Philip R. Davies – författare

In 2001 Wyn Roberts celebrated both his 70th birthday and 50 years of working in surface science, to use the term "surface science" in its broadest meaning. This book aims to mark the anniversary with a contribution of lasting value. The book is divided into three sections: surface science, model catalysts and catalysis, topics in which Wyn has always had interests. The authors for each chapter were chosen from some of the many eminent scientists who have worked with Wyn in various ways. The authors have produced authoritative reviews of their own specialties which together result in a book with a combination of breadth and depth exploring the most recent developments in surface chemistry and catalysis in 2002. Since the early 1980s surface science has provided many revolutionary insights into catalysis to explain the complexities of the processes occurring on catalyst surfaces. There are many books on different aspects of both surface science and catalysis but this volume attempts to provide an authoritative survey of the whole area.

New in paperback, this is a fully illustrated volume on the discovery, meaning and significance of all the Dead Sea Scrolls by acknowledged experts in the field. Offering intriguing historical and religious insights into the period of authorship, from Babylon to Bar Kokhba, and expert interpretation of the manuscripts using palaeography, Carbon-14 dating and computer reconstructions, the book also Includes factfiles, tables, reconstructions, scroll photographs and a guide to where to see the scrolls today.

Do religious writings make sense to any reader who does not accept the reality of the deities to which they refer? Do Christians understand the Old Testament better than the Jews understand their Bible? The Bible, argues this book, may belong to the Church or synagogue as an instrument of religious practice, but as an object of academic study it belongs to the world as a whole., and as such can function in theory and practice as a secular discourse. A number of exegetical studies suggests that a genuinely academic discourse about biblical writings - one that distances itself from received canons of interpretation - can expose a subtext of deceit within the Creation narratives, re-conceptualize the relationship between Abraham and his deity, reveal lament psalms as texts of oppression, and identify the death of Daniel's God. In a new chapter, Davies evaluates how the film Monty Python's Life of Brian contributes to 'Life of Jesus' research. Here is a challenge to conventional biblical scholarship and a bid to define and establish a genuine academic discipline of biblical studies.

This book contains the papers delivered at the 1996 Copper Scroll Symposium which was organized by the Manchester-Sheffield Centre for Dead Sea Scrolls Research to mark the 40th Anniversary of the opening of this enigmatic scroll in Manchester. The papers cover the history of the Scroll's interpretation (P. Muchowski, P. Davies, B. Segal, M. Wise); how it should be conserved, restored and read (N. Cacoudre, M. Lundberg, E. Puech); how it was produced (P. Kyle McCarter); the meaning of its technical terms (J.F. Elwolde, A. Lange, J. Lefkovits, J. Lubbe, L. Schiffman); its genre (M. Bar-Ilan, R. Fidler, T. Lim); its geography (P.S. Alexander); its correlation with archaeological remains (H. Eshel); and not least who wrote it, when and why (S. Goranson, I Knohl, H. Stegemann, B. Thierine, A. Wolters) with an Introduction by G. Brooke. This is volume 40 in the Journal for the Study of Pseudepigrapha Supplement series.

Written by two leading Old Testament scholars with wide ranging expertise, this unique introduction describes the historical, social and cultural setting in which the Old Testament was written, and provides a description of the major genres of literature that it contains. it seeks, therefore, to Illuminate the literature of the Old Testament by showing how it was shaped by the events, social structures, and religions and intellectual ideas of the ancient civilizations and cultures in which it was produced. Unlike most introductions, this book does not build largely on the traditional formats. Rather than a conventional canonical-theological approach, it offers an approach for those interested in the Old Testament as a monumental cultural achievement. It is therefore ideal for students of ancient history and religion in general as well as theology, and requires a minimum of prior knowledge or expertise.

This Festschrift honours one of today's leading scholars of early Judaism and Christian origins. Twenty-two essays by internationally renowned scholars reflect the pioneering contribution of Geza Vermes in the fields of Dead Sea Scrolls, Targums and Rabbinics and New Testament.

Lester Grabbe is probably the most distinguished, and certainly the most prolific of historians of ancient Judaism, the author of several standard treatments and the founder of the European Seminar on Historical methodology. He has continued to set the bar for Hebrew Bible scholarship.In this collection some thirty of his distinguished colleagues and friends offer their reflections on the practice and theory of history writing, on the current controversies and topics of major interest. This collection provides an opportunity for scholars of high caliber to consider groundbreaking ideas in light of Grabbe's scholarship and influence. This festschrift offers the reader a unique volume of essays to explore and consider the far-reaching influence of Grabbe on the field of Biblical studies as a whole.

