Mark A. Chancey

Christian Origins and the Ancient Economy

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Many scholars have made claims about economic conditions in Galilee and elsewhere in Palestine, but very few have sifted through the evidence as carefully and systematically as Fiensy has. He convincingly demonstrates that much of what we thought we knew about the subject is wrong, while pointing us in new, fruitful directions. These sophisticated yet accessible essays are a must-read for everyone interested in the cultural climate of Jesus and the movement he started.”

Judaism

World Religions

“Over two decades after its initial publication, Judaism: Practice and Belief remains the most comprehensive overview of its subject matter available. Though well aware of the diversity within late Second Temple Judaism, Sanders emphasizes the theological convictions and practices that gave Jews a sense of shared identity. To be sure, Sanders explores the distinctive characteristics of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, but his focus is squarely upon what he calls 'common Judaism,' the Judaism of both priests and ordinary people who did not consider themselves members of one sect or another. As an authoritative reference on the fascinating details of how Jews in this period celebrated festivals, observed the Sabbath, related to the Temple, offered sacrifices, kept kosher, and maintained purity (or not), the book remains unparalleled. Its return to print is a welcome development for scholars and general readers alike.”

Paul

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Erudite and engaging, E. P. Sanders provides an unparalleled primer on Paul, translating the insights of technical scholarship into everyday language accessible not only to academics and theologians but also to students and general readers. Displaying the same extraordinary command of biblical material, Jewish texts, and the broader ancient world that have always characterized his work, he offers a vivid portrait of the passionate missionary whose letters proved foundational for subsequent Christianity. Particular strengths of this volume include its careful differentiation between Paul's arguments themselves and the theological presuppositions undergirding them and its heightened attention to the importance of chronological development in Paul's thought.”

The Progressives' Bible

History & Biography

“For those who want to understand the varied and creative ways that social reformers have used the Bible to advocate for a more just, inclusive, and equitable America, there is no better guide than The Progressives' Bible. Claudia Setzer treats the reader to the arguments of a remarkably wide-ranging and diverse array of activists from the early 1800s to the present, highlighting scriptural passages that have figured prominently in their thinking and the interpretive strategies they have used to understand them. If, as Setzer argues, hope is the prerequisite for reform, then readers concerned with the issues of our own day will find tremendous hope in her accounts of the progressive champions who have gone before us.”