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Author:   Rev. Dr. Walter J. Houston (Oxford University, UK)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   T.& T.Clark Ltd
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   0.422kg
ISBN:  

9780567033543

ISBN 10:   0567033546
Pages:   304
Publication Date:   14 November 2008
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Language:   English

Table of Contents

Preface to Revised Edition Preface to First Edition Acknowledgements Abbreviations Chapter 1 Texts and Contexts 1. Introduction 1.a. The author's context 1.b. Studies of social justice in the Old Testament 1.c. Biblical justice in Christian tradition and today 1.d. The hermeneutical problem 2. A proposal for our method 3. Selecting the objects of study Chapter 2 The Ancient Social Context 1. Explaining the evidence 2. Rent capitalism 3. 'Ancient' class society 4. The tributary state 5. The patronage system 6. Conclusions Chapter 3 Oppression and the Prophets 1. Interpreting the prophets 2. Amos 2.a. The message of the book of Amos 2.b. Perceiving oppression in Amos 2.b.1. The victims 2.b.2. The oppressors 2.b.3. The acts of oppression 2.b.4. The law and the prophet 2.c. The paradox of Amos 3. Surveying the prophets 4. Micah 5. Isaiah 6. Jeremiah 7. Ezekiel 8. Oppression in the prophets 8.a. The victims 8.b. The oppressors 8.c. The acts of oppression 8.c.1. Bloodshed 8.c.2. Violence and coercion 8.c.3. Extortion, unjust gain 8.c.4. Loss of freedom 8.c.5. Perversion of right 8.c.6. Indulgence at the expense of the poor 9. The justice of YHWH 10. Conclusions Chapter 4 Justice and the Patron 1. Introduction 2. Ezekiel 18 3. Exodus 22.21 (Heb. 20)-23.12 4. Proverbs 5. Job 6. The virtue of justice Chapter 5 Justice and the King 1. Introduction 2. Criticism of monarchy? 3. The royal ideology 4. Psalm 72 and the ideology of royal justice 5. The theme of social justice in the royal traditions 6. Expecting the just king Chapter 6 Justice and the People 1. Visions of justice in the Prophets 1.a. Introduction 1.b. Visions of justice in Isaiah 1.c. Justice in the vision of Ezekiel 1.d. A vision of justice in Zephaniah 1.e. Interpreting utopia 2. The just society in the Torah 2.a. The Torah as a whole 2.b. Deuteronomy 2.b.1. The context of composition 2.b.2. General provisions 2.b.3. The third-year tithe 2.b.4. The release of debts 2.b.5. The release of slaves 2.b.6. Deuteronomy, class and community 2.c. The law of jubilee in the Holiness Code Chapter 7 The God of Justice 1. Introduction 2. Impartial and partial justice 3. Social affinities 3.a. Patronage 3.b. Kingship 3.c. Synthesis 4. Ideological functions 5. Reflections for today Chapter 8 The Old Testament as a Resource in Contending for Justice? 1. Old Testament justice in today's world 2. Embodying the justice of God Bibliography

Reviews

'A splendid contribution to a very major issue, a most interesting and thought-provoking study' Richard Coggins, formerly Senior Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, King's College London, UK '[A] marvellous combination of reading everything, being open to the most radical of ideas, but keeping a cool head, a critical spirit, and a desire to discover things in the OT of theological and ethical value.' John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, California, USA

"'A very fine work, probably the most useful and comprehensive I have come across...this accomplishment...is a real contribution to the study of biblical ethics.' Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, USA 'This book is a successful attempt to understand texts concerned with social justice in the OT from a Christian perspective. It is full of insights, provocative and challenging. It is at times disturbing. It is also full of hope.' K. Heim, SOTS Booklist -- K. Heim, SOTS Booklist, 2007 'A splendid contribution to a very major issue, a most interesting and thought-provoking study' Richard Coggins, formerly Senior Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, King's College London, UK ‘[A] marvellous combination of reading everything, being open to the most radical of ideas, but keeping a cool head, a critical spirit, and a desire to discover things in the OT of theological and ethical value.' John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, California, USA Mention -Book News, February 2009 ""Walter Houston here offers a comprehensive study of the them of social justice in the Old Testament, showing in what ways , and within what limits, the OT can and should be used today as a resource in campaigning for justice. The sociological context is illuminatingly explored; not least in relation to questions as to who was oppressing whom an by what means"" ""The teaching of the OT, Houston argues, should not be adopted uncritically (the genocide of Canaaties is clearly morally repugnant), but Deuteronomy's teaching about brotherhood has enduring relevance, as have the calls for social justice found in the prophetical books"" The Pastoral Review vol.4 issue 4 ""...a book unusually well attuned to the dual task of reading the Old Testament carefully and critically while still engaged in the task of offering a serious word to today's world. The depth and intricacy of the various exegetical and interpretative arguments is evidence that this is not an easy balancing act to maintain, but in my judgement Houston is strikingly successful. This book will repay careful attention to its detail, and will serve to energize those who would contend for justice today."" Theology, November 2009 ""This stimulating work is a revision of the edition released in 2005...The great strengths of the volume are the hermeneutical sophistication Houston brings to the task and the exegetical care with which he presents his conclusions. Thus, he avoids a facile reading of the Old Testament that simply takes its statements at face value, arguing that there are always ideologies at work behind its claims."" Expository Times, November 2009 ""Houston's monograph is to be welcomed as a timely contribution to both the field of Old Testament studies, and those theologians involved with, and concerned for the pressing need for articulation of the grounds for social justice in contemporary society."" Theological Book Review, Vol 21, 2009"

'A very fine work, probably the most useful and comprehensive I have come across...this accomplishment...is a real contribution to the study of biblical ethics.' Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, USA 'This book is a successful attempt to understand texts concerned with social justice in the OT from a Christian perspective. It is full of insights, provocative and challenging. It is at times disturbing. It is also full of hope.' K. Heim, SOTS Booklist -- K. Heim, SOTS Booklist, 2007 'A splendid contribution to a very major issue, a most interesting and thought-provoking study' Richard Coggins, formerly Senior Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, King's College London, UK ‘[A] marvellous combination of reading everything, being open to the most radical of ideas, but keeping a cool head, a critical spirit, and a desire to discover things in the OT of theological and ethical value.' John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, California, USA Mention -Book News, February 2009 ""Walter Houston here offers a comprehensive study of the them of social justice in the Old Testament, showing in what ways , and within what limits, the OT can and should be used today as a resource in campaigning for justice. The sociological context is illuminatingly explored; not least in relation to questions as to who was oppressing whom an by what means"" ""The teaching of the OT, Houston argues, should not be adopted uncritically (the genocide of Canaaties is clearly morally repugnant), but Deuteronomy's teaching about brotherhood has enduring relevance, as have the calls for social justice found in the prophetical books"" The Pastoral Review vol.4 issue 4 ""...a book unusually well attuned to the dual task of reading the Old Testament carefully and critically while still engaged in the task of offering a serious word to today's world. The depth and intricacy of the various exegetical and interpretative arguments is evidence that this is not an easy balancing act to maintain, but in my judgement Houston is strikingly successful. This book will repay careful attention to its detail, and will serve to energize those who would contend for justice today."" Theology, November 2009 ""This stimulating work is a revision of the edition released in 2005...The great strengths of the volume are the hermeneutical sophistication Houston brings to the task and the exegetical care with which he presents his conclusions. Thus, he avoids a facile reading of the Old Testament that simply takes its statements at face value, arguing that there are always ideologies at work behind its claims."" Expository Times, November 2009 ""Houston's monograph is to be welcomed as a timely contribution to both the field of Old Testament studies, and those theologians involved with, and concerned for the pressing need for articulation of the grounds for social justice in contemporary society."" Theological Book Review, Vol 21, 2009

'A very fine work, probably the most useful and comprehensive I have come across...this accomplishment...is a real contribution to the study of biblical ethics.' Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, USA 'This book is a successful attempt to understand texts concerned with social justice in the OT from a Christian perspective. It is full of insights, provocative and challenging. It is at times disturbing. It is also full of hope.' K. Heim, SOTS Booklist -- K. Heim, SOTS Booklist, 2007 'A splendid contribution to a very major issue, a most interesting and thought-provoking study' Richard Coggins, formerly Senior Lecturer in Old Testament Studies, King's College London, UK '[A] marvellous combination of reading everything, being open to the most radical of ideas, but keeping a cool head, a critical spirit, and a desire to discover things in the OT of theological and ethical value.' John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament at Fuller Seminary, Pasadena, California, USA Mention -Book News, February 2009 Walter Houston here offers a comprehensive study of the them of social justice in the Old Testament, showing in what ways , and within what limits, the OT can and should be used today as a resource in campaigning for justice. The sociological context is illuminatingly explored; not least in relation to questions as to who was oppressing whom an by what means The teaching of the OT, Houston argues, should not be adopted uncritically (the genocide of Canaaties is clearly morally repugnant), but Deuteronomy's teaching about brotherhood has enduring relevance, as have the calls for social justice found in the prophetical books The Pastoral Review vol.4 issue 4 ...a book unusually well attuned to the dual task of reading the Old Testament carefully and critically while still engaged in the task of offering a serious word to today's world. The depth and intricacy of the various exegetical and interpretative arguments is evidence that this is not an easy balancing act to maintain, but in my judgement Houston is strikingly successful. This book will repay careful attention to its detail, and will serve to energize those who would contend for justice today. Theology, November 2009 This stimulating work is a revision of the edition released in 2005...The great strengths of the volume are the hermeneutical sophistication Houston brings to the task and the exegetical care with which he presents his conclusions. Thus, he avoids a facile reading of the Old Testament that simply takes its statements at face value, arguing that there are always ideologies at work behind its claims. Expository Times, November 2009 Houston's monograph is to be welcomed as a timely contribution to both the field of Old Testament studies, and those theologians involved with, and concerned for the pressing need for articulation of the grounds for social justice in contemporary society. Theological Book Review, Vol 21, 2009

Author Information

The Rev. Dr Walter J. Houston is Fellow Emeritus at Mansfield College, University of Oxford, and Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Religions and Theology at the University of Manchester, UK. He is a contributor to the Oxford Bible Commentary and Eerdmans Bible Commentary.

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