3 books found
A comparative study in the early interpretation of Jewish scripture, aiming to show how and why Christian and Jewish readers were reading the same texts, yet reading them differently.
The first work to undertake a theological critique of Christian feminism as a whole, this book seeks to bring traditional faith and the feminist position into a deeper dialogue. Part One presents an overview of the historical issues raised by feminist theology. Part Two compares key feminist theological presuppositions to the prophetic interpretation of reality found in the biblical tradition.
The first Christian century must be approached with careful attention to its cultural and linguistic heterogeneity. It should not simply be assumed that this past 'is a different place, they do things differently there'. Downing treats the ways in which early Christians tried to 'make things make sense' within their cultures, noting both the similarities and differences between their ways and contemporary ones and stressing the variety of contexts and influences on first-century communication. Downing brings his renowned expertise to bear in illuminating the cultural features of early Christian society with a range of fascinating and telling examples.