Rethinking the Pentateuch : prolegomena to the theology of ancient Israel / Antony F. Campbell and Mark A. O'Brien.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Campbell, Antony F.

Contributor:

O'Brien, Mark A., 1945-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Pentateuch--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Bible. Pentateuch.

Physical Description:

xv, 183 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Louisville, Ky. : Westminster John Knox Press, [2005]

Summary:

Scholars have long attempted to explain how the Pentateuch was put together. According to the predominant theory-the Documentary Hypothesis-the material in these books came from four hypothetical sources designated as J, E, D, and P. Answering the increasing scholarly call to rethink this theory, Antony Campbell and Mark O'Brien here offer a revolutionary explanation for the plurality and multiplicity within the text.

In Campbell and O'Brien's model, a "user-base" approach, ancient users, particularly storytellers, were afforded options within the text and considered it acceptable, perhaps common, to expand the stories from the brief text originally included. Much, then, that has been divided among the J, E, D, and P sources can be seen as preserving options for ancient users, and the narrative texts can be seen as signals to expand upon the text as needed, while the Israelite people attempted to make theological sense of their present.

Contents:

2 Evidence 11

3 Outcome 25

Outcome in Genesis A Nature of Humanity 26

Outcome in Genesis B Ancestors of Israel 30

Outcome in Genesis C The Joseph Story and Associated Text (Genesis 37-50) 60

Outcome in Exodus-Numbers: Core of Israel's Experience 68

Outcome in Deuteronomy: Ideal for Israel 97

Outcome Overall 100

Envoi 105

Appendix 1 Two Intensive Studies 107

"P" and Genesis One 107

"P" and Genesis 1-11 111

Appendix 2 Two Examples 117

Genesis 12-13 117

Genesis 18-19 119

Appendix 3 Two Exceptions 123

Flood Text (Genesis 6-9) 123

Sea Text (Exodus 14) 124

Appendix 4 Analysis of the Text Genesis-Exodus; Numbers 1-24 127.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 157-162) and indexes.

ISBN:

0664228097

OCLC:

58720845