Thomas L. Thompson – författare

A New Critical Approach to the History of Palestine discusses prospects and

methods for a comprehensive, evidence-based history of Palestine with a

critical use of recent historical, archaeological and anthropological methods.

This history is not an exclusive history but one that is ethnically and

culturally inclusive, a history of and for all peoples who have lived in Palestine.

After an introductory essay offering a strategy for creating coherence

and continuity from the earliest beginnings to the present, the volume presents

twenty articles from twenty-two contributors, fifteen of whom are of

Middle Eastern origin or relation.

Split thematically into four parts, the volume discusses ideology, national

identity and chronology in various historiographies of Palestine, and the

legacy of memory and oral history; the transient character of ethnicity in

Palestine and questions regarding the ethical responsibilities of archaeologists

and historians to protect the multi-ethnic cultural heritage of Palestine;

landscape and memory, and the values of community archaeology and

bio-archaeology; and an exploration of the “ideology of the land” and its

influence on Palestine’s history and heritage.

The first in a series of books under the auspices of the Palestine History

and Heritage Project (PaHH), the volume offers a challenging new departure

for writing the history of Palestine and Israel throughout the ages. A

New Critical Approach to the History of Palestine explores the diverse history

of the region against the backdrop of twentieth-century scholarly construction

of the history of Palestine as a history of a Jewish homeland with roots

in an ancient, biblical Israel and examines the implications of this ancient

and recent history for archaeology and cultural heritage. The book offers a

fascinating new perspective for students and academics in the fields of anthropological,

political, cultural and biblical history.

A New Critical Approach to the History of Palestine discusses prospects and

methods for a comprehensive, evidence-based history of Palestine with a

critical use of recent historical, archaeological and anthropological methods.

This history is not an exclusive history but one that is ethnically and

culturally inclusive, a history of and for all peoples who have lived in Palestine.

After an introductory essay offering a strategy for creating coherence

and continuity from the earliest beginnings to the present, the volume presents

twenty articles from twenty-two contributors, fifteen of whom are of

Middle Eastern origin or relation.

Split thematically into four parts, the volume discusses ideology, national

identity and chronology in various historiographies of Palestine, and the

legacy of memory and oral history; the transient character of ethnicity in

Palestine and questions regarding the ethical responsibilities of archaeologists

and historians to protect the multi-ethnic cultural heritage of Palestine;

landscape and memory, and the values of community archaeology and

bio-archaeology; and an exploration of the “ideology of the land” and its

influence on Palestine’s history and heritage.

The first in a series of books under the auspices of the Palestine History

and Heritage Project (PaHH), the volume offers a challenging new departure

for writing the history of Palestine and Israel throughout the ages. A

New Critical Approach to the History of Palestine explores the diverse history

of the region against the backdrop of twentieth-century scholarly construction

of the history of Palestine as a history of a Jewish homeland with roots

in an ancient, biblical Israel and examines the implications of this ancient

and recent history for archaeology and cultural heritage. The book offers a

fascinating new perspective for students and academics in the fields of anthropological,

political, cultural and biblical history.

The historicity of Jesus is now widely accepted and hardly questioned by most scholars. But this assumption disarms biblical texts of much of their power by privileging an historical interpretation which effectively sweeps aside much theological speculation and allusion. Furthermore, the assumption of historicity gathers further assumptions to it, shaping the interpretation of texts, both denying and adding subtext. Scholars are now faced with an endless array of works on the historical Jesus and few question what has been lost through this wide-spread assumption of historicity. Is This Not the Carpenter? presents a very valuable corrective: a literary rereading of the New Testament.

The historicity of Jesus is now widely accepted and hardly questioned by most scholars. But this assumption disarms biblical texts of much of their power by privileging an historical interpretation which effectively sweeps aside much theological speculation and allusion. Furthermore, the assumption of historicity gathers further assumptions to it, shaping the interpretation of texts, both denying and adding subtext. Scholars are now faced with an endless array of works on the historical Jesus and few question what has been lost through this wide-spread assumption of historicity. Is This Not the Carpenter? presents a very valuable corrective: a literary rereading of the New Testament.

