Book Description
"The SBL Handbook of Style is an astonishing book, a true 'one-stop' reference for authors preparing manuscripts in biblical studies and related fields. It covers an amazing range of topics, from what every literate scholar should know (but may not) to what only the most erudite expert in an obscure sub-field of the discipline would be likely to know. Do you need to know how to cite an internet publication? Whose job it is to prepare the index and secure permissions? How to alphabetize Abraham ibn Ezra (and why)? What the abbreviation AAeg stands for? It's all here. This volume should substantially reduce the incidence of tears and tantrums that so often beset the process of manuscript preparation. Before long biblical scholars will wonder how we ever got along without this indispensable reference work. Every graduate program should make The SBL Handbook of Style a required text."
-Carol A. Newsom, Professor of Old Testament, Emory University
" . . . A major service for the community of biblical scholars. This comprehensive but handy stylesheet, building on the base of the SBL guidelines, incorporates all that most authors and editors currently need to know about the technical dimensions of publishing activity, from commas and hyphens to abbreviations, from transliterations to forms of annotation. All that's left to authors is to come up with good ideas. All editors have to do is to learn what is here."
-Harold W. Attridge, Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament, Yale Divinity School
Customer Reviews:
Eccentric footnotes, but useful.......2007-06-28
Although I teach a seminary course on research and bibliography, I hesitate to fully recommend this book. The book is eccentric in placing editors, translators and other random information within the same parentheses normally reserved for publication information in footnotes.
This eccentric practice is different from all other standard systems.
I would recommend the new edition of Turabian (2007) for footnote style.
Of course if you are writing for SBL publications you will have to use the eccentric SBL style. Other parts of the book giving correct forms for abbreviation, spelling and capitalization are useful for those specializing in biblical and theological studies.
the go-to style guide for biblical scholars.......2006-09-04
As the premier North-American-based professional association of biblical scholars, the Society of Biblical Literature ('SBL') not only publishes the prestigious and tightly-edited Journal of Biblical Literature ('JBL'); its influence has a knock-on effect on other journals in this and ancillary fields.
Thus, the imperative of an authoritative 'SBL' style guide is obvious. Not so evident is how we lived without a full style guide for so many years until this superb collaborative project between SBL and Hendrickson Publishers emerged.
The editors have removed one of our last remaining excuses for sloppiness and inconsistency. I suppose we owe them our thanks ...
A Required Text!.......2005-04-23
This book must be on your shelf within easy reach if you are a graduate student of religion, a seminary student, or a scholar in the wide field of religion. Why? Because this book gives you the information you need to make your papers, articles, and books conform to the most used style in religious literature today--SBL.
In other words--student, when you see this on your recommended booklist for a religion class, buy it! It will help you make better grades! And, scholars, it will cut down editing time for submitting work for publication as well.
To put it colloquially, this book is the "Bible" of religious research!
Standard manual on style.......2004-12-03
The SBL Handbook of style is designed for those who are writing papers or dissertations in the field of ancient Near Eastern, Biblical and early Christian Studies. Most matters of style are comprehensively addressed, and where they are not, the editors refer the reader to the Chicago Manual of Style. The book is extremely useful for those who want to standardise their abbreviations and references. Several issues will have to be resolved in the next edition. First, although the book is nicely printed, the binding is poor, and fell apart only after I had used the book a few times. Second, several essential abbreviations are missing from the list of Greek and Latin works. Third, not all abbreviations are located in the same part of the book, and so one has to keep going backwards and forwards to find the appropriate reference. Fourth, the editors sometimes display a dogmatic approach to style. For example they insist that writers ought to use Miriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary for their spelling. This dictionary however is only one alongside many other excellent dictionaries such as, the American Heritage, and the Random House. These criticisms should not detract from the importance and usefulness of this volume, which I recommend wholeheartedly.
The New Standard.......2000-03-17
This easy-to-use, inexpensive volume is a must-own for all who write in the fields of biblical and ancient near eastern studies. College and seminary students, graduate students, teachers, and researchers will find this book a fine substitute for Turabian and/or the CMOS for all but the most obscure situations. The discipline-specific nature of the work also allows greater depth of coverage without making it overlong. Get it today, or be behind the standard tomorrow.
Book Description
The timeless message of the New Testament applies to people of every culture and generation. Yet there is great value in understanding the world in which that message was first revealed - its social manners, politics, religious customs, and culture. Exploring the New Testament World, written by classics and Bible scholar Dr. Albert A. Bell, Jr., illuminates the living context of the New Testament, immersing its readers in the intriguing world of Jesus and the early church.
