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Sir Thomas Browne was first published in 1950. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions.This original and perceptive study of the writings of the great seventeenth-century author of Religio Medici offers the general reader a view of the intellectual world of Browne's time, and for the special student of the period provides a more extended exploration of Browne's religious philosophy than has previously been available.Mr. Dunn recognizes that Browne is primarily an artist and that his books must not be forced into the framework of any mere logical system. But although Browne is only secondarily a philosopher, the acknowledged greatness of his writing is due in part to the brilliance and power of his thought. Accordingly, his philosophy is here examined seriously and shown in its relations to the main intellectual currents of his time. Mr. Dunn, because he combines an appreciation of Browne's poetic and imaginative power with an informed insight into its philosophical basis, can be recommended as the ideal critic of this compelling literary figure.Browne's books emerge form this study as more than the charming haunt of the antiquarian and esthete. At one of the most dramatic moments of European cultural history—the point of transition between the decaying tradition of the Middle Ages and the opening phase of modern science — they nobly express a great humanist's convictions about the meaning of the universe and of human life.The present volume is a complete revision of a work published in 1926 and long out of print.
In the ongoing clash between scientists and fundamentalists, many people of faith feel that they are forced to choose between evolution and the Bible's story of creation. But as William Brown asks in this stimulating volume, which biblical creation story are we talking about? Indeed, Brown identifies seven different biblical perspectives on creation, and shows how a close reading of the biblical texts brings them to light. As he does so, Brown highlights both the connections and the conflicts between the ancient creation traditions and the natural sciences, arguing for a new way of reading the Bible in the light of current scientific knowledge and with a sensitivity to the needs of the environment. Brown argues that, ideally, both scientific inquiry and theological reflection are driven by a sense of wonder that, in his words, "unites the scientist and the psalmist." Brown's own wonder at the beauty and complexity of the created world is evident throughout this intelligent, well-written, and inspirational book.
William Brown introduces a new method of exegesis, particularly for biblical poetry, that attends to the metaphorical contours of the Psalms. His method as proposed and demonstrated in this book supplements traditional ways of interpreting the Psalms and results in a fresh understanding of their original context and contemporary significance.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.
Taken together, the nine prophets found in the books Obadiah through Malachi lived during a tumultuous two hundred years of Israelite history. Their communities dealt with the crisis of the impending Assyrian threat in the eighth century and the Babylonia exile in the sixth, as well as the hopeful age of restoration in the late sixth and early fifth centuries. Intimately connected to the travails and needs of their communities, these prophets had the responsibility of bringing God's message of hope--even in the bleakest times--to their people.Books in the Westminster Bible Companion series assist laity in their study of the Bible as a guide to Christian faith and practice. Each volume explains the biblical book in its original historical context and explores its significance for faithful living today. These books are ideal for individual study and for Bible study classes and groups.
Designed for both Hebrew and non-Hebrew students, A Handbook to Old Testament Exegesis offers a fresh, hands-on introduction to exegesis of the Old Testament. William P. Brown begins not with the biblical text itself but with the reader, helping students to identify their own interpretive lenses before engaging the biblical text. Brown guides the student through a wide variety of interpretive approaches, including modern methodologiesâ€"feminist, womanist, Latino/a, queer, postcolonial, disability, and ecological approachesâ€"alongside more traditional methods. This allows students to critically reflect on themselves as bona fide interpreters. While covering a wide range of biblical passages, Brown also highlights two common biblical texts throughout the work to help show how each interpretive approach highlights different dimensions of the same texts. Students will appreciate the value of an empathetic inquiry of Scripture that is both inclusive of others and textually in-depth.
Biblical texts create worlds of meaning and invite readers to enter them. When readers enter such textual worlds, which are often strange and complex, they are confronted with theological claims. With this in mind, the purpose of the Interpreting Biblical Texts series is to help serious readers in their experience of reading and interpreting, by providing guides for their journeys into textual worlds. The controlling perspective is expressed in the operative word of the title interpreting. The primary focus of the series is not so much on the world behind the texts or out of which the texts have arisen as on the worlds created by the texts in their engagement with readers. The focus of the volume moves from the smallest to the largest of scales, from an examination of poetic segments to considerations of God and the world through the psalmists eyes. The author will present new slants and questions that equip the reader with various tools of interpretation while leaving issues open for the reader s further exploration. Included are discussions of Psalms as Hebrew poetry, species, performance, corpus, anthropology, and theology. "
This study demonstrates that the aim of the Bible's wisdom literature is the formation of the moral character of both individuals and the believing community. Brown traces the theme of moral identity and conduct throughout the Old Testament,
Recent studies of the biblical story of creation try to uncover its roots in ancient Near Eastern myths or its compatibility with modern science and ecology. In contrast, this work by William Brown investigates how the various pictures of creation found in Scripture helped shape the ancient faith community's moral character. Bridging the fields of biblical studies and ethics, this interdisciplinary work demonstrates how certain creation traditions of the Old and New Testaments were developed from the community's moral imagination for the purpose of forming and preserving both Israel's and the early church's identity in the world. Bringing to light insights largely overlooked by modern treatments of biblical ethics and creation, The Ethos of the Cosmos ends by recommending the formative power of creation for the contemporary church.
