Ancient Near Eastern Thought
Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament (Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible)
Introduction Using contemporary studies as the foundation of his research John Walton reviews the ancient and Near Eastern and Israelite cognitive context. He provides guidance for students and general public to have a wider understanding and expand their knowledge of today’s culture, and historical culture interacts with the ancient world culture. In doing so, he tries to balance all audiences though examining artifacts to assist the individual’s understanding through these artifacts about both the historical prospective and culture and the parallel with the Bible.
Summary of Book The book is divided into five parts. Part 1, "Comparative Studies," consists of two chapters that introduce readers to the history and methods of comparative study and to the relationship between comparative study, scholarship, and theology. Part 2 consists of a single chapter in which Walton provides a summary of the literature of the ancient Near East. Parts 3, 4, and 5, Walton then draws on the aforementioned source material to explore comparatively understandings of religion (Part 3), the cosmos (Part 4), and people (Part 5).
Part 1 – Comparative Studies
Chapter 1 – History and Methods Walton details that comparative study "constitutes a branch of cultural studies in that it attempts to draw data from different segments of the broader culture (in time and/ or space) into juxtaposition with one another in order to assess what might be learned from one to enhance the understanding of another" (p. 18). His reasoning is that Bible students need comparative study because the literary genres, religious practices, and cultural dimensions of ancient Israelite theology are all rooted in ancient Near Eastern culture, and "without the guidance of background studies, we are bound to misinterpret the text at some points" (p. 25). In addition, he states (p.23) that a
Introduction Using contemporary studies as the foundation of his research John Walton reviews the ancient and Near Eastern and Israelite cognitive context. He provides guidance for students and general public to have a wider understanding and expand their knowledge of today’s culture, and historical culture interacts with the ancient world culture. In doing so, he tries to balance all audiences though examining artifacts to assist the individual’s understanding through these artifacts about both the historical prospective and culture and the parallel with the Bible.
Summary of Book The book is divided into five parts. Part 1, "Comparative Studies," consists of two chapters that introduce readers to the history and methods of comparative study and to the relationship between comparative study, scholarship, and theology. Part 2 consists of a single chapter in which Walton provides a summary of the literature of the ancient Near East. Parts 3, 4, and 5, Walton then draws on the aforementioned source material to explore comparatively understandings of religion (Part 3), the cosmos (Part 4), and people (Part 5).
Part 1 – Comparative Studies
Chapter 1 – History and Methods Walton details that comparative study "constitutes a branch of cultural studies in that it attempts to draw data from different segments of the broader culture (in time and/ or space) into juxtaposition with one another in order to assess what might be learned from one to enhance the understanding of another" (p. 18). His reasoning is that Bible students need comparative study because the literary genres, religious practices, and cultural dimensions of ancient Israelite theology are all rooted in ancient Near Eastern culture, and "without the guidance of background studies, we are bound to misinterpret the text at some points" (p. 25). In addition, he states (p.23) that a