In History, Archaeology and the Bible Forty Years after "Historicity", Hjelm and Thompson argue that a ‘crisis’ broke in the 1970s, when several new studies of biblical history and archaeology were published, questioning the historical-critical method of biblical scholarship. The crisis formed the discourse of the Copenhagen school’s challenge of standing positions, which—together with new achievements in archaeological research—demand that the regional history of ancient Israel, Judaea and Palestine be reconsidered in all its detail. This volume examines the major changes that have taken place within the field of Old Testament studies since the ground breaking works of Thomas Thompson and John van Seters in 1974 and 1975 (both republished in 2014). The book is divided in three sections: changing perspectives in biblical studies, history and cult, and ideology and history, presenting new articles from some of the field’s best scholars with comprehensive discussion of historical, archaeological, anthropological, cultural and literary approaches to the Hebrew Bible and Palestine’s history. The essays question: "How does biblical history relate to the archaeological history of Israel and Palestine?" and "Can we view the history of the region independently of a biblical perspective?" by looking at the problem from alternative angles and questioning long-held interpretations.

Unafraid to break new ground, History, Archaeology and the Bible Forty Years after "Historicity" is a vital resource to students in the field of Biblical and East Mediterranean Studies, and anyone with an interest in the archaeology, history and religious development in Palestine and the ancient Near East.

In History, Archaeology and the Bible Forty Years after "Historicity", Hjelm and Thompson argue that a ‘crisis’ broke in the 1970s, when several new studies of biblical history and archaeology were published, questioning the historical-critical method of biblical scholarship. The crisis formed the discourse of the Copenhagen school’s challenge of standing positions, which—together with new achievements in archaeological research—demand that the regional history of ancient Israel, Judaea and Palestine be reconsidered in all its detail. This volume examines the major changes that have taken place within the field of Old Testament studies since the ground breaking works of Thomas Thompson and John van Seters in 1974 and 1975 (both republished in 2014). The book is divided in three sections: changing perspectives in biblical studies, history and cult, and ideology and history, presenting new articles from some of the field’s best scholars with comprehensive discussion of historical, archaeological, anthropological, cultural and literary approaches to the Hebrew Bible and Palestine’s history. The essays question: "How does biblical history relate to the archaeological history of Israel and Palestine?" and "Can we view the history of the region independently of a biblical perspective?" by looking at the problem from alternative angles and questioning long-held interpretations.

Unafraid to break new ground, History, Archaeology and the Bible Forty Years after "Historicity" is a vital resource to students in the field of Biblical and East Mediterranean Studies, and anyone with an interest in the archaeology, history and religious development in Palestine and the ancient Near East.

Did the Bible only take its definitive form after Alexander conquered the Near East, after the Hellenisation of the Samaritans and Jews, and after the founding of the great library of Alexandria? The Bible and Hellenism takes up one of the most pressing and controversial questions of Bible Studies today: the influence of classical literature on the writing and formation of the Bible.

Bringing together a wide range of international scholars, The Bible and Hellenism explores the striking parallels between biblical and earlier Greek literature and examines the methodological issues raised by such comparative study. The book argues that the oral traditions of historical memory are not the key factor in the creation of biblical narrative. It demonstrates that Greek texts – from such authors as Homer, Hesiod, Herodotus and Plato – must be considered amongst the most important sources for the Bible.

Did the Bible only take its definitive form after Alexander conquered the Near East, after the Hellenisation of the Samaritans and Jews, and after the founding of the great library of Alexandria? The Bible and Hellenism takes up one of the most pressing and controversial questions of Bible Studies today: the influence of classical literature on the writing and formation of the Bible.

Bringing together a wide range of international scholars, The Bible and Hellenism explores the striking parallels between biblical and earlier Greek literature and examines the methodological issues raised by such comparative study. The book argues that the oral traditions of historical memory are not the key factor in the creation of biblical narrative. It demonstrates that Greek texts – from such authors as Homer, Hesiod, Herodotus and Plato – must be considered amongst the most important sources for the Bible.