Body symbolism in the Bible / Silvia Schroer, Thomas Staubli ; translated by Linda M. Maloney.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schroer, Silvia, 1958-

Contributor:

Staubli, Thomas, 1962-

Maloney, Linda M.

Standardized Title:

Körpersymbolik der Bibel. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Human body--Biblical teaching.

Human body.

Physical Description:

xv, 249 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Collegeville, Minn. : Liturgical Press, [2001]

Summary:

Many people with illnesses seek healing in religions and practices that are only weakly inculturated among us. Our understanding and use of such foreign wisdom is often just as superficial; but it is easily understood against the background of a centuries-long Christian tradition of interpreting the Bible in a way hostile to the body, particularly the female body.

In Body Symbolism in the Bible, Schroer and Staubli offer a better understanding of this subject by exploring the symbolism of various body parts in the Bible. They reinterpret and thereby reclaim the notion of the body as a temple of God so that regard for the body can lead to respect for the human rights of women and men. Exploring the topic through the lenses of theological anthropology and biblical spirituality, their presentation will surely add clarity to our understanding and generate future discussion.

Richly illustrated in full color.

Contents:

I. Aspects of Theological Anthropology: From the Human Being to the Male and Female Body 1

1. "And God made humankind in the divine image." Human beings as images of God 1

2. "The human being has no advantage over the beast." The vulnerable creature 4

3. "Ecce homo." Philosophical and theological answers to the human question 6

Jewish Teaching About Adam 6

Christian Dialectic Between Adam and Christ 7

Gnostic Speculations about Adam 8

The Human in Islam: Between God and the Devil 8

Triumph Over the Body in Western Philosophy 9

The Star of Redemption in the Face of God 9

The Truth in the Otherness of Others 10

The Sacramentality of the Body 11

Physical Community as Committed Church 12

Women's Lives as the Measure of Liberation 13

4. "What is the human being ...?" In search of a body-oriented biblical anthropology 14

Hans Walter Wolff's Old Testament Anthropology 14

James Barr's Objections to a Biblical Anthropology 16

Feminist Perspectives in Biblical Anthropology 18

II. Aspects of Biblical Body Spirituality: From Sinful Flesh to the Temple of God 22

1. "This ... is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." Aspective apprehension and description of the body 22

2. "Your eyes are like doves." Beauty as expressive rather than perfected form 24

3. "My body dwells securely." Physical prayers of physical people 28

4. "This is my body." The celebration of the body in the celebration of the bread 29

5. "And the Word was made flesh." God becomes a real body 31

6. "Speak but a word." Healing of body and spirit 33

7. "Faith, love, hope." Jesus' praxis of eyes, hands, and feet 34

8. "She has performed a good service for me." Bodily wellness and the erotic 36

9. "Glorify God in your body." The body as temple of the Holy Spirit 38

1. An Understanding Heart 41

Symbol of the Inner Person 42

Heart and Heartlessness: Intelligence and Stupidity 43

The Place of Spiritual Treasures and Secrets 44

Human Conscience 46

Heart and Hurt: A Contrast with the Western Tradition of the Heart 49

2. From Throat to Soul 56

The Breathing Throat: Crux of Life and Symbol of the Person 56

The Desirous Throat: Driving Power and Spark of the Soul 61

The Soul Amputated from the Body 62

Rejoining What Has Been Severed 66

3. God in the Belly 68

The Entrails: Seismographs of Feeling 68

The Womb: Compassionate Giver of Life 71

God's Wombliness 77

Despising the Menstruating Woman 81

4. "The Very Hairs of Your Head Are Numbered" 83

The Head: Crown of the Human Person 83

The Face: Focus of the Person 85

Face to Face with God 88

The Neck: Bastion of Pride 91

The Nose: Wrath and Patience 94

The Hair: Vitality and Eroticism 96

5. "They Have Eyes But Do Not See" 103

Eyes and Gaze 105

God Sees 107

Faith Comes (Also) from Seeing 110

Seeing and Hearing as Recognizing and Understanding 113

The Evil Eye 118

6. "Let Anyone with Ears to Hear Listen!" 122

"Hearing Is Useful to Those Who Can Hear" 122

"Hear, O Israel!" 126

God Hears 129

Opening the Ears 131

7. "My Mouth Shall Declare Your Praise" 134

Eating, Laughing, Kissing, Speaking 134

Diplomatic and Wise Speech 138

The Healing and Polluting Mouth 139

The Speechless Mouth 140

The Violent Mouth 141

God's Mouth and Human Words 143

The Mouth That Speaks Praise 146

8. "With a Mighty Hand and an Outstretched Arm" 150

Gestures: The Language of the Hands 150

Left and Right Hands 158

Creative and Destructive, Powerful and Violent Hands 161

Hand and Penis 164

The Finger of God 168

With a Mighty Hand and an Outstretched Arm 171

The World-Creating and World-Sustaining Hands of God 173

God's Hidden Hand 176

9. "You Have Placed Everything Under His Feet" 181

Standing and Walking 181

The Enemy Beneath One's Feet 184

What Lies at People's Feet 190

At the Feet of God 191

Removing One's Shoes 195

Washing Feet 197

The Footsteps of Christ 200

10. "All Flesh Is Like Grass" 203

Bones as Sober Evidence of Death 203

Skin and Bones 205

Flesh and Bone Related 209

Signs of Mortality 212

Rushing Wind as the Spirit of God 214

The Evil Spirit 216.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 220-235) and index.

ISBN:

0814659543

OCLC:

46976718