Hellenism and the Primary History

Robert Karl Gnuse is the James C. Carter, S.J./Chase Bank Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he has taught since 1980. His degrees are from Vanderbilt University (Ph.D., 1980; M.A., 1978) and Christ Seminary in St. Louis (S.T.M., 1975; M.Div., 1974). He is author of 18 books, most recently The Elohist (2017) and Trajectories of Justice (2015).

• Introduction: An Intellectual Odyssey1. A Hellenistic First Testament: The Views of Minimalist Scholars2. Spilt Water: Tales of David in II Sam 23:13-17 and of Alexander the Great in Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 6.26.1-33. Abducted Wives: A Hellenistic Narrative in the Book of Judges?4. From Prison to Prestige: The Hero who helps a King in Jewish and Greek Literature5. Divine Messengers in Genesis 18-19 and Ovid6. Greek Connections: Genesis 1-11 and the Poetry of Hesiod7. Genesis 1-11 and the Greek Historiographers Hecataeus of Miletus and Herodotus of Halicarnassus8. Heed Your Steeds: Achilles’ Horses and Balaam’s Donkey9. Samson and Heracles Revisited10. The Sacrificed Maiden: Iphigenia and Jephthah’s Daughter11. The Maximalist/Minimalist Debate over Historical Memory in the Primary History of the Old Testament

"Let it be said from the start that this book is great: it is dedicated to fighting for its cause and yet it is full of prudence and restraint.[...]I found Gnuse’s book very engaging in that his tone is always prudent and circumspect, his arguments well founded or, if not, not forced upon the reader. I also found the thematic and narrative comparisons always detailed and the device of the ‘implied transmission channel’ interesting so as to open our minds to cultural familiarity. All this should invite biblical scholars to accept dialogue and reflect further upon history and methodology."-Stéphanie Anthonioz, Histos