 | Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible
Davis, Ellen F.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009 pp. xvii + 234. $23.99
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Description: This book examines the theology and ethics of land use, especially the practices of modern industrialized agriculture, in light of critical biblical exegesis. Nine interrelated essays explore the biblical writers' pervasive concern for the care of arable land against the background of the geography, social structures, and religious thought of ancient Israel. This approach consistently brings out neglected aspects of texts, both poetry and prose, that are central to Jewish and Christian traditions. Rather than seeking solutions from the past, Davis creates a conversation between ancient texts and contemporary agrarian writers; thus she provides a fresh perspective from which to view the destructive practices and assumptions that now dominate the global food economy. The biblical exegesis is wide-ranging and sophisticated; the language is literate and accessible to a broad audience. Subjects: Bible, Literature, Methods, Theological Approaches, Biblical Theology, Ethics
Review by Philip F. Esler
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Published 9/12/2009
Citation: Philip F. Esler, review of Ellen F. Davis, Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible, Review of Biblical Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (2009).
Review by Robin Gallaher Branch
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Published 2/15/2010
Citation: Robin Gallaher Branch, review of Ellen F. Davis, Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible, Review of Biblical Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (2010).
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