Secret Origins of the BibleIt is surprising that a book as widely explained as the Bible can still hold secrets. Many intelligent and otherwise well informed readers will find much of the material in this book new and quite startling, although Bible scholars, and anyone who has even an amateur background in comparative mythology, will be familiar with it. Bible scholar and religion editor Tim Callahan fills the gap left by many Bible interpreters who examine only those Bible verses which can be made to support their personal or political views. But the world needs a broader understanding of its sacred texts, particularly when selective interpretation of the Bible is used to fuel extremism, and when interpreting Bible verses out of the context in which they were written intrudes on rational solutions for modern problems.Callahan uses comparative mythology to demonstrate how Bible stories that do not make much sense on the surface can be understood on deeper levels when their mythic content is revealed. He uses literary analysis, history, and archeological comparisons to expand our understanding of the purpose these stories served for those who originally wrote them. |
Contents
SIFTING FOR THE TRUTH | 1 |
FINDING THE TRUTH TOOLS OF THE TRADE | 6 |
IN THE BEGINNING | 30 |
Copyright | |
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Abimelech Abraham Abram Ammonites ancient angels Asherah Ashtart Assyrian Atrahasis Baal Balaam Bible biblical brother called Canaan Canaanite chapter child Christian conquest covenant cult curse daughter David dead death deity descendants Deuteronomist divine Egypt Egyptian Elijah Enuma elish Exile Exodus fact father fundamentalists Genesis give God's goddess gods gospels Greek heaven Hebat Hebrew Hebrew word hero Hittite holy human Hurrian indicate Isaac Israel Israelites Jacob Jephthah Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Jews Joseph Joshua Judah Judges Kenites killed king kingdom land later Levitical LORD Luke Marduk Matthew means Moab Molech Moses myth narrative original Pharaoh Philistines possible priest prophecy prophet reason referred resurrection Roman sacrifice Samson Samuel Saul Saul's says seems seen Semitic serpent sexual Sheol Solomon sons spirit story tale tells Temple tradition translated tribes Ugaritic verse woman women worship of Yahweh Yahweh Yahwist