Wisdom's Wonder offers a fresh reading of the Hebrew Bible's wisdom literature with a unique emphasis on "wonder" as the framework for understanding biblical wisdom. William Brown argues that wonder effectively integrates biblical wisdom's emphasis on character formation and its outlook on creation, breaking an impasse that has plagued recent wisdom studies. Drawing from various disciplines - from philosophy to neuroscience - Brown discovers new distinctions and connections among Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. An extensive revision and expansion of Brown's Character in Crisis (Eerdmans, 1996), this book demonstrates that the wisdom books are much more than simply advice literature: with wonder as the foundation for understanding, Brown maintains that wisdom is a process with transformation of self as the goal.
All too often Scripture is read only to find answers to life's perplexing questions, to prove a theological point, or to formulate doctrine. But William Brown argues that if read properly, what the Bible does most fundamentally is arouse a sacred sense of life-transforming wonder.In this book Brown helps readers develop an orientation toward the biblical text that embraces wonder. He explores reading strategies and offers fresh readings of seventeen Old and New Testament passages, identifying what he finds most central and evocative in the unfolding biblical drama. The Bible invites its readers to linger in wide-eyed wonder, Brown says -- and his Sacred Sense shows readers how to do just that.
Ecclesiastes is a collection of sayings traditionally attributed to Solomon and deemed by some the strangest book in the canon. It comprises an unusual blend of autobiographical references, theological reflections, philosophical musings, and proverbial instructions, all probing the seeming pointlessness of human striving. Brown explores the text as it engages our own culture's era of questioning and search for self full-fulfillment.Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching is a distinctive resource for those who interpret the Bible in the church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs, this critically acclaimed biblical commentary is a major contribution to scholarship and ministry.
This dictionary profiles 103 private US organizations involved with the nation's agricultural policy process. . . . It contains an introductory essay chronicling the growth, aims, and objectives of agricultureal groups, foolowed by the organization profiles in alphabetical order, an appendix of related groups not mentioned in the text, and an index of corporate and personal names. . . . U.S. Agricultural Groups also includes concise descriptions of each group's origins, organizational structure, funding, policy concerns, and electoral activity. Libraries seeking detailed descriptions of the major organizations in this area will benefit from this title. ChoiceThis reference source is ideal for anyone interested in the role of agricultural interests in American national politics. The book provides detailed profiles of more than 100 private organizations that are most likely to gain the greatest attention from those who observe, study, and participate in agricultural policy making. A range of organizations is covered, including mass membership organizations, trade associations, cooperatives, unions, public interest groups, think tanks, and policy research organizations, all of which are involved in some manner in the agricultural policy process. Preceding the profiles is an essay on both interests and policy, written by the editors of the volume. U.S. Agricultural Groups is intended to acquaint readers with the nature and activities of the organized interests in the agricultural policy arena, both historically and in the contemporary context.Entries in the volume are prepared from a common format. The first part of each entry is a summary statement concerning the type and purpose of the organization, who is represented, and where the membership is concentrated. Next, information is provided concerning when and under what circumstances the organization came into being, the historically important issues of its concern, and a general discussion of the historical development of the organization. Information concerning the governing structure of the organization, the basis of memberships, funding sources, and memberships benefits is also provided. This volume will be make a valuable addition to any public or university library.
Sacred Cows and Hot Potatoes challenges many of the assumptions of current agricultural policies—such as equating "farm" with "rural," high farm prices with high farm incomes, or farm programs with food programs—and examines the agrarian roots of these policies. From the origins of agrarian myths to the latest controversies over farming and the environment, this book provides an overview of the use and abuse of agrarian values in policymaking. Illustrated with pictures, cartoons, and graphs, the book will appeal to a broad audience, including policymakers, rural sociologists, agricultural economists, political scientists, ethicists, and the interested public.
