biblical.

Physical Description:

xx, 284 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Grand Rapids, Mich. : W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. ; Exeter, England : Paternoster Press, 1990.

Summary:

In recent sociological approaches to the Old Testament, Christians have been finding unexpected resources for their ethical reflection and action relative to the modern world's pressing social and economic dilemmas. This unique survey by Christopher Wright examines life in Old Testament Israel from an ethical perspective by considering how the economic facts of Israel's social structure were related to the people's religious beliefs. Observing the centrality of the family in social, economic and religious spheres of Israelite life, Wright analyzes Israel's theology of land, the rights and responsibilities of property owners, and the socioeconomic and legal status of dependent persons in ancient Israel - wives, children, and slaves - showing the mutual interaction between such laws, institutions, and customs and the nation's covenant relationship with God. While primarily exegetical, God's People in God's Land contains many useful insights for Christian social ethics: Wright suggests how the ethical application of his findings might proceed as Christians with different theological perspectives and cultural contexts seek to work out the relevance of the Old Testament for today.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 266-272) and indexes.

Local Notes:

Acc. # 207594.

ISBN:

0802803210 :

OCLC:

21447437