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Review Summary: VERY READABLE INTRO. TEXT- "modern Catholic perspective"! |
Date: 2001-12-17 |
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Details: It is difficult to find a reasonably priced, scholarly yet easily readable OT Intro text. I had been using the Boadt READING THE OLD TESTAMENT, which I enjoyed, when our professor recommended Ceresko's book as a good and more recent alternative. If a person were to study both of these texts, paying attention to the bibliographies, one would be well served. |
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Review Summary: Bland presentation, mediocre scholarship |
Date: 2001-02-24 |
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Details: A publisher-friend told me about this book. She said it was just the kind of slick, easy-to-sell textbook that people want. So I took her up on the suggestion and used it in a class that I taught last fall. BIG MISTAKE. The presentation is bland. The scholarship is 10-20 years out-of-date, and the liberation perspective is a throwback to an earlier era (circa 1960-70's). Thankfully, there are still much better books out there (Anderson, Childs, Crenshaw, Duggan). PS: My students cheered when I announced at the end of the semester that I would be using a different text in the future. |
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Review Summary: There are better books |
Date: 2000-03-27 |
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Details: I'm taking a course on the OT and the prof uses this book. I find the book very confusing at times. For instance, chapters 9 and 10 are very confusing. He explains that Conquest and Gradual Settlement Models of Israel fairly well, but he does not explain the retribalizing. I was asking myself questions such as "who is retribalising?" Thankfully, I have a prof that explained this fairly well. If, like me, you have to read this book, I wish you the best if luck in your course. To others, forget this book and get another one. |
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Review Summary: A great comprehensive overview. |
Date: 1998-10-05 |
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Details: Don't let Ceresko's title scare you off. He does apply a Liberation Theology perspective to the Old Testament, but the scholarship is first rate and main stream. It is a well-rounded and user-friendly help in understanding the Hebrew Bible. Each chapter pretty much stands on its own so you can start anywhere you wish, e.g., the Psalms. This was the most helpful text for my seminary class on the Old Testament. |
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