Search results

And, in two parts, the book covers the literary and historical influence of the Scriptures from Genesis through the end of the New Testament. Any treatment of the Bible in public schools in the context of today's American culture wars will prove controversial.

Israel's use of the Bible to legitimate the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank & Gaza is questioned. Whereas Moses is perceived as embodying a negative theological position that legitimated the authority of biblical Jewish leaders, the biblical figure Korah is viewed as personifying a gnostic perspective toward human-oriented government. Several episodes from the Torah that exemplify this tension between gnosticism & negative theology are subsequently analyzed including humankind's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the construction of the Tower of Babel, the controversy surrounding the creation of the Golden Calf, & the appearance of the Burning Bush. It is argued that interpretation of these events provides ambiguous legitimacy for Israeli settlements; for example, despite God's bestowal of certain lands to the biblical Jews, it is noted that not placing one's life in mortal danger was a primary imperative among the rabbinical leaders. It is concluded that the Torah's advocacy of majority rule entails the protection of the rights of minority groups. J. W. Parker