Abraham on Trial: The Social Legacy of Biblical Myth
Abraham on Trial 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 bold look at the legacy of this biblical and qur'anic story, Carol Delaney explores how the sacrifice rather than the protection of children became the focus of faith, to...
Search in google:
This is a feminist look at the connections between religion, child sacrifice, and patriarchy within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Cynthia M. Baker - Bible Review Many scholars would be wary of charging a single biblical myth with aiding and abetting such a vast array of lethal power structures and ideologies as Delaney catalogues throughout the book. Yet she marshals extensive evidence and prosecutes her case with great care and competence.
List of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction5Pt. 1Abraham on Trial15Ch. 1Abraham on Trial: Case for the Prosecution17Ch. 2Abraham as Alibi? A Trial in California35Pt. 2Archaeological and Biblical Evidence69Ch. 3Child Sacrifice: Practice or Symbol?71Ch. 4Child Sacrifice in the Bible87Pt. 3Religious Defenses and Their Silences105Religious Defenses: Prolegomenon107Ch. 5Jewish Traditions111Ch. 6Christian Commentary137Ch. 7Muslim Interpretations162Pt. 4The Testimony of Psychoanalysis187Ch. 8Freud's Blind Spot189Ch. 9Sa(l)vaging Freud211Pt. 5The Social Legacy231Ch. 10Sacrificing Our Children233Conclusion251Notes255Select Bibliography295Index317
\ Bible Review - Cynthia M. Baker\ Many scholars would be wary of charging a single biblical myth with aiding and abetting such a vast array of lethal power structures and ideologies as Delaney catalogues throughout the book. Yet she marshals extensive evidence and prosecutes her case with great care and competence.\ \ \ \ \ National Jewish Post and OpinionThis provocative and thoughtful analysis will resonate with all who are bothered by a father's readiness to sacrifice his son in order to demonstrate his unquestioning devotion to God.\ \ \ Bible ReviewMany scholars would be wary of charging a single biblical myth with aiding and abetting such a vast array of lethal power structures and ideologies as Delaney catalogues throughout the book. Yet she marshals extensive evidence and prosecutes her case with great care and competence.\ — Cynthia M. Baker\ \ \ \ \ Library JournalThe story of the sacrifice of Isaac is at the heart of the three monotheistic religions that see Abraham as their father in faith: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Writing from a feminist perspective, Delaney (anthropology, Stanford) considers the traditional interpretation, i.e., that Abraham's faith is proved by his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command. Delaney then examines the role this story has played in modern ideas of paternal authority, taking as an example the case of a father who killed his daughter and claimed at his trial a few years ago that he did it because God told him to. Delaney examines the role the story plays in the psychological literature as well as in religion and argues against its perpetuation. While not all readers will agree with her interpretations, she certainly offers a thought-provoking argument. For larger collections.--Augustine J. Curley, O.S.B., Newark Abbey, NJ\ \ \ \ \ ChoiceA provocative study of the story of Issac in the Book of Genesis...Drawing insights from psychoanalysis, Delaney shows how this story influences our assumptions about obedience, gender, social hierarchy, and patriarchal authority. As such, the Abraham story is not merely and ancient one, but one that continues to have contemporary impacts.\ \
