Oxford Essential Guide to People & Places of the Bible

Rating:
Summary: Good up-to-date information
Review: This is a worthwhile condensation and update of the Oxford Companion to the Bible. Only leading scholars of religion are found in this Guide. While browsing through its 374 pages (with index), I happened to read the entry on the Samaritans. It was refreshing to see that, instead of offering simplistic "black and white" statements about the Samaritans' relation to Judaism, the contributor addresses rather than overlooks the inherent complexities of Biblical scholarship. The definition of the word "Judaism," for instance, is thoughtfully examined, rendering claims such as "The Samaritans are simply an offshoot of Judaism" indicative of flimsy, second-rate thinking.

This, of course, is what decent scholarship is all about. And that is precisely why I purchased this highly useful edition.