Reading Ritual: Leviticus in Postmodern CultureThis book draws on a variety of disciplines to undertake a unique analysis of Leviticus 1-7. Rather than studying the rituals prescribed in Leviticus as arcane historical/theological texts of little interest to the modern reader, or as examples of primitive rituals that have no parallel in Western society, this book provides many points of contact between animal sacrifice rituals and various parts of post-modern society. Modern rituals such as Monday Night Football, eating fast food, sending sons and daughters off to war, and even the rituals of modern academia are contrasted with the text of Leviticus. In addition, responses to Leviticus among modern African Christians and in the early church are used to draw out further understandings of how the language and practice of sacrifice still shapes the lives of people. This study takes a consciously Christian perspective on Leviticus. Leviticus is assumed to be an ongoing part of the Christian Bible. The usual Christian response to Leviticus is to ignore it or to claim that all sacrifice has now been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus. This study refutes those simplistic assertions, and attempts to reassert the place of Leviticus as a source for Christian self-understanding. This is volume 417 of JSOTS and volume 9 of Playing the Texts. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Chapter 2 Animal Sacrifice Today | 13 |
Leviticus 4 and the Church of Monday Night Football | 27 |
Chapter 4 Ritual Sacrifice in Leviticus Africa and North America | 44 |
Chapter 5 Blood Sacrifice in the United States | 69 |
Chapter 6 The Afterlife of Leviticus 17 in the Church | 82 |
A Commentary in Three Voices | 107 |
Bibliography | 124 |
| 137 | |
| 139 | |
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Common terms and phrases
activity African traditional religion allow American Civil Religion ancestors ancient Israel animal sacrifice atonement attempt becomes believe Bible Biblical blood sacrifice Chapter Church of Monday commentary connection context create cultic culture death Denny Weaver describe discussion early church effect Eucharist event experience fice Hebrew Bible Hebrews highlight holy human ideas important Israelite Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Judaism killing language of sacrifice level of participants Leviticus 1-7 Maasai male Martyrs Mirror Marvin and Ingle McDonald's meaning meat Monday Night Football myth narrative nationalism notes offering Old Testament parallels performance perspective physical practice prescribed in Leviticus prescription priest question read Leviticus reader reality religious response ritual setting sacri sacrifice ritual scholars significant simply slaughter social specific spiritual study of Leviticus television temple Tent of Meeting text of Leviticus theology third-level participants transformation understand Leviticus violence Western society women words worship writers Yahweh Yakov