Kirjahaku

William Blake's The Four Zoas is one of the most challenging poems in the English language, and one of the most profound. It is also one of the least read of the major poetic narratives of the Romantic period. Spiritual History presents a much-needed introduction to the poem, although it will also be of great interest to those already familiar with it. This is the first full-length study to examine in detail Blake's numerous manuscript revisions of the poem. It offers a staged reading, one that moves, as Blake himself moved, from simpler to more complex forms of writing. Andrew Lincoln reads the poem in the light of two competing views of history: the biblical, which places history within the framework of Fall and Judgement, and that of the Enlightenment, which sees history as progress from primitive life to civil order. In so doing, he offers an account of the narrative that is more coherent - and accessible - than much previous criticism of the work, and Blake's much misunderstood poem emerges as the most extraordinary product of the eighteenth-century tradition of philosophical history.

Many Christians find the virgin birth a difficult doctrine and are not sure how to handle it. This book examines why that is by addressing the whole range of issues that arise - literary, historical and hermeneutical - from a perspective that takes seriously creedal confession and theological and ecclesiological concerns. incoln's investigation of the primary sources for the virgin birth leads him to consider the literary genre and distinctive characteristics of the New Testament birth narratives as part of ancient biography, and to reassess the likely historicity of the traditions that Matthew and Luke have in common. He then looks at how changes in our views of history and biology decisively affect any traditional understanding of the virgin birth, exploring what that means for the authority of Scripture and creed, and for our understanding of Christology.

Hebrews: A Guidesheds light on an important, but often overlooked, New Testament book. In this highly accessible introductory guide, Lincoln aims to provide a broad appreciation of the setting, background, argument, and overall thought of Hebrews. Lincoln argues that the controversy surrounding Hebrews, and the question of whether or not one should consider it an apostolical text, has resulted in its being the object of relative neglect in biblical scholarship. He maintains that if the reader puts the issue of authorship to one side, they will find that its writer is not only the most elegant stylist among the New Testament writers but also a first-class theologian and pastor in his own right, whose message continues to speak effectively to Christians today.

Hebrews: An Introduction sheds light on an important, but often overlooked, New Testament book. In this highly accessible introductory guide, Lincoln aims to provide a broad appreciation of the setting, background, argument, and overall thought of Hebrews. Lincoln argues that the controversy surrounding Hebrews, and the question of whether or not one should consider it an apostolical text, has resulted in its being the object of relative neglect in biblical scholarship. He maintains that if the reader puts the issue of authorship to one side, they will find that its writer is not only the most elegant stylist among the New Testament writers but also a first-class theologian and pastor in his own right, whose message continues to speak effectively to Christians today. Hebrews is in some respects more demanding of its readers than the other books of the New Testament, it's meaning perhaps more ambiguous. This guide is intended to enable a greater appreciation of the distinctive voice of Hebrews within the New Testament canon and to underline the significance of its message.

Walter Scott and Modernity argues that, far from turning away from modernity to indulge a nostalgic vision of the past, Scott uses the past as means of exploring key problems in the modern world. This study includes critical introductions to some of the most widely read poems published in nineteenth-century Britain (which are also the most scandalously neglected), and insights into the narrative strategies and ideological interests of some of Scott's greatest novels. It explores the impact of the French revolution on attitudes to tradition, national heritage, historical change and modernity in the romantic period, considers how the experience of empire influenced ideas about civilized identity, and how ideas of progress could be used both to rationalise the violence of empire and to counteract demands for political reform. It also shows how current issues of debate - from relations between Western and Islamic cultures, to the political significance of the private conscience in a liberal society - are anticipated in the romantic era. Key Features * Explains the historical, political and aesthetic significance of Scott's 'Tory scepticism' * Considers the relationship between Scott's interests and twentieth-first-century debates about nation, empire, community, identity and state legitimacy * Includes detailed analyses of three of Scott's most influential poems * Offers detailed, and carefully historicised interpretations in an accessible style

"The magnificent series of biblical commentaries known as Black's New Testament Commentaries (BNTC) under the General Editorship of Professor Morna Hooker has had a gap for far too long - it has lacked an up to date commentary on the Fourth Gospel. Professor Andrew Lincoln now fills this gap with his excellent new commentary. The key questions for scholars are gone into thoroughly- questions of historicity, the use of historical traditions and sources, relationship to the Synoptics, authorship, setting, first readers and Professor Lincoln makes his own position on these issues abundantly clear. The Fourth Gospel raises a number of problems generally known as The Johannine Question. According to tradition the Gospel was written by St John the Apostle. The authenticity of the tradition is examined in the introduction but the textual issues are examined within the commentary itself. For example one problem is that Chapters 15 and 16 seem in early versions to have preceded chapter 14. Chapter 21 must have been a later addition. The purpose of the Gospel as stated in Chapter 20 v 31 is to strenghten the reader's faith in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. But even the celebrated prologue has given rise to much speculation, whereas most commentators believe it is the key to the Gospel as a whole. These issues are meat and drink to scholars but in Professor Lincoln's expert hands they are extremely interesting and highly pertinent to our contemporary understanding of the Gospel."

The magnificent series of biblical commentaries known as Black's New Testament Commentaries (BNTC) under the General Editorship of Professor Morna Hooker has had a gap for far too long - it has lacked an up to date commentary on the Fourth Gospel. Professor Andrew Lincoln now fills this gap with his excellent new commentary. The key questions for scholars are gone into thoroughly- questions of historicity, the use of historical traditions and sources, relationship to the Synoptics, authorship, setting, first readers and Professor Lincoln makes his own position on these issues abundantly clear. The Fourth Gospel raises a number of problems generally known as The Johannine Question. According to tradition the Gospel was written by St John the Apostle. The authenticity of the tradition is examined in the introduction but the textual issues are examined within the commentary itself. For example one problem is that Chapters 15 and 16 seem in early versions to have preceded chapter 14. Chapter 21 must have been a later addition. The purpose of the Gospel as stated in Chapter 20 v 31 is to strenghten the reader's faith in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. But even the celebrated prologue has given rise to much speculation, whereas most commentators believe it is the key to the Gospel as a whole. These issues are meat and drink to scholars but in Professor Lincoln's expert hands they are extremely interesting and highly pertinent to our contemporary understanding of the Gospel.

Ranging over political, moral, religious, artistic and literary developments in eighteenth-century Britain, Andrew Lincoln explains in a clear and engaging style how the 'civilizing process' and the rise of humanitarianism, far from inhibiting war, helped to make it acceptable to a modern commercial society. In a close examination of a wide variety of illuminating examples, he shows how criticism of the terrible effects of war could be used to promote the nation's war-making. His study explores how ideas and methods were developed to provide the British public with moral insulation from the overseas violence they read about, and from the dire effects of war they encountered at home. It shows, too, how the first campaigning peace society, while promoting pacificism, drew inspiration from the prospects opened by imperial conquest. This volume is an important and timely call to rethink how we understand the cultural and moral foundations of imperial Britain.