Books by Elsa Tamez

On its surface the book of Ecclesiastes appears to offer a type of wisdom that bears little reference to social or historical issues. But from her own perspective in Central America, Elsa Tamez finds in this ancient book a surprisingly current message. Ecclesiastes reflects a time when utopian hopes have been crushed, when the prospects for change seem remote, and the challenge is how to live faithfully in the present while maintaining some openness to a different future. Because that describes the situation of many people today, especially in the third world, the book of Ecclesiastes bears a message of unusual relevance.Just when we thought that there was 'nothing new under the sun' in Qoheleth studies, Elsa Tamez offers a rereading that speaks hopefully to our present situation. By affirming the joy of life in eating, drