The Enemy in the Household: Family Violence in Deuteronomy and Beyond

by Caryn A. Reeder

Overview

This fresh approach to troubling biblical texts explores the "family violence" passages in Deuteronomy, tracing their ancient interpretation and assessing their contemporary significance. Three laws in Deuteronomy command violence against a family member--the enemy in the household--who leads others away from covenantal obligations to God. This book examines such "constructive" violence carried out to protect the covenant community by investigating the reading practices of ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters of Scripture and their applications of these passages. It also helps modern readers approach biblical texts that command violence in the family, providing a model for the ethical interpretation of these difficult texts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441236197
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Caryn A. Reeder (PhD, University of Cambridge) is assistant professor of religious studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Table of Contents

1. Introducing the Enemy Within
2. Understanding Constructive Family Violence in Deuteronomy
3. Reading Deuteronomy in Hellenistic Palestine
4. Enmity and Treason according to Philo, Josephus, and the Rabbis
5. Constructive Family Violence and the Early Church
6. Reading Constructive Family Violence in the Bible
Indexes