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Paula McNutt, Reconstructing the Society Of Ancient Israel - Book Review
Biblical Theology Bulletin, Fall, 2000 by James W. Flanagan
Library of Ancient Israel. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press/London, UK: SPCK, 1999. Pp. xiv+284. Cloth, $27.00.
This is both a synthesis of recent studies on ancient Israel and a reconstruction of daily life from the so-called tribal period down to the Persian Period. The volume moves simultaneously on two levels. It summarizes recent social world studies on specific issues within both historical Israel's and biblical Israel's daily life--a distinction borrowed from Philip Davies. And from those studies, it reconstructs a synthesis of Israel's history during that extended period. I say "a synthesis" rather than "a history" because McNutt relies heavily on current secondary sources, especially anthropoligical models from English language studies, and for the most part avoids her own historical reconstructions derived directly from the biblical text and other ancient sources.
Appropriately for a volume in this series, the book exhibits a definite social world perspective, an approach the author helped establish within biblical studies. McNutt's first book was THE FORGING OF ISRAEL: IRON TECHNOLOGY, SYMBOLISM, AND TRADITION IN ANCIENT SOCIETY. Social World of Biblical Antiquity Series, 8--Sheffield, UK: Almond Press, 1990), a reworking of her dissertation on iron technology and its impact on the formation of the biblical tradition directed by the general editor of the Library Series. Between the two publications, she was a charter member and then co-chair of the constructs of the Social and Cultural Worlds of Antiquity Group, a research unit on social world studies sponsored by the American Academy of Religion, American Schools of Oriental Research, and Society of Biblcial Literature. From that research, besides this book she produced seminal papers and articles on the relation of marginal groups to ancient technology (e.g., SEMEIA 67 [1994]). She also participated in archaeological expeditions, spent a sabbatical at the University of London where she was in direct contact with current social anthropology, and researched African ethnographic sources in Northwestern University's collection. Each experience is reflected in RECONSTRUCTING.
McNutt is a central figure in social world studies, an approach that integrates textual, archaeological, and anthropological information in reconstructing ancient societies. Her credentials are important because of the acrimonious "maximalist/minimalist" debates that rage today. These arguments over the historical value of ancient sources, especially the Bible, and indeed whether the "ancient Israel" found in recent scholarship actually existed, currently plague biblical studies and clutter learned journals. McNutt, however, avoids the trap and weaves her own fabric from the studies she surveys. As a result she successfully exposes the issues and reasons for the debate without descending into its rhetoric.
McNutt moves into a more productive arena by focusing on daffy life in ancient society rather than individual events and personalities. Although her fairness at times borders on eclecticism--raising issues and responses of others without offering a personal opinion--she leaves no doubt about her own understanding of ancient society. She is a critical historian who looks for the larger picture and learns from all sidse when there is a serious exchange.
The book comprises seven chapters, the last a brief retrospective that summarizes the author's own viewpoint(s). Chapter 1 discusses the sources and methods used in reconstructing the past. Chapters 2 through 6 each treat a particular archaeological/historical period. The first, "Iron Age I: The Orb gins of Ancient `Israel,'" sets the stage by identifying both the sources and the sociopolitical aspects of the peoples, a pattern that is followed throughout the book. McNutt follows the dating of Paul Lapp and James Sauer. Chapter 3 is "Iron Age IA and B: The 'Tribal' Period"; chapter 4, "Iron Age IC: The Rise of Monarchy"; chapter 5, "Iron Age II: The Period of the Monarchy"; chapter 6, "The Babylonian and Persian Periods"; and chapter 7, "In Retrospect."
Most chapters open with a brief paraphrase or summary of the biblical and archaeological information followed by sections on demography and settlement patterns, economy, sociopolitical organization and structure, political institutions, and religion. The text is amply footnoted, and chapter-by-chapter bibliography is provided.
The new ground that this book breaks is more in the synthesis it brings to the field than in novel interpretations. It provides an excellent overview of the recent social world research and stands as a solid text for upper-level college and seminary classroom use and for other informed readers. McNutt is a teacher-scholar. Both talents are amply documented in this valuable volume.
James W. Flanagan Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106
COPYRIGHT 2000 Biblical Theology Bulletin, Inc
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
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