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Reference Sources


How to Read the Bible

By Steven L. McKenzie

McKenzie argues that to comprehend the Bible we must grasp the intentions of the biblical authors themselves—what sort of texts they thought they were writing and how they would have been understood by their intended audience. In short, we must recognize the genres to which these texts belong. McKenzie examines several genres that are typically misunderstood, offering careful readings of specific texts to show how the confusion arises, and how knowing the genre produces a correct reading.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2005.


The Oxford Companion to the Bible

Edited by Bruce M. Metzger and Michael David Coogan

Written by more than 250 scholars from some 20 nations and embracing a wide variety of perspectives, the Companion offers over seven hundred entries on the people, places, events, books, institutions, religious belief, and secular influence of the Bible.

Ranging far beyond the scope of a traditional Bible dictionary, the content features an abundance of in-depth interpretive essays on topics ranging from religious concepts such as immortality, sin, and grace, to baptism, ethics, and the Holy Spirit. It also explores the Bible in relation to modern issues such as homosexuality, marriage, and anti-Semitism, and the impact of the Bible on the arts.

The Companion also serves as a first place to turn to find factual information on all the books of the Bible—including the Apocrypha and many other ancient texts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha, and the Mishrah-as well as entries on daily life in ancient Israel and the earliest Christian communities, feasts and festivals, clothing, medicine, units of time, houses, and furniture.

Published by Oxford University Press, 1993.


The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies

Edited by J. W. Rogerson and Judith M. Lieu

Biblical Studies is a highly technical and diverse field. This authoritative and state-of-the-art survey of original research is designed for scholars and students who need to command linguistic, historical, literary, and philosophical skills. Forty-five original contributions by leading figures in the discipline review and analyze current thinking and work and give critical examinations of the progress and direction of debates.

Preface

Published by Oxford University Press, 2008.


The Oxford History of the Biblical World

Edited by Michael D. Coogan

For more than a century, archaeologists have been unearthing the tombs, temples, texts, and artifacts of the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world. Using new approaches, contemporary scholars have begun to synthesize this material with the biblical traditions.

The Oxford History of the Biblical World incorporates the best of this scholarship, and in chronologically ordered chapters presents the reader with a clear and integrated study of the history, art, architecture, languages, literatures, and religion of biblical Israel and early Judaism and Christianity in their larger cultural contexts. The contributing authors also examine such issues as the roles of women, the tensions between urban and rural settings, royal and kinship social structures, and official and popular religions of the region.

Preface

Published by Oxford University Press, 2001.


The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible

Edited by John Rogerson

Based on the latest research, this Oxford history brings together a distinguished team of seventeen scholars to present an authoritative account of the story behind the Bible, accompanied by an extensive collection of over 150 color and black and white photos.

Readers will learn how a collection of writings in Semitic languages and in Greek—writings that we now call the Books of the Bible—developed over a period of about 800 years and how—even before the Bible existed as one volume—its constituent parts were interpreted and subjected to a scrutiny that no other writing has had to endure. The contributors trace the routes by which the canon of Scripture was determined, the controversies over which writings should be regarded as authoritative, and which should be considered Apocrypha and hidden from public use. Other chapters describe how the writings were copied, translated, and printed over the centuries, and how they were interpreted in Judaism and in the churches in the East and West, and the final essays examine how the Bible is used today, from feminist criticism to the theological liberation movements in Latin America, Africa, and Europe.

Introduction

Published by Oxford University Press, 2001.


Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition

Edited by Adrian Curtis

The Oxford Bible Atlas provides a guide to the lands in which the Bible's stories are set, from Genesis to Revelation. This new edition, with 27 maps and numerous full-color illustrations, has been thoroughly revised to reflect the latest biblical, archaeological and topographical scholarship.

The latest edition of this authoritative Atlas combines text, maps and images that place the content of the Bible in detailed geographical and historical context. Coverage includes the biblical world and its wider ancient Near Eastern and east Mediterranean settings, the successive historical periods and the major civilizations with which Israelites, Jews, and early Christians came into contact.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2007.