The Bible, argues this book, may belong to the Church or synagogue as an instrument of religious practice. But as the object of academic study it belongs to the world as a whole. Confessional biblical studies belong to a discipline better termed 'scripture', with 'biblical studies' designating a discipline that imposes no religious conditions and includes any form of rational discourse about the bible. A basic requirement of this discipline is to speak not of 'the Bible' but of 'bibles'. A number of exegetical studies suggest how a genuinely academic discourse about biblical writings, distancing itself from received canons of interpretation, can expose a subtext of deceit within the creation narratives, reconceptualize the relationship of Abraham and his deity, reveal lament psalms as texts of oppression, and identify the death of Daniel's God. In new chapters for this second edition, Davies evaluates how the film Monty Python's Life of Brian contributes to "life of Jesus" research. Here is a challenge to conventional biblical scholarship and a bid to define and establish a genuine academic discipline of biblical studies.

Lester Grabbe is probably the most distinguished, and certainly the most prolific of historians of ancient Judaism, the author of several standard treatments and the founder of the European Seminar on Historical methodology. He has continued to set the bar for Hebrew Bible scholarship.In this collection some thirty of his distinguished colleagues and friends offer their reflections on the practice and theory of history writing, on the current controversies and topics of major interest. This collection provides an opportunity for scholars of high caliber to consider groundbreaking ideas in light of Grabbe's scholarship and influence. This festschrift offers the reader a unique volume of essays to explore and consider the far-reaching influence of Grabbe on the field of Biblical studies as a whole.

The History of Ancient Israel: A Guide for the Perplexed provides the student with the perfect guide to why and how the history of this most contested region has been studies, and why it continues to be studied today. Philip R. Davies, one of the leading scholars of Ancient Israel in recent years, begins by examining the relevance of the study of Ancient Israel, giving an overview of the sources and issues facing historians in approaching the material. Davies then continues by looking at the various theories and hypotheses that scholars have advanced throughout the 20th century, showing how different approaches are presented and in some cases how they are both underpinned and undermined by a range of ideological perspectives. Davies also explains the rise and fall of Biblical Archaeology, the 'maximalist/minimalist' debate. After this helpful survey of past methodologies Davies introduces readers to the current trends in biblical scholarship in the present day, covering areas such as cultural memory, the impact of literary and social scientific theory, and the notion of 'invented history'. Finally, Davies considers the big question: how the various sources of knowledge can be combined to write a modern history that combines and accounts for all the data available, in a meaningful way. This new guide will be a must for students of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.

The History of Ancient Israel: A Guide for the Perplexed provides the student with the perfect guide to why and how the history of this most contested region has been studies, and why it continues to be studied today. Philip R. Davies, one of the leading scholars of Ancient Israel in recent years, begins by examining the relevance of the study of Ancient Israel, giving an overview of the sources and issues facing historians in approaching the material. Davies then continues by looking at the various theories and hypotheses that scholars have advanced throughout the 20th century, showing how different approaches are presented and in some cases how they are both underpinned and undermined by a range of ideological perspectives. Davies also explains the rise and fall of Biblical Archaeology, the 'maximalist/minimalist' debate. After this helpful survey of past methodologies Davies introduces readers to the current trends in biblical scholarship in the present day, covering areas such as cultural memory, the impact of literary and social scientific theory, and the notion of 'invented history'. Finally, Davies considers the big question: how the various sources of knowledge can be combined to write a modern history that combines and accounts for all the data available, in a meaningful way. This new guide will be a must for students of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.

The appearance of In Search of 'Ancient Israel' generated a still-raging controversy about the historical reality of what biblical scholars call 'Ancient Israel'. But its argument not only takes in the problematic relationship between Iron Age Palestinian archaeology and the biblical 'Israel' but also outlines the processes that created the literature of the Hebrew bible-the ideological matrix, the scribal milieu, and the cultural adoption of a national literary archive as religious scripture as part of the process of creating 'Judaisms'. As such, in this volume Philip R. Davies challenges the whole spectrum of scholarly consensus about the origins of 'Israel' and its scriptures, in a manner that is both learned and accessible. For this new edition Davies has provided a new extended introduction, in which he considers how the debate has raged since the book was first published, and in which he repositions this classic work within the present scholarly context.

Scribes and Schools is an examination of the processes which led to the canonization of the Hebrew Bible. Philip Davies sheds light on the social reasons for the development of the canon and in so doing presents a clear picture of how the Bible came into being.Volumes in the Library of Ancient Israel draw on multiple disciplines--such as archaeology, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, and literary criticism--to illuminate the everyday realities and social subtleties these ancient cultures experienced. This series employs sophisticated methods resulting in original contributions that depict the reality of the people behind the Hebrew Bible and interprets these insights for a wide variety of readers.

Written by two leading Old Testament scholars and widely used throughout the world, Philip Davies and John Rogerson's The Old Testament World describes the historical, social, and cultural setting in which the Old Testament was written and examines the major genres of literature that it contains. Ideally suited for college-level introductory classes, it illuminates the literature of the Old Testament by showing how it was shaped by the events, social structures, and religious and intellectual ideas of the ancient civilizations and cultures in which it was produced.

Recent years have seen an explosion of writing on the history of Israel, prompted largely by definitive archaeological surveys and attempts to write a genuine archaeological history of ancient Israel and Judah. The scholarly world has also witnessed an intense confrontation between so-called minimalists and maximalists over the correct approach to the historicity of the Bible. Memories of Ancient Israel looks at the issues at stake in biblical history--the ideologies involved, the changing role of archaeology, and the influence of cultural contexts both ancient and modern. Philip Davies suggests a different way of defining the problem of "reliability" and "historicity" by employing the theory of cultural memory. In doing so, he provides a better explanation of how ancient societies constructed their past but also a penetrating insight into the ideological underpinnings of today's scholarly debates.

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This volume offers a systematic approach to the Persian, Ptolemaic, Seleucid and Hasmonean period, correlating social contexts with the biblical and post-biblical literature that each period generated. The list of contributors includes many of the pioneers of the field of Second Temple sociology, including Kenneth Hoglund, John Wright, Lester Grabbe, Richard Horsley, James Pasto, Robert Doran and the editors. The volume, which also includes an introductory essay on the methods and outcomes of this kind of exercise, furnishes an excellent introduction to the agenda of interpreting biblical texts as social products.

Prophetic symbolism is one of the key topics of this volume. On Isaiah, John F.A. Sawyer finds radical images of Yahweh, Kenneth T. Aitken looks at the metamorphosis of the key motif of hearing, seeing and understanding, Michael L. Barre examines lions and birds in 31.4-5, and Marvin A. Sweeney re-examines vmes(tm)s in 8.6. The imagery of Ezekiel is explored by Leslie C. Allen (the 'Death Valley' vision) and M.G. Swanepoel (Ezekiel 16 and female images of Israel), and Alan Cooper and Athalya Brenner write on the book of Jonah. Two essays of more general scope deal with the search for unity in Isaiah (David Carr) and the redactional shape of Nahum 1 (James Nogalski). An attractive and stimulating volume which reflects the liveliness of current research on the prophetic literature.

In 2001 Wyn Roberts celebrated both his 70th birthday and 50 years of working in surface science, to use the term "surface science" in its broadest meaning. This book aims to mark the anniversary with a contribution of lasting value, something more than the usual festschrift issue of a relevant journal. The book is divided into three sections: Surface Science, Model Catalysts and Catalysis, topics in which Wyn has always had interests. The authors for each chapter were chosen from some of the many eminent scientists who have worked with Wyn in various ways and are all internationally acknowledged as leaders in their field. The authors have produced authoritative reviews of their own specialties which together result in a book with an unrivalled combination of breadth and depth exploring the most recent developments in surface chemistry and catalysis.

Whether you are new to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or it’s part of your toolbox, this book has much to offer. Beginning with an introduction to modern XPS practice in the context of materials and solid-state chemistry, further chapters examine specific analyses relevant to current topics in materials chemistry research and their future developments. Throughout the book, contributing authors share their knowledge and experience, helping you avoid the common mistakes in data analysis, sample preparation, and methodology, and ensuring that you take a best-practice approach to XPS analysis.

Hebrew Biblical narratives are notoriously sparing in their portrayal of character, leaving much to the reader. Here a number of scholars assume the identities of some familiar biblical characters, and use the clues in the text, their own exegetical skills and knowledge of the biblical world, and their readerly imagination to fill in the gaps of the biblical text. In doing so, they remove the point of view of biblical narratives from the narrator to one of the characters, allowing the ideology of the text to be affirmed, adjusted or challenged. Contributors to this volume include Francis Landy, Athalya Brenner, Yairah Amit, John Goldingay, Jonathan Magonet, Hugh Pyper, and Philip Davies, and the biblical characters include Rahab, Isaiah, Gomer, Eve, Delilah, Joseph, Jeremiah and Haman.

