Resurrection: The Origin and Future of a Biblical Doctrine

(Paperback)

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Description

Resurrection is the central feature of the New Testament gospels and lies at the center of many of Paul's letters as well. In addition, the doctrine of the resurrection lies at the core of the Christian church's faith. The essays in this stunning collection explore the idea of resurrection as the idea appears not only in the New Testament texts but also in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the pseudepigraphal Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, and in contemporary theology. Charlesworth asks where the concept of resurrection appears and the ways we know it, and he also examines the concept of resurrection in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament. Casey Elledge explores the earliest evidence we have for a notion of a resurrection of the dead and investigates the hope for Israel in Judaism and Christianity found in the Testaments. Crenshaw looks at the Hebrew Bible's ideas of resurrection, and Hendrikus Boers examines the meaning of Christ's resurrections in Paul's writings. W. Waite Willis explores a theology of resurrection.

Reviews

"A helpful volume for a general audience." Fred W. Burnett, Anderson University, Religious Studies Review
"A very interesting and informative collection of essays which can help to gain a better historical and theological understanding of resurrection in Jewish and Christian biblical texts." --Martin Hengel, professor emeritus of New Testament and early Judaism at the University of Tbingen, Germany -- Martin Hengel * Blurb from reviewer *
"These studies, scholarly but not pedantic, provide reliable information about the emergence and meanings of resurrection in antiquity. They also stimulate cogent and constructive thought about the meaning of one's own death in light of resurrection." --Leander E. Keck, Winkley Professor of Biblical Theology, emeritus, Yale Divinity School -- Leander E. Keck * Blurb from reviewer *
"'Resurrection' is a central topic that again and again needs to be examined historically, to be analysed within the context of present day insights and views, and reflected upon as an existential question which every mortal has to face. The glimpses given from insights and debates on the present-day scene illustrate that questions are raised and doubts must be taken in to account, but they also document that the belief in the resurrection of the dead is a living conviction of many today. This book gives informed lay people, ministers and scholars in this way reliable and helpful access to current research in the various historical sources within and outside the Bible." --Peder Borgen, Professor Emeritus, The University of Trondheim, NTNU -- Peder Borgen * Blurb from reviewer *
"Five outstanding biblical scholars and theologians make in his book a case for their faith in resurrection giving an instructive and critical representation of its historical origin in Judaism and discussing its credibility in our modern world. They respect honestly other positions. Even if the reader will not agree with their balanced arguments and their personal conclusions the book is so well written that it will create respect for their position. It is a very useful book for the exegetical and the systematic discussion of this central topic of Christian faith." --Gerd Theissen,Professor for New Testament Theology, Heidelberg, Germany -- Gerd Theissen * Blurb from reviewer *

Author Bio

James H. Charlesworth is George L. Collord Professor of New Testament Language and Literature and Director and Editor of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project at Princeton Theological Seminary, USA.