About the Book
The controversial concept of 'idolatry' holds immense theological, historical and cultural importance. From the Second Commandment on, arguably one of the greatest contributions of the Judeo-Christian tradition to human flourishing has been the critique of idolatry and its moral corollary, greed. Significantly, in the modern period, this critique of false religion has led even to the critique of religion itself. It has therefore been a major force in the formation and shaping of intellectual and religious traditions worldwide, especially in the West.
Idolatry is a collection of nineteen authoritative essays on major aspects of this fascinating subject, unduly neglected in recent years. The coverage is varied and comprehensive, ranging across theoretical perspectives, the Old Testament, Early Judaism, the New Testament, Church History, and Christian Theology to the present day.
The contributors are all authorities in their respective fields of study. In biblical studies, there is John Barclay, Stephen C. Barton, Helen Bond, Mark Bonnington, Crispin Fletcher-Louis, Robert Hayward, David Horrell, Nathan MacDonald, Christopher Rowland, and Stuart Weeks. In Church History and Christian Theology , there is David Clough, Andrew Goddard, Carol Harrison, Trevor Hart, Timothy Jenkins, Gerard Loughlin, Paul Murray, Bernd Wannenwetsch, and Graham Ward.
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Stephen C Barton, Reader in New Testament, Durham University
Part I: Idolatry in the Bible, Early Judaism and Early Christianity
1. Man-Made Gods? Idolatry in the Old Testament - Stuart Weeks, Senior Lecturer in Old Testament, Durham University
2. Recasting the Golden Calf: Canonical and Intertextual Perspectives on Exodus 32 - Nathan MacDonald, Lecturer in Old Testament, St Andrew's University
3. Observations on Idols in Septuagint Pentateuch - Robert Hayward, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Durham University
4. Humanity and the Idols of the Gods in Pseudo-Philo's Biblical Antiquities - Crispin Fletcher-Louis, Principal of the Westminster Theological Centre, St Mary's Bryanston Square, London
5. Snarling Sweetly: Josephus on Images and Idolatry - John Barclay, Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, Durham University
6. Standards, Shields, and Coins: Jewish Reactions to Aspects of the Roman Cult in the Time of Pilate - Helen Bond, Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Edinburgh University
7. Fleeing Idolatry: Social Embodiment of Anti-Idolatry in the First Century - Mark Bonnington, Tutor in New Testament, Cranmer Hall, Durham University
8. Idol-Food, Idolatry, and Ethics in Paul - David Horrell, Reader in New Testament Studies, Exeter University
9. Food Rules, Sex Rules and Idolatry: What's the Connection? An Essay in New Testament Theology - Stephen C Barton, Reader in New Testament, University of Durham
10. Living with Idols: An Exercise in Biblical Theology - Christopher Rowland, Dean Ireland Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture, Oxford University
Part 2: Idolatry, Christian Tradition and the Modern World
11. Taking Creation for the Creator: Use and Enjoyment in Augustine's Theological Aesthetics - Carol Harrison, Senior Lecturer in the History and Theology of the Latin West, Durham University
12. 'Goodly Sights' and 'Unseemly Representations': Transcendence and the Problems of Visual Piety - Trevor Hart, Professor of Divinity, St Andrew's University
13. Karl Barth on the Idolatry of Religion - David Clough, Tutor in Ethics and Systematic Theology, Cranmer Hall, Durham University
14. Jacques Ellul on Idolatry - Andrew Goddard, Tutor in Ethics, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
15. Nicholas Lash, Sacred Cows and Theology - Paul Murray, Lecturer in Systematic Theology, Durham University
16. Pauline Conversations: Rereading Romans 1 in Christ - Gerard Loughlin, Professor of Theology, Durham University
17. Why Do Things Move People? The Sociological Account of Idolatry - Timothy Jenkins, Dean of Jesus College and Assistant Director of Research in the Study of Religion, University of Cambridge
18. The Commodification of Religion or The Consummation of Capitalism - Graham Ward, Professor of Contextual Theology, Manchester University
17. The Desire of Desire: Idolatry in Late Capitalist Societies - Bernd Wannenwetsch, Lecturer in Ethics and Fellow of Manchester-Harris College, Oxford University
Suggestions for Furhter Reading on Idolatry
Index of Modern Authors
About the Author :
Stephen Barton is Reader in New Testament, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University.
Review :
"[There is a] surprising amount of cohesion and evenness for such a collection. This cohesiveness, along with the addition of a select bibliography on idolatry, results in a helpful supplementary text for instructors teaching on the subject." - Amos Yong, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 35 No. 1, March 2009.
"...this book can definitely be recommended to everyone interested in the phenomenon idolatry. [...] The scholars involved in the (publication) project are specialists in their essay topics." - Thomas J. Kraus, Review of Biblical Literature, September 2008.
"Certainly Phua's contribution here will be to have many scholars recheck their own assumptions regarding the ethnicity of the "strong" and "weak" in Corinth, the factor of accommodation to idolatry by Diaspora Jews, and the Pauline view regarding connections between pagan idolatry and objective demonic entities. All scholars interested in these fascinating chapters of 1 Corinthians will want to consider these factors and how confident any of us can be in understanding the compilations faced by early followers of Jesus as they tried to integrate their faith into their cultural contexts."- Scott E. McClelland, Review of Biblical Literature, August 2008