An authority on ancient Greek and Roman language, culture, and history, Dr. Bell writes in a readable style that is accessible and enjoyable to any reader - an uncommon accomplishment among New Testament scholars today. Surveying Jewish factions of the era, the social and political structure of the Roman Empire, and the philosophies and religions that surrounded the early church, Dr. Bell helps his readers learn to think like first-century Jews, Greeks, and Romans, illuminating puzzling New Testament passages for clear understanding. Comprehensive Scripture and Subject Indexes make this volume even more useful as a "manners and customs" Bible companion.
This authoritative guide receives high praise from college professors and Sunday school teachers alike, proving its appeal to both popular and academic audiences. A "must-have" reference for every pastor and an indispensable resource to any Bible reader.
Customer Reviews:
Unless Someone Guides Me.......2007-01-25
Albert Bell sees this book as beginning while he was yet in high school. At some point, he says, he made the connection that the authors he read in his Latin class "lived in the same world as the people who wrote the books I studied on Sunday." Now as an instructor at Hope college in Holland, MI, Bell asks the question of how we can believe something that we simply do not understand. Will we be like the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8.26-40 who asked, " How can I (understand) unless someone guides me?"
As an illustration of what he means, Bell says he once heard a minister tell the story of Paul's imprisonment in Rome. In his story, the minister told of clanking chains and a foul-smelling dungeon. But in ancient Rome, the law was that prisons were for holding people for trial and not for punishment. More accurately, Paul as under house arrest. He was chained during moves but even in Rome he was allowed to by himself in his own hired dwelling with a guard.
There are ten major sections to Bell's book ranging from the Judaic background of the NT to Roman law, religion, and philosophy to Greco-Roman society and morality to a section on time, distance, and travel. In the section on Roman Law, Bell covers Pliny the Younger, the powers of Roman governors, and so on. in the section on Greco-Roman religion Bell notes the story of Vespasian's healing of the blind man; such stories succeeded, says Bell, because "the popular mentality of the time accepted such things happening"
I heartily endorse the study of non-canonical writings in order to study the cultural milieu of a text. Time and again Bell guides the reader through the world in which the writers of the New Testament wrote.
First-rate study of New Testament background.......2006-05-31
This is a masterful study of the Graeco-Roman culture of the first century AD which underlies the New Testament. Bell examines a wide variety of topics, from dress to how meals were eaten, from child-rearing to the treatment of slaves, and discusses the dominant philosophical and religious movements of the day. Knowing such things enables a reader of the New Testament to delve more deeply into the meaning of the text and to dig out new levels of understanding.
Book Description
Religious beliefs and practices, which permeated all aspects of life in antiquity, traveled well-worn routes throughout the Mediterranean: itinerant charismatic practitioners journeying from place to place peddled their skills as healers, purifiers, cursers, and initiators; and vessels decorated with illustrations of myths traveled with them. New gods encountered in foreign lands by merchants and conquerors were sometimes taken home to be adapted and adopted. A full understanding of this complex spiritual world unfolds in Religions of the Ancient World, the first basic reference work that collects and organizes available information to offer an expansive, comparative perspective.
At once sweeping in scope and groundbreaking in format, the Guide eschews the usual encyclopedic approach, instead presenting, side by side, materials from ten cultures and traditions. Thus specific beliefs, cults, gods, and ritual practices that arose and developed in Mediterranean religions--of Egypt, Anatolia and the Near East, Mesopotamia, Iran, Greece, and the Roman world, from the third millennium to the fourth century
C.E.--are interpreted in comparison with one another, and with reference to aspects that crisscross cultural boundaries, such as Cosmology, Myth, Law and Ethics, and Magic. Written by leading scholars of ancient religion, the essays in this guide sketch the various religious histories, raise central theoretical issues, and examine individual topics such as Sacred Times and Spaces; Prayers, Hymns, Incantations, and Curses; Sin, Pollution, and Purity; Death, the Afterlife, and Other Last Things; Divination and Prophecy; Deities and Demons; and Sacred Texts and Canonicity.
Clearly and stylishly written, grandly illustrated, this comprehensive work welcomes readers as never before into the diversity and interconnections of religion in the ancient world.
Customer Reviews:
NOT ancient world - near eastern world is more accurate.......2005-02-06
This book is NOT about religions of the ancient world. Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Taoism, Confuscianism, Shinto, Bon etc are not covered. If you are looking for a thorough examination of western religions from 3rd millineum BCE to 5 century CE then this is quite a book; however, as there is no treatment of half of the "civilized" world in this time frame then the book hardly can claim to treat religions of the ancient world. Apparently either India, China and environs had no ancient religions or they are not of this world -;)
a great guide to ancient Mediterranean religions.......2004-11-27
The purpose of this book is to provide a student or layperson with a background to the religions of the ancient Mediterranean, emphasizing their influences on each other. It does a very good job, and is the only book of its kind that I know of. I recommend it--despite its considerable cost--to any student in this field, and very strongly to any interested layperson.
