ENGLISH

Leviticus as Literature

By Mary Douglas

Book information

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
2000
ISBN
019815092X, 9780198150923, 0199244197, 9780199244195
LCC
BS1255.2 .D68 1999
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
1 MB (1359593 bytes)
Pages
304\299
Topic
Literature Literary
Time added
2011-06-04 13:46:07

Description

This first full-scale account of Leviticus by a world renowned anthropologist presents the biblical work as a literary masterpiece. Seen in an anthropological perspective Leviticus has a mystical structure which plots the book into three parts corresponding to the three parts of the desert tabernacle, both corresponding to the parts of Mount Sinai. This completely new reading transforms the interpretation of the purity laws. The pig and other forbidden animals are not abhorrent, they command the same respect due to all God's creatures. Boldly challenging several traditions of Bible criticism, Mary Douglas claims that Leviticus is not the narrow doctrine of a crabbed professional priesthood but a powerful intellectual statement about a modern religion which emphasizes God's justice and compassion.

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