Religious Diversity in Ancient Israel and Judah

Francesca Stavrakopoulou is Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Exeter, UK. Her research focuses on ancient Israelite religion, Judahite kingship, and history and ideology in the Hebrew Bible. She is the author of King Manasseh and Child Sacrifice: Biblical Distortions of Historical Realities (De Gruyter, 2004). John Barton is Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford. His previous publications include What is the Bible?, People of the Book?, Love Unknown, The Oxford Bible Commentary and The Biblical World.

• Introduction: Francesca Stavrakopoulou and John Barton Conceptual Diversities Experiencing the Divine: Heavenly visits, earthly encounters, and the land of the dead Susan Niditch, Amherst College, MA, USA‘Israelite' religion and ‘Canaanite' religion Herbert Niehr, Eberhard Karls University, Tubingen, Germany‘Official' religion and ‘popular' religion Francesca Stavrakopoulou, University of Exeter, UKSocio-Religious Diversities Royal religion in ancient Judah Nick Wyatt, University of Edinburgh, UKCultic sites and complexes beyond the Jerusalem Temple Diana Edelman, University of Sheffield, UKUrban religion and rural religion Philip Davies, University of Sheffield, UKHousehold religion Carol Meyers, Duke University, NC, USAPersonal piety Rainer Albertz. Wilhelms University, Munster, Germany Geographical Diversities Northern, Southern and Transjordanian perspectives Jeremy Hutton, Princeton Theological Seminary, USAWorship beyond Yehud Lester Grabbe, University of Hull, UKPost-Script: Reflecting on religious diversity John Barton, University of Oxford, UK

The past generation of scholars saw the shift from unified notions of biblical theology to diverse developmental models based on the rise of monotheism towards the end of the biblical period. Now another, perhaps more relevant, shift is becoming apparent: a movement from ideas of unity to those of pluralism and diversity within the religion practiced by ancient Israelites and Judahites. Edited by two prominent scholars, this book brings together all the existing scholarly perspectives on such diversity, and adds some new ones. This remarkable volume represents the eye of the storm in current biblical scholarship.