Imagine that for some reason one day you wonder about libation in Mesopotamian religion, or Hittite rites of passage, or Greek curses. If you want a brief summary of the known evidence and scholarly interpretation, this is the book you would go to. If you think you might someday find yourself wondering about the god Dagan, this book is yours.
The book is over 600 pages long, and although there is no reason for anyone to read it cover to cover, that would be possible and the organization favors it. (I'm trying to do that now.) The writing level is appropriate for college students or graduates, but jargon is rarely used, and well-explained. Each topic is covered briefly but thoroughly, hitting all the background points and giving a student a solid background for further study.
In the third part of the book are numerous black and white photos, their subjects consistently well chosen for their fame among scholars. I was pleased to find a picture of a Canaanite cult stand from Taanach that I'd only read about previously. There are perhaps 100 illustrations in all; with about 20 illustrations in color in the center of the book.
The first part of the book is a series of essays on various topics, each by well-known and highly respected scholars. At this time shoppers are unable to look inside the book to see the table of contents, so I will list the essays. The topics in the first part include:
"What is Ancient Mediterranean Religion" by Fritz Graf; "Montheism and Polytheism" by Jan Assman; "Ritual" by Jan Bremmer; "Myth" by Friz Graf; "Cosmology: Time and History" by John J. Collins; "Pollution, Sin, Atonement, Salvation" by Harold W. Attridge; "Law and Ethics" by Eckart Otto; "Mysteries" by Sarah Iles Johnston; "Religions in Contact" by John Scheid; "Writing and Religion" by Mary Beard; and "Magic" by Sarah Iles Johnston.
The second part of the book covers histories of the religions of various areas or peoples: Egypt by Jann Assman and David Frankfurter; Mesopotamia by Paul-Alain Beaulieu; Syria and Canaan by David P. Wright; Israel by John J. Collins; Anatolia: Hittites by David P. Wright; Iran by William Malandra and Michael Stausberg; Minoan and Mycenaean Civilzations by Nanno Marinatos; Greece by Jon Mikalson; Etruria by Olivier de Cazanove; Rome by John North; and Early Christianity by Harold Attridge.
The third part of the book resembles an encyclopedia, with contributors covering key topics in various regions. The key topics include Sacred Times and Spaces; Religious Personnel; Religious Organizations and Bodies; Sacrifice, Offerings, and Votives; Prayers, Hymns Incantations, and Curses; Divination and Prophecy; Deities and Demons; Religious Practices of the Individual and Family; Rites of Passage; Illnesses and Other Crises; Death, the Afterlife, and Other Last Things; Sin, Pollution, and Purity; Ethics and Law Codes; Theology, Theodicy, Philosophy; Religion and Politics; Controlling Religion; Myth and Sacred Narratives; Visual Representations; Sacred Texts and Canonicity; Esotericism and Mysticism.
And in case you actually read straight through, the book ends with an epilogue.
So that's it: a thorough scholarly introduction to every aspect of ancient Mediterranean religion. If that's what you want, I doubt you'll find a better book.
Book Description
More than 80 projects drawn from archaeological evidence and Bible descriptions make Old Testament days come alive in this activity guide for children ages 5 to 12. Children can enjoy a desert picnic of dried figs, goat’s milk cheese, and lentil stew, or make a loose tunic like the one young Isaac wore on his family’s trek to the Promised Land nearly 4,000 years ago. They can make a painted throwing stick or a wooden paddle doll like the ones Moses might have played with in the Pharoah’s palace, and build toy instruments like those the Israelites used to celebrate their return to Jerusalem in approximately 538 B.C. Games, recipes, crafts, and just enough historical background provide plenty of educational fun for home or school.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent resource!.......2002-09-27
This is a fantastic resource for use with children. This resource helps children learn realities about life during bible times. It also has a wide variety of activities, not just the same activity done different ways. The activities take some time and may be a little messy but they are excellent for involvement and for learning.
Great resource for study of Ancient History.......2001-09-18
We are using this book during our study of Ancient History. It is really wonderful to be able to help our childen understand the Sumerian or Egyptian culture by having our children create a clay tablet with cuneiform writing or by making a wooden "paddle doll" as the Egyptian children may have done. We have eaten meals that the Hebrews may have eaten in the desert, and will be making a bee hive that is based on one they may have used. Our kids love the projects in this book. The projects are easy enough for very young children to do, and most can be done with materials you have around the house, or could be purchased easily and inexpensively. The text is very informative, too, and can be used as a read-aloud with younger children in order to throw a little more light on the culture of the peoples we are studying.
