Biblical Morality: Moral Perspectives in Old Testament Narratives (Heythrop Studies in Contemporary Philosophy, Religion & Theology)

This text is intended to be set in the context of more traditional approaches to ethical regulations in the Christian Bible. The volume starts on the Old Testament story and focuses on the moral vision which is part of that narrative. The intention is to expand the reader's horizons concerning biblical morality and to provoke consideration of its many facets. This text takes seriously the overall presentation of biblical characters as good and bad, the whole structure of stories, which contain an understanding of the working out of justice and righteousness in human affairs, and the complexity of biblical approaches to such topics as the origins of sin and evil in the universe. Consequently the book does not focus on law and legality as such, but explores the Old tesament stories for the contribution these make to a broader picture of moral vision, which can accommodate even conflicting verdicts on the significance of human activity.