The Oxford Dictionary of the Bible

Edited by W. R. F. Browning

This authoritative, accessible, and up-to-date dictionary of the Bible provides helpful information about important places and personalities. It is particularly concerned to expound the themes and doctrines of the Bible and to indicate their status in the light of modern scholarship.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Bible's broad coverage includes the books of the Bible, people and places, customs, religions and worship, history, and theology.  Over 2,000 entries cover topics ranging from earthquakes and mice to feminism and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Written with clear explanations of technical terms, methods of interpretation, and critical analysis, as well as notes on leading biblical scholars and their contributions, the dictionary is a lively and absorbing reference work for all readers of the Bible.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2004.


Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Edited by Lawrence H. Schiffman

Featuring 450 articles by an international community of 100 scholars, this renowned Encyclopedia is regarded by many as the definitive scholarly resource on what we know about the Dead Sea Scrolls—their history, relevance and meaning—as well as the controversies that surround them.

Discovered in 1947 by a Bedouin shepherd, the Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 800 manuscripts nearly one thousand years older than any other writings of the Hebrew Scriptures. Ever since, these mysterious documents have raised questions about the people who wrote them, early Christianity and Second Temple Judaism, and how they confirm or contradict the texts of the Bible.

Representing diverse traditions and fields of learning, this is the most comprehensive critical synthesis of current knowledge about the Dead Sea Scrolls. It covers the works in their historical, archaeological, linguistic, and religious contexts, explores the archaeological evidence, and explains the methods used to date, document, and preserve the manuscripts.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2000.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East

Editor in Chief: Eric M. Meyers

A joint effort between Oxford University Press and the renowned American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East was designed to provide the most comprehensive current reference to this growing area of study. While offering extensive coverage of the archaeology of the biblical world, the entries also pay particular attention to the overlapping of the fields of archaeology and biblical studies, including the investigation of over 450 archaeological sites.

With 1,100 entries written by 560 contributors from more than two dozen countries, the scope of the encyclopedia is wide and provides a full range of perspectives and approaches to archaeological endeavors. Articles span from Bahrain to Libraries and Archives to Ziggurats and offer cultural, historical, and religious perspectives to a wide range of topics of interest to both scholars and lay people.

Published by Oxford University Press, 1996.

Oxford Encyclopedias of the Bible

Editor in Chief: Michael D. Coogan

The field of Biblical studies is dynamic, with new discoveries, new methodologies, and new perspectives continually enhancing the interpretation of the Bible. There is thus a need for an up-to-date, comprehensive, authoritative, and balanced series of reference works for biblical scholars and students.  The first entries from the series were published on Oxford Biblical Studies Online in October 2009, and entries from each volume will continue to appear online in advance of print publication. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible, published in print in 2011, contains almost 150 in-depth entries, ranging in length from 500 to 10,000 words, on each of the canonical books of the Bible, major apocryphal books of the New and Old Testaments, important noncanonical texts, and thematic essays on topics such as canonicity, textual criticism, and translation.

Accessible to scholars and readers of the Bible at all levels, the encyclopedia series will continue with volumes on gender studies, the arts, law, ethics, and theology. OBSO will continue publish online-only entries under the OEB title to supplement the print material, providing authoritative reference overviews of scholarship on some of the most important topics of study in the field of biblical studies.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible

Editor in Chief: Michael D. Coogan

The two-volume Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible is the first in this series of specialized reference works, each addressing a specific subfield within biblical studies. The series, The Oxford Encyclopedias of the Bible, aims to produce high-level scholarly reference works that are accessible and in-depth, going beyond the basics to provide more specialized coverage.

Books of the Bible provides a single source for authoritative reference overviews of scholarship on some of the most important topics of study in the field of biblical studies. The Encyclopedia contains almost 120 in-depth entries, ranging in length from 500 to 10,000 words, on each of the canonical books of the Bible, major apocryphal books of the New and Old Testaments, important noncanonical texts, and thematic essays on topics such as canonicity, textual criticism, and translation.