Old Testament Days brings the Old Testament to life!.......2000-04-21
Nancy I. Sanders has compliled a wonderful book of activities that will greatly enrich any child's Bible education. Sanders briefly explains concepts/stories from the Old Testament (starting with the days of Abraham and ending with the days of Nehemiah)and then gives a simple enrichment activity to help recreate a moment from Biblical times. A few of the fun activities include making a lyre, building a salt-dough map, creating a seal and reinacting a day at a market in Jerusalem. If you want to bring the Old Testament to life for children, this book is a must.
Book Description
From stories of resurrected mummies and thousand-year-old curses to powerful pharaohs and the coveted treasures of the Great Pyramids, ancient Egypt has had an unfaltering grip on the modern imagination. Now, in Egyptian Mythology, Geraldine Pinch offers a comprehensive introduction that untangles the mystery of Egyptian Myth. Spanning Ancient Egyptian culture--from 3200 BC to AD 400--Pinch opens a door to this hidden world and casts light on its often misunderstood belief system. She discusses the nature of myths and the history of Egypt, from the predynastic to the postpharaonic period. She explains how Egyptian culture developed around the flooding of the Nile, or the "inundation," a phenomenon on which the whole welfare of the country depended, and how aspects of the inundation were personified as deities. She explains that the usually cloudless skies made for a preoccupation with the stars and planets. Indeed, much early Egyptian mythology may have developed to explain the movement of these celestial bodies. She provides a timeline covering the seven stages in the mythical history of Egypt and outlining the major events of each stage, such as the reign of the sun God. A substantial A to Z section covers the principal themes and concepts of Egyptian mythology as well as the most important deities, demons, and other characters. For anyone who wants to know about Anubis, the terrifying canine god who presided over the mummification of bodies and guarded burials, or Hathor, the golden goddess who helped women to give birth and the dead to be reborn, or an explanation of the nun, the primeval ocean from which all life came, Egyptian Mythology is the place to look.
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Reference Work.......2006-04-19
This book is a great reference work, with detailed researh and opinions based on a deep knowledge of the life, work and religious traditions of Ancient Egypt.
I love Geraldine Pinch's work, so maybe I am biased, but there is in my opinion no better work available today that provides as much information and insights on the Gods, Goddesses and spiritual ways of Ancient Egypt.
Thus, I recommend this book to all and sundry who are interested in the spirituality, magic and life of ancient Egypt, without reservation. A great book!
Book Description
Incorporating the latest and best scholarship in the area, The Ancient Gods Speak: A Guide to Egyptian Religion provides over 90 in-depth articles ranging from Anubis, the dog-headed god of the underworld, to the Opening of the Mouth, the cultic ceremony of reanimation. Readers will find informative and fascinating entries on deities, burial practices, cults, demons, fantastic animals, magic, oracles, sacred writings, festivals, and other facets of Egyptian belief and practice. Each entry is written by a noted Egyptologist and contains the most up-to-date information gathered from years of study and research. The guide includes 35 photographs and illustrations, a detailed index, and a further reading section for those wanting to explore in more detail. With an insightful introduction by world-renowned Egyptologist Donald B. Redford, this definitive resource is essential for anyone interested in ancient Egyptians and the world they inhabited. It is the guide for the student, the scholar, and the general reader.
Customer Reviews:
Hard Read!.......2007-09-15
I purchased this book here through Amazon, and I have to say that I cannot knock the contents of the book per say only that it was a difficult Read. I would say more for a University Setting. This one will take time to finish
Love The Way It's Put Together!!!.......2002-08-28
It's separated out for each subject, for example "Orsiris" is a sub-section under "O", and "Afterlife" is a sub-section is under "A", this makes it very easy to use as a reference tool. The "Further Reading" section impressed me as well, and is a great tool within the book I plan to take advantage of. Again, as with most books I have read on Egyptian Mythology there is a lack of stories or "legends" within the book, containing more oppinions on the subjects rather than the "whole" stories themselves. I'd rather read the COMPLETE STORIES of myths and legends of the gods and obtain my own oppinion from it with a summary or hypothetical explaination at the end, yes I know this is never gonna happen but a girl can dream now can't she!! ;) Don't get me wrong I'm not dawging the book, it's wonderful in educating what type of artifacts egyptians used in thier religion, and summaries of why they use them. But my preference is to have the FULL story of the legend that goes with the use of the artifacts.
Caution!.......2002-05-05
This is an excellent collection of articles. However, potential purchasers should be advised that the articles are pulled from Donald Redford's Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, but without the extensive bibliographies, and with fewer illustrations. (The Introduction by Redford is, I believe, original to this volume.) If you already own the Encyclopedia, you might want to think twice before purchasing this book. If you don't already have the Encylcopedia, The Ancient Gods Speak will be an important addition to your shelf on Egyptian religion.
Book Description
In the 6th century B.C.E., a young prince named Siddhartha Gotama set out on an ascetic quest to alleviate human suffering. In the middle ground between opulence and self-denial, he discovered a path to enlightenment and self awareness--and he dedicated his life to sharing that discovery. The man called Buddha, the "Awakened One," traveled as an itinerant monk, imparting principles of enlightenment throughout India and what is now southern Nepal. He was not worshipped as a god, but became teacher and model to ascetics, royalty, and townsfolk alike. In the 2,500 years that followed, through the spread of Buddha's teachings and the monastic communities that upheld them, the world's "oldest missionary religion" has grown so that it now boasts over 350 million followers worldwide. The story of Buddhism unfolds through a series of narrative chapters, dealing with the Brahmanical cosmology from which Buddhism emerged, the stories and myths surrounding Buddha's birth, Buddha's path to enlightenment, and the eventual spread of his teachings throughout India and the world. Kinnard's clear telling of the tale helps students understand such complex concepts as the natural law of cause and effect (karma), the birth/life/death/rebirth cycle (samsara), the ever-changing state of suffering (dukkha), and salvation, the absence of all states (nirvana). Primary documents, illustrations, glossary and biographical sketches illuminate the extraordinary life and legacy of the man called Buddha.
Book Description
Ranging from Abai to Zeleia, from massive temples in Egypt to modest tombs in Turkey, oracles were a major feature of the religions of many ancient cultures until their demise under the Christian Roman emperors.
This unique work is a guide to all the known oracles of the ancient world. The greater part of it is devoted to an alphabetical listing providing details of nearly 300 sites in more than 25 countries where oracles of one kind or another functioned in antiquity. The text is extensively cross-referenced and illustrated, and supplemented by indexes, a glossary, and a substantial introduction.
The book brings together for the first time a wide range of disparate materials relating to this important topic, along with the results of extensive first-hand investigations.
Customer Reviews:
An Encyclopaedia of Oracles.......2007-02-22
This is a book for anyone who is interested in the oracles of the ancient world. Dr Trevor Curnow provides a general introduction into the world of oracles, why people used them and how these oracles functioned. A helpful list of prominent technical terms and words that require classical expertise can be found at the end of the book. The main part of this book could be referred to as an encyclopaedia of oracles. Most if not all ancient sites pass the review and are classified by the name of their geographical site. The entries are relatively short, like encyclopaedia articles, but the book encorporates the latest scholarly research in archaeology and classical studies.
An Invaluable Reference Aid & An Interesting Book.......2005-09-27
Curnow delivers a great reference tool for any researchers of the ancient world. It is complete with B/W pictures graphically describing the anicent oracles of Eastern and Western Europe including the famous Delphi Oracle. Curnow goes the extra mile when he gives every oracle its longitudinal and latitudinal degree position which pinpoints its exact geographical location. There is also a great set of maps showing by country the oracle's location. Anyone who is a fan of the ancient world will surely love this book!
Average customer rating:
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Magic and the Supernatural in Fourth Century Syria
Silke Trzcionka
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Ancient
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General
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Syria
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Magic
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ASIN: 041539242X |
Book Description
Magic and the Supernatural in Fourth Century Syria provides a general survey of magical practices in late antique Syria and Palestine, blending classical, Christian and Jewish traditions. It offers original research into an area that attracts much interest at present, examining both archaeological and literary sources, including: curse-tablets, amulets, historical texts, saints' lives, sermons and speeches. The book surveys a wide range of supernatural beliefs and magical practices, discussed with an aim for understanding their place within their social context.
Books:
- The Two Swords (The Hunter's Blades Trilogy, Book 3)
- The Ultimate Fake Book: C Edition (Fake Book Series)
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- Unlocking Harry Potter: Five Keys for the Serious Reader
- Wandering Home: A Long Walk Across America's Most Hopeful Landscape:Vermont's Champlain Valley and New York's Adirondacks (Crown Journeys)
- Weekend Warriors
- What Becomes of the Brokenhearted: A Memoir
- What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers
- White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s
- Why Are So Many Black Men in Prison?
Books Index
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Handbook of Biblical Criticism
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A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
