Includes bibliographical references (pages 158-159) and index.
Contents:
Presuppositions -- Abraham and sons -- His name is Jealous -- Divinely chosen kings and kingdoms -- Which remnant is chosen? -- Christians as a new chosen people -- Beyond the Bible: sacred spaces and their ownership -- God shed his light on thee? -- Fundamentalist Zionisms -- Immigrants and refugees, ideals and realities -- Beyond tribalism.
Summary:
"For readers interested in exploring the roots of their religious traditions, for critics of religious intolerance, and for anyone who wants to learn about the origins of the ethnic and religious animosities that persist to this day. Throughout history, in the service of politics and power, the biblical concept of chosen people has been used to justify prejudice, persecution, invasion, and genocide. In God's Favorites, prominent biblical scholar Michael Coogan critiques the idea of "chosenness" in Judaism and Christianity. Coogan argues that it is not God who chooses individuals and groups but rather that groups describe themselves as divinely chosen to rationalize their view of themselves as superior to others. Explaining biblical texts as only one deeply versed in the languages and histories of biblical world can, he then shows how the claim of divine choice has been used from biblical times to the present, often with pernicious consequences, to enhance a group's self-importance and to legitimate its territorial expansion. In place of the idea of chosenness, Coogan calls for a renewed focus on the Bible's universal themes and the idea that God is not partial to any one group of people"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.