Handbook of Biblical Social Values, Third Edition

"An already useful resource is strengthened in this third edition. New entries (e.g., 'Collectivism'; 'Mouth-Ears') and an updated bibliography for many of the entries make the Handbook an up-to-date reference work. This book will be valuable for undergraduates, for seminarians and pastors, and for laypeople who seek to better understand the values of the ancient Mediterranean world embedded in the pages of the Bible, without which modern readers are sure to misunderstand the writings contained in it."

--Eric Stewart, Associate Professor of Religion, Augustana College (Illinois)



"This volume is a tested cultural and social-scientific resource without parallel. Here is a hugely informative and reliable guide to the motivating worldviews and values of the biblical authors and their communities; an ideal handbook for both the pulpit and the classroom; and an essential resource for preachers, scholars, and visitors to the biblical world."

 --John H. Elliott, Professor emeritus, University of San Francisco



"The Handbook of Biblical Social Values, 3rd Edition is a fitting tribute to John J. Pilch (1937-2016), a pioneer in social-scientific interpretations of the Bible. This updated and expanded edition is a must-have for any serious exegete of the Scriptures. It provides users with cross-cultural scripts for reading the Bible in its originating social contexts, provokes new and surprising understandings of seemingly familiar passages, and challenges the way we apply sacred texts today."

--Ritva H. Williams, Independent Scholar, St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA