Marriage and Family in the Biblical World

by Ken M. Campbell (Editor)

Paperback, 2003

Status

Available

Call number

220.83068

Genres

Classics

Religion & Spirituality

General Nonfiction

History

Nonfiction

Collection

Marriage - Jordens

Publication

IVP Academic (2003), 302 pages

Description

Current debates about marriage and the family assume much about the history of these institutions. But what do we really know about the social and ethical arrangements of these institutions, especially during biblical times? Placing the history of marriage and family in context requires not only a study of biblical literature that traverses several millennia but also a grasp of extrabiblical literature and sources culled from several different cultural contexts. In this book Ken M. Campbell presents the work of six scholars who trace out the dynamic contours of marriage and family as understood and practiced in six cultural settings: Victor H. Matthews on the ancient Near East, Daniel I. Block on ancient Israel, S. M. Baugh on Greek society, Susan M. Treggiari on Roman society, David W. Chapman on Second Temple Judaism and Andreas K#65533;stenberger on the New Testament era.The result is a well informed and documented map that outlines the similarity and diversity of concepts and customs, including marriage, divorce, sexual ethics, gender roles, children, celibacy, adoption, abortion, contraception and family life, which surrounded and intersected Ancient Israel and the church in New Testament times.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member davidpwithun

This book is an excellent introduction to marriage and family within the worlds of Greek, Roman, and Middle Eastern paganism as well as those of the Old Testament and Second Temple Judaism. The contributors consistently get right to it and do a good job of covering all the facts and some of the

implications and applications, recommending many more resources for further reading along the way. I learned a lot while reading this book. The only complaints I have pertain to the final chapter of the book. The section on the New Testament departs from the scholarship found in the rest of the book and seems instead to delve into evangelical apologetics, even including the mandatory swipes at Roman Catholicism. A real New Testament scholar doing real New Testament scholarship would have been a much better choice. I think it also would have been helpful to include an additional chapter focusing on early Christian attitudes toward marriage and the family.

Show Less