This work questions the foundations of faith that have made a virtue out of the willingness to sacrifice a child. Through his desire to obey God at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing his son, Abraham became the definitive model of faith for the major world religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this examination of the legacy of this biblical and qur'anic story, the author explores how the sacrifice rather than the protection of children became the focus of faith, to the point where the abuse and betrayal of ...
Read More
This work questions the foundations of faith that have made a virtue out of the willingness to sacrifice a child. Through his desire to obey God at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing his son, Abraham became the definitive model of faith for the major world religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this examination of the legacy of this biblical and qur'anic story, the author explores how the sacrifice rather than the protection of children became the focus of faith, to the point where the abuse and betrayal of children has today become widespread and sometimes institutionalized. Delaney's analysis offers a different perspective on what unites and divides the peoples of sibling religions derived from Abraham, and a way to overcome the increasing violence among them. Delaney critically examines evidence from Jewish, Christian and Muslim interpretations, from archaeology and Freudian theory, as well as a recent trial in which a father sacrificed his child in obedience to God's voice, and shows how the meaning of Abraham's story is bound up with a specific notion of fatherhood. The pre-eminence of the father (which is part of the meaning of the name Abraham) comes from the still operative theory of procreation in which men transmit life by means of their "seed", an image that encapsulates the generative, creative power that symbolically allies men with God. Kinship and origin myths, the cultural construction of fatherhood and motherhood, suspicions of actual child sacrifices in ancient times, and a revisiting of Freud's Oedipus complex contribute to this book's discussion. Delaney shows how the story of Abraham legitimates a hierarchical structure of authority, a specific form of family, definitions of gender and the value of obedience that have become a foundation of society. The book asks whether we should perpetuate this story and the lessons it teaches.
Read Less
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial: the Social Legacy of Biblical Myth to cart. $2.08, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial: the Social Legacy of Biblical Myth to cart. $2.08, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $2.34, very good condition, Sold by Open Books Ltd rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $2.99, good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $3.51, very good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $6.00, very good condition, Sold by Dunaway Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Saint Louis, MO, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $9.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial: the Social Legacy of Biblical Myth to cart. $10.00, Sold by Windows Booksellers rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of Abraham on Trial to cart. $14.00, like new condition, Sold by Avol's Books LLC rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Madison, WI, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.