The cultural reception of the Bible

Explorations in theology, literature and the arts

Salvador Ryan & Liam M. Tracey OSM, editors

The Bible is undoubtedly the most influential ‘book’ that the world has ever known. In thirty essays, this wide-ranging volume examines the cultural impact of biblical texts, from the early Middle Ages to the present day, on areas such as theology, philosophy, ethics, ecology, politics, literature, art, music and film. Contributions range from Saadia Gaon’s tenth-century Arabic translation of the Pentateuch to Martin Scorsese’s 1988 film adaptation of The last temptation of Christ; from the biblically inspired writings of a late seventeenth-century French galley slave to Paul Ricoeur’s reading of The Song of Songs; and from the deep biblical culture of fifth-century Rome to the divisions that biblical verses perpetuated in late twentieth-century Ulster.

Contributors: Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR (Newark); Thomas O’Loughlin (U Nottingham); Cornelius Casey, CSsR (TCD); Jeremy Corley (SPCM); Noel O’Sullivan (SPCM); Michael A. Conway (SPCM); Jessie Rogers (SPCM); Martin O’Kane (U Wales, Trinity Saint David); Kerry Houston (DIT); Michael O’Dwyer (MU); Brian Cosgrove (MU); Diane Corkery (U Strathclyde); Raphael Gallagher, CSsR (Alphonsianum, Rome); Terence Kennedy, CSsR (Alphonsianum, Rome); Padraig Corkery (SPCM); Carol Dempsey, OP (U Portland, Oregon); Thomas R. Whelan, CSSp (National Centre for Liturgy, Maynooth); Liam Tracey, OSM (SPCM); Penelope Woods (SPCM); Ruth Whelan (MU); Elochukwu Uzukwu, CSSp (Duquesne U); Hugh Connolly (Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris); John-Paul Sheridan (SPCM); Helen Cashell-Moran (TCD); Katherine Meyer (TCD); Seamus O’Connell (SPCM); Jonathan Kearney (DCU); Patrick Comerford (CITI/TCD); Martin Henry (SPCM); Paul Clogher (WIT); John F. Deane (ind.).

Salvador Ryan is professor of ecclesiastical history, St Patrick's College, Maynooth. Liam M. Tracey, OSM, is professor of liturgy, St Patrick's College, Maynooth.