Hebrew Biblical narratives are notoriously sparing in their portrayal of character, leaving much to the reader. Here a number of scholars assume the identities of some familiar biblical characters, and use the clues in the text, their own exegetical skills and knowledge of the biblical world, and their readerly imagination to fill in the gaps of the biblical text. In doing so, they remove the point of view of biblical narratives from the narrator to one of the characters, allowing the ideology of the text to be affirmed, adjusted or challenged. Contributors to this volume include Francis Landy, Athalya Brenner, Yairah Amit, John Goldingay, Jonathan Magonet, Hugh Pyper, and Philip Davies, and the biblical characters include Rahab, Isaiah, Gomer, Eve, Delilah, Joseph, Jeremiah and Haman.

"Rethinking Biblical Scholarship" brings together seminal essays to provide readers with an assessment of the archaeological and exegetical research which has transformed the discipline of biblical studies over the last two decades. The essays focus on history and historiography, exploring how scholarly constructs and ideologies mould historical, literary and cultural data and shape scholarly discourse. Most of the essays illustrate the development of what has been called a "minimalist" methodology. Among the many central topics examined are the formation of the Jewish scriptural canon and how the concepts of "prophecy" and "apocalypse" illuminate the emergence of Judaism in the late Persian and Hellenistic periods.

On the Origins of Judaism examines the formation of one of the oldest monotheistic religions. The book covers a diverse range of themes: the identity of those who produced and canonized the Hebrew Bible and subsequently shaped its interpretation; the significance and impact of Second Isaiah and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah; the roots of Jewish apocalyptic literature, and the possible origins of the Exodus story; the ethical systems of the Hebrew Bible and the Athenian tragedians; and the place of food and drink in the Qumran community. On the Origins of Judaism is the most comprehensive exploration of the roots of the Jewish faith and will be invaluable to students and scholars of biblical and religious studies.

On the Origins of Judaism examines the formation of one of the oldest monotheistic religions. The book covers a diverse range of themes: the identity of those who produced and canonized the Hebrew Bible and subsequently shaped its interpretation; the significance and impact of Second Isaiah and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah; the roots of Jewish apocalyptic literature, and the possible origins of the Exodus story; the ethical systems of the Hebrew Bible and the Athenian tragedians; and the place of food and drink in the Qumran community. On the Origins of Judaism is the most comprehensive exploration of the roots of the Jewish faith and will be invaluable to students and scholars of biblical and religious studies.

Opening the Books of Moses presents an introduction to the first five books of the Bible. It is written for any student engaged in the scholarly study of these most central of biblical texts. The aim throughout is to examine the books with a view to illuminating the ideas, beliefs and experiences of the time. This broad overview provides: a survey of the current state of Pentateuchal research; an analysis of how the texts were shaped by their time and audience; an outline of Jewish areas in the Persian period; the study concludes with an analysis of key concerns in the study of the Pentateuch, notably the Torah, geography, ethnicity, the nature of Yahweh and other deities, theories of cult, treaties and oaths, and Moses himself.

Opening the Books of Moses presents an introduction to the first five books of the Bible. It is written for any student engaged in the scholarly study of these most central of biblical texts. The aim throughout is to examine the books with a view to illuminating the ideas, beliefs and experiences of the time. This broad overview provides: a survey of the current state of Pentateuchal research; an analysis of how the texts were shaped by their time and audience; an outline of Jewish areas in the Persian period; the study concludes with an analysis of key concerns in the study of the Pentateuch, notably the Torah, geography, ethnicity, the nature of Yahweh and other deities, theories of cult, treaties and oaths, and Moses himself.

Daniel has engendered a good deal of controversial debate, especially regarding its date and authorship and its 'apocalyptic' character. In this introduction for the student, the scholarly issues are carefully described and assessed, while emphasis is placed on the literary and theological aspects of the book, which have been comparatively neglected, but which reflect the concerns and interests of contemporary Old Testament scholarship. This volume thus looks both at the past scholarship and points towards future trends in the understanding of a unique literary and theological masterpiece. It is provided with annotated bibliographies and indexes.

This collection of essays written by biblical scholars from around the world attempts to probe the relationship between the Bible and the world. It reflects modern social, political and hermeneutical issues, including liberation concerns. These themes echo John Rogerson's commitment to relate his research and the Bible to contemporary issues - a commitment visible both in his publications and in his religious and political activities. This book is an expression of appreciation of John Rogerson by former and current colleagues, former students, and other biblical scholars.