LEADER 04812oam 2200733 a 450 001 9910952279803321 005 20200520144314.0 010 $a9798216005346 010 $a9786610373734 010 $a9781280373732 010 $a1280373733 010 $a9780313010866 010 $a0313010862 024 7 $a10.5040/9798216005346 035 $a(CKB)111087026965124 035 $a(OCoLC)614565526 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebrary10023109 035 $a(SSID)ssj0000233009 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11186629 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000233009 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)10220830 035 $a(PQKB)10087026 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL3000802 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr10023109 035 $a(OCoLC)55483305 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC3000802 035 $a(OCoLC)47644357 035 $a(DLC)BP9798216005346BC 035 $a(Perlego)4202518 035 $a(EXLCZ)99111087026965124 100 $a20010713e20022024 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aurcn||||||||| 181 $ctxt$2rdacontent 182 $cc$2rdamedia 183 $acr$2rdacarrier 200 10$aReading Genesis politically $ean introduction to Mosaic political philosophy /$fMartin Sicker 205 $a1st ed. 210 1$aWestport, Conn. :$cPraeger,$d2002. 210 2$aLondon :$cBloomsbury Publishing,$d2024 215 $a1 online resource (xviii, 152 pages) 300 $aBibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph 311 08$a9780275974930 311 08$a0275974936 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. [145]-149) and index. 327 $aCover -- Reading Genesis Politically -- Contents -- Introduction -- NOTE -- Chapter 1 The Emergence of Man -- NOTES -- Chapter 2 Man against God: The Myth of the Primal Sin -- NOTES -- Chapter 3 Man against Man: Cain and Abel -- NOTES -- Chapter 4 Man against Society: The Generation of the Flood -- NOTES -- Chapter 5 Cleaning the Slate: The Deluge -- NOTES -- Chapter 6 Beginning Anew -- NOTES -- Chapter 7 Society Astray: The Tower of Babel -- NOTES -- Chapter 8 Another Beginning -- NOTES -- Bibliography -- Index -- About the Author. 330 8 $aSicker asserts that the Mosaic canon, the Pentateuch, is first and foremost a library of essentially political teachings and documents, and that the first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis set forth in essence a general Mosaic political philosophy. These writings take a unique mythopoeic approach to the construction of a normative political theory intended to undergird the idea of a mutual covenant between God and the people of Israel that is to be realized in history in the creation of the ideal society. It is with the elaboration of the political ideas reflected in these early chapters of Genesis that this book is concerned. For the modern reader, the biblical texts should be understood as postulating some basic ideas of Mosaic moral and political philosophy that, in Sicker's view, continue to be applicable in contemporary times. First, man is endowed with free will, however constrained by circumstances it may be, and with the intellect to govern and direct it in appropriate paths. Accordingly, he is individually responsible for his actions and must be held accountable for them. Second, man has a necessary relation to God whether he wishes it or not. Prudence alone will therefore dictate that compliance with divine precept is in man's best interest. Third, the notion that man can create a moral society without reference to God is a deceptive illusion. Man's ability to rationalize even his most outrageous behavior clearly indicates the need for an unimpeachable source and standard of moral authority. Fourth, until all men accept the preceding principles, the idea of a universal state is both dangerous and counterproductive. In the 20th century, we have witnessed two different attempts to create such a world state, both of which produced totalitarian monstrosities. Fifth, individualism as a social philosophy tends to be destructive of traditional values and must be tempered by the idea of communal responsibility. A survey of particular interest to scholars, researchers, and students interested in Jewish history, political thought, and the Old Testament. 606 $aJudaism and politics 606 $aTheological anthropology$xJudaism 606 $aJewish ethics 606 $aPolitics in the Bible 615 0$aJudaism and politics. 615 0$aTheological anthropology$xJudaism. 615 0$aJewish ethics. 615 0$aPolitics in the Bible. 676 $a222/.1106 700 $aSicker$b Martin$0296234 801 0$bDLC 801 1$bDLC 801 2$bDLC 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910952279803321 996 $aReading Genesis politically$94339446 997 $aUNINA