1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910792244803321

Autore

Douglas Mary <1921-2007.>

Titolo

Leviticus as literature [[electronic resource] /] / Mary Douglas

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Oxford ; ; New York, : Oxford University Press, 2000

ISBN

0-19-924419-7

0-19-151838-7

1-282-05293-4

9786612052934

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (299 p.)

Disciplina

222.1306

222/.1306

Soggetti

Theological anthropology

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Originally published: 1999.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. [253]-264) and indexes.

Nota di contenuto

Contents; List of Figures; List of Tables; List of Abbreviations; 1. The Ancient Religion; Chronology and the Writing; Reconstructing the Primordial Religion; 2. Two Styles of Thought; Analogical versus Rational-Instrumental Thinking; From Analogic to Dialogic; Social Basis of the Greek Breakthrough; Greek and Chinese Science; Imperatives in Leviticus; 3. Two Styles of Writing; The Language of Feeling; Containing and Covering; Mount Sinai; 4. Mountain, Tabernacle, Body in Leviticus 1-7; Logic of the Body; Forbidden Items; Entrails and Legs; The Inmost Being; The Doctrine of Remainders

5. The Totally Reformed ReligionDeuteronomy and Leviticus; The Central Sanctuary; No Cult of the Dead; Deuteronomy's Legislation; 6. Oracles Support Divine Justice; Divination and Sacrifice; Knowing When to Make a Private Sacrifice; Plausibility of Oracles; Priestly Divination; Inadvertent Sin; Sacrilege; Juridical Uses of the Oath; 7. Land Animals, Pure and Impure; Land Animals Under the Covenant; The Two Texts; Interpretations of Uncleanness/Impurity; Sacred Contagion; 8. Other Living Beings; God's Care for his Creation; Translating Swarming as Teeming; Leaven and Honey as Teeming Life

Translating AbominationCreatures that Swarm in the Air; Competition in the Holiness Stakes; Conclusion; 9. Atonement for Sick Bodies; Loss



of Vital Fluids; Leprosy; Reproductive Disorders; 10. The Two Screens; Leviticus a Projection of the Tabernacle; Fire for Fire, Burning for Burning; The Curser Cursed; Scandal of Talion; The Language of Oracles; 11. Inside the House/Book of God; Macro markers; The Outer Court; The Sanctuary; Atonement; Pedimental Composition; 12. Inside the Holy of Holies; The Great Proclamation of Liberty; Reading Leviticus through Genesis: Covering

Reading Scapegoat and Scapebird through GenesisReferences; Index of Bible References; General Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; Y; Z

Sommario/riassunto

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, M