Books of the Bible has extensive cross-references to other useful points of interest within the Encyclopedia, and comprehensive lists of abbreviations and an index for ease of use. Illustrations supplement the text and enhance its appeal. Bibliographies for all entries further add to its usefulness.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2011.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology

Editor in Chief: Daniel Master

The connection between archaeology and the Bible was forged by the discoveries of the nineteenth century, and archaeological finds became the primary catalyst for changes in biblical studies throughout the twentieth century. A distinct subfield, Biblical Archaeology, as conceived by William Albright, arose in response to a wealth of information recovered from expeditions of importance for biblical studies.

Archaeologists of the last twenty years have produced material for biblical studies that has drastically changed the field: inscriptions such as the Tel Dan stele or Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon, debates on the chronology and stratigraphy of the 10th century BCE or the stratigraphy of the Shechem temple, and publications such as those of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem or Herodian Jericho. Shifts in archaeological theory and biblical scholarship now present new potential for rapprochement between archaeology and the Bible. Recent archaeological work has uncovered the lifeways of the biblical world and begun to suggest how understanding these lifeways transforms the reading of the biblical text.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Archaeology represents a new way of conceiving of the relationship between archaeology and biblical studies that allows the results of a wide cross-section of excavations and regional studies to contribute to the interpretation of the biblical text through an elucidation of the lifeways of the ancient world. By going beyond mere chronology and focusing on the social organization of biblical society, the Encyclopedia is an important methodological breakthrough for the study of the Bible and archaeology.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2013.



The Oxford Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation

Editor in Chief: Steven L. McKenzie

The two-volume Oxford Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation (OEBI) fills a crucial need in the field of biblical studies by providing detailed, comprehensive treatments of the latest approaches to and methods for interpretation of the Bible written by expert practitioners. It will provide a single source for authoritative reference overviews of scholarship on some of the most important topics of study in the field of biblical studies. As with all high quality reference works, it provides a solid foundation that students and scholars can use to orientate themselves before venturing into original research. The Encyclopedia contains nearly 120 entries, ranging in length from 3,000 to 5,000 words.

Published by Oxford University Press, 2013.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Ethics

Editor in Chief: Robert L. Brawley

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Ethics (OEBE) explores the intersection between biblical sources and ethical issues, both historical and modern, through extensive analytical treatments of a wide range of topics by leading biblical scholars and ethicists. Combining traditional theoretical frameworks, such as comparative religion, with more recent approaches (postmodern, queer and gender theory, etc.), the OEBE provides a landmark reference overview of everything from ethics in books of the Bible to modern movements and hot-button issues, such as capital punishment, bioethics, and abortion.

The two-volume Encyclopedia contains over 180 entries ranging in length from 1,000 to 7,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry provides a thorough introduction to the topic that will be of use to scholars and students alike. Given its contemporary resonance and detailed summary of current scholarship, OEBE offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary starting point for research.

Published by Oxford University Press in 2014.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Arts

Editor in Chief: Timothy Beal

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and the Arts (OEBART) is an in-depth, comprehensive reference work that covers the cultural history of biblical texts, themes, characters, images, and the Bible itself in the literary, visual, and musical arts. Appearing in response to the shifting landscape of biblical studies over the last decade, OEBART embraces the broadest possible definition of "interpretation," one that includes a cultural-historical perspective. Entries are organized primarily according to specific literary, visual, and musical artists, types of works, and periods (e.g., Mozart, Shakespeare, Children?s Bibles, Early Christian Art), revealing how the Bible figures in each. OEBART contains 148 entries ranging in length from 2,000 to 10,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry provides scholars and students with a reliable source of specialist information on topics that are not covered by existing general reference works.

