Dialogues in Judaic Studies

Getachew Metaferia, ed., *Ethiopia and the Judeo-Christian Tradition: Antiquity to Modernity*. Berlin: Logos Verlag, 2025.

Rich in historical significance and contemporary relevance, this monograph provides readers with a deep understanding of Ethiopia’s enduring role in the Judeo-Christian narrative—spanning from the past, through the present, and into the future.  This research represents a groundbreaking academic endeavor that emphasizes the unique Judeo-Christian heritage of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC). Through eight insightful chapters written by both established and emerging scholars, this volume explores how the EOTC—deeply rooted in Ethiopia’s historical background—blends the Old and New Testaments within its rituals, customs, and identity.  Situated at the crossroads of history, trade, and cultural exchange, Ethiopia has traditionally served as a refuge for the three Abrahamic faiths. Its geographical characteristics and culture of acceptance have nurtured a spirit of tolerance that, despite occasional challenges, has fostered connections over the ages. This context makes the EOTC’s fusion of traditions remarkably distinctive.  Furthermore, the book sheds light on the history and current circumstances of the Beta Israel community. Their recent return to Israel has brought about new dynamics, as they, like many groups in various societies, face identity challenges while contributing to the formation of a pluralistic and inclusive nation.

Bruce Wells, ed., *The Cambridge Companion to Law in the Hebrew Bible*. New York and Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024.

This work offers a detailed overview of the history, essence, and impact of biblical law. It delves into the discussions surrounding the nature of biblical law, analyzing its historical backdrop, the importance of its regulations, and its effect on early Judaism and Christianity. The volume also poses essential questions: Were these regulations intended to act as the statutory law of ancient Israel? Is there any evidence indicating they had a different role? How does this legal material relate to other sections of the Hebrew Bible? Most crucially, the book conducts a comprehensive analysis of the Torah's laws, featuring individual essays on substantive, procedural, and ritual law. With contributions from a diverse group of experts, specifically crafted for this volume, this book provides a contemporary viewpoint on the scholarship of biblical law and highlights themes and topics for future exploration.

Megan Roberts, *Memory Formation in Isaiah 40–55: Poetic Reimagination that Accomplishes Comfort*. Leiden: Brill, 2025.

Scholars agree that comfort and memory are key, interrelated themes in Isaiah 40–55; however, the notion of collective memory has not been specifically investigated to shed light on the link between memory and comfort. Sociological studies concerning memory and trauma theory address this methodological gap by outlining how the concept of memory is developed within Second Isaiah. This monograph employs such theoretical insights to comprehend how Second Isaiah articulates its message of comfort.

Eva Tyrell, *Strategies of Persuasion in Herodotus’ Histories and Genesis–Kings: Evoking Reality in Ancient Narratives of a Past*. Leiden: Brill, 2020.

In this scholarly work, Eva Tyrell undertakes a comparative analysis of narrative devices in two prominent ancient texts that reflect on the past. By fusing a narratological approach with perspectives from contemporary historical theory and biblical scholarship, she scrutinizes the patterns of narrative persuasion as a trans-cultural phenomenon and their association with ancient ideas of reality and truth. The work contrasts the fundamental narrative structures of both texts, including aspects such as mediacy and the differentiation between discursive and diegetic text portions. It also examines the role of material artifacts referenced in the narratives to evoke or even fabricate the reality of a historical past.

Jacob Wright, *Why the Bible Began: An Alternative History of Scripture and its Origins*. New York and Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023.

Why is the Bible considered a creation of ancient Israel instead of another ancient culture? The notion that a small, isolated community could generate a literary work of such global significance appears improbable. Jacob Wright suggests that the Bible is not just a symbol of resilience but also a remarkable landmark in human history. Emerging from the ruins of Jerusalem's devastation by Babylon, it does not celebrate victory but rather acknowledges complete defeat as the foundation for a renewed sense of identity. As they grieved the loss of their homeland, the scribes who authored the Bible imagined a past brimming with potential while reflecting deeply on their significant shortcomings. More than just a religious document, the Bible was conceived as an innovative framework for a new kind of political community. Its response to calamity delivers a powerful message of hope and renewal that is particularly striking within the contexts of the Ancient Near East and Greco-Roman world. Therefore, Wright's perspective on the Bible serves as a social, political, and even economic compass - one that enabled a small and marginalized community on the outskirts of prevailing civilizations and empires to not only rise from despair but also to shape the trajectory of history. In the end, the Bible conveys the essence of a unified yet varied community, and its teachings provide practical strategies for survival for groups confronting societal collapse.