Religion
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Synopsis
Product DescriptionToday's secularists too often have very little accurate knowledge about religion, and even less desire to learn. This is problematic insofar as their sense of self is constructed in opposition to religion. Above all, the secularist is not a Jew, is not a Christian, not a Muslim, and so on. But is it intellectually responsible to define one's identity against something that one does not understand? And what happens when these secularists weigh in on contentious political issues, blind to the religious back-story or concerns that inevitably inform these debates? In The Secular Bible: Why Nonbelievers Must Take Religion Seriously Jacques Berlinerblau suggests that atheists and agnostics must take stock of that which they so adamantly oppose. Defiantly maintaining a shallow understanding of religion, he argues, is not a politically prudent strategy in this day and age. But this book is no less critical of many believers, who--Berlinerblau contends--need to emancipate themselves from ways of thinking about their faith that are dangerously simplistic, irrational and outdated. Exploring the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, from the perspective of a specialist, nonbeliever, and critic of the academic religious studies establishment, Berlinerblau begins by offering a provocative answer to the question of "who wrote the Bible?" The very peculiar way in which this text was composed provides a key to understanding its unique power (and vulnerability) in the modern public sphere. In separate chapters, he looks at how the sparse and contradictory words of Scripture are invoked in contemporary disputes about Jewish intermarriage and homosexuality in the Christian world. Finally, he examines ways in which the Qur'an might be subject to the types of secular interpretation advocated throughout this book. Cumulatively, this book is a first attempt to reinvigorate an estimable secular, intellectual tradition, albeit one that is currently experiencing a moment of crisis.
Review
"In well-wrought prose and with a frolicsome sense of humor, Berlinerblau poses questions that will disquiet thinking secularists as much as they will those committed to religion. By distinguishing between what traditions say about the origin of the Bible and how they interpret it, he opens the door to making the same distinction between what critical biblical scholarship has to say about biblical origins and biblical interpretation. Berlinerblau's book raises questions in a clever, intriguing way that will stimulate serious thought and discussion long after it is put down." Ziony Zevit, author of The Religions of Ancient Israel
"This is a clever , important and engaging book that makes modern biblical scholarship accessible. Berlinerblau's premise, as reflected in his subtitle, "Why Nonbelievers Must Take Religion Seriously" is correct--the Bible is too important a book to be left only to religious communities and their clergy. The Secular Bible offers a clear introduction to the Bible and its interpretation both for secularists, and for religious individuals who want to understand the Bible as it is read by biblical scholars. The central claim of the book, that the Bible has no single author and no single message, is important for believer and secularist alike. This claim is illustrated in a lively discussion of biblical attitudes toward intermarriage and homosexuality, which is followed by an engaging exploration of the problems of secular interpretation of the Quran. Berlinerblau is certainly correct to realize that the Bible even exerts significant power over secular American society, and thus must be read and understood by all." --Marc Z. Brettler, Brandeis University
"This book would not lie flat on the desk as I was reading it, but kept jumping up trying to bite my fingers. This was, I don't doubt, a design feature introduced by the publisher in conformity with its contents. . . . Not only is Berlinerblau's book passionate, vivacious, and
Book Details
Published
June 1, 2012
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISBN
9780511614828