Ireland and the Reception of the Bible: Social and Cultural Perspectives

(Hardback)

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Drawing on the work of leading figures in biblical, religious, historical, and cultural studies in Ireland and beyond, this volume explores the reception of the Bible in Ireland, focusing on the social and cultural dimensions of such use of the Bible. This includes the transmission of the Bible, the Bible and identity formation, engagement beyond Ireland, and cultural and artistic appropriation of the Bible. The chapters collected here are particularly useful and insightful for those researching the use and reception of the Bible, as well as those with broader interests in social and cultural dimensions of Irish history and Irish studies. The chapters challenge the perception in the minds of many that the Bible is a static book with a fixed place in the world that can be relegated to ecclesial contexts and perhaps academic study. Rather, as this book shows, the role of the Bible in the world is much more complex. Nowhere is this clearer than in Ireland, with its rich and complex religious, cultural, and social history. This volume examines these very issues, highlighting the varied ways in which the Bible has impacted Irish life and society, as well as the ways in which the cultural specificity of Ireland has impacted the use and development of the Bible both in Ireland and further afield.

Reviews

The twenty-one essays and the superb framing introduction in this collection consider all aspects of how the Bible has shaped and been shaped by various communities in Ireland from 500 CE to the early twentieth century. * Anglican & Episcopal History *
The depth and breadth of this collection is impressive and shows the intellectual strength of Irish theology and religious studies. It contains a range of interdisciplinary perspectives that challenges conventual wisdom and shows that despite secularisation, the Bible still has a role to play in Irish society. * Irish Studies Review *

Author Bio

Bradford A. Anderson is Lecturer in Biblical Studies at Dublin City University, Ireland. Jonathan Kearney is Lecturer in Jewish and Islamic Studies at Dublin City University, Ireland.