OEBART distinguishes itself as the superior reference by providing substantively longer, in-depth articles written not only by leading biblical scholars, but also by prominent scholars in the various fields of art in which the Bible figures, and including information on each subject as well as on the history of the scholarly research concerning that subject; by following a topical organization based on a cultural-historical rather than a reception-historical perspective; and through its integration into a larger suite of reference works from Oxford University Press that will be the go-to digital (through Oxford Biblical Studies Online) and print resources for biblical studies.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law

Editor in Chief: Brent Strawn

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law (OEBL) provides the most up-to-date and extensive treatment of the Bible and law yet attempted, both updating and expanding the scope of previous scholarship in the field. In comprehensive overviews, scholars at the forefront of biblical studies and law address three foci: (1) biblical law itself—its nature, collections, and genres; (2) the ancient contexts of biblical law, throughout the ancient Mediterranean (ancient Near Eastern, Greco-Roman, and Early Jewish); and (3) the afterlife and influence of biblical law in antiquity and in modern jurisprudence around the world. Essays include treatments of the Book of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, Greek Law, and the Laws of Hammurapi, but also testimony and witness, property, ritual, rhetoric, gender, and sexual legislation.

The two-volume Encyclopedia contains 130 entries ranging in length from 3,000 to 7,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry provides a thorough overview of the topic and serves as an entrance point to further original research for both seasoned scholars and beginning students. Given its full-orbed exploration of biblical law and its detailed summary of current scholarship, OEBL is guaranteed to secure a privileged place in the history of biblical and legal scholarship.

Published by Oxford University Press in 2015.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender Studies

Editor in Chief: Julia M. O'Brien

As the first major encyclopedia of its kind, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender Studies (OEBGS) is the go-to source for scholars and students undertaking original research in the field. Extending the work of nineteenth and twentieth century feminist scholarship and more recent queer studies, the Encyclopedia seeks to advance the scholarly conversation by systematically exploring the ways in which gender is constructed in the diverse texts, cultures, and readers that constitute "the world of the Bible." With contributions from leading scholars in gender and biblical studies as well as contemporary gender theorists, classicists, archaeologists, and ancient historians, this comprehensive reference work reflects the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of the field and traces both historical and modern conceptions of gender and sexuality in the Bible.

The two-volume Encyclopedia contains more than 160 entries in length from 1,000 to 10,000 words. Each entry includes bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, as well as a topical outline and index to aid in research. OEBGS builds upon the pioneering work of biblically focused gender theorists to help guide and encourage further gendered discussions of the Bible.

Published by Oxford University Press in 2014.


The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology

Editor in Chief: Samuel E. Balentine

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology (OEBT) is a new encyclopedic treatment of major theological issues and themes in the Bible that surpasses all similar reference works in scope and significance. Leading scholars provide extensive overviews of key topics, offering analyses of the trajectory and reception history of theological issues as well as critical assessment of Near Eastern and Greco-Roman antecedents for Old and New Testament perspectives. While many entries address the Bible?s historical context, including traditional theological perspectives on creation, sin, covenant, grace, and forgiveness, others are more rooted in modern issues, featuring biblical perspectives on contemporary concerns such as wealth and poverty, gender/race discrimination, and market economics.

The two-volume OEBT contains 168 entries ranging in length from 2,000 to 8,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry affords students and scholars a comprehensive topical and methodological summary of the topic that serves as both a go-to reference and a starting point for original research. The OEBT?s distinctive approach and range of entries make it a unique resource that fills a void in biblical scholarship.

Published by Oxford University Press in 2015

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

Editor in Chief: Donald B. Redford

Featuring 600 original articles written by leading scholars, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt goes far beyond the records of archaeology to make available what we know about he full social, political, religious, cultural, and artistic legacy of this 5,000 year civilization. The Encyclopedia offers the most complete picture available of ancient Egypt civilization, from the predynastic era to its eclipse in the seventh century CE. Here is the Egyptian world in illuminating, accessible detail: art, architecture, religion, language, literature, trade, politics, everyday social life, and the culture of the court. Of special interest is the coverage of themes and issues that are particularly controversial, such as the new theories of the origins of complex society in the Nile Valley, new discoveries about Greco-Roman Egypt, and new developments in literature, religion, linguistics, and other fields, including the debates about Egypt's African legacy.

Published by Oxford University Press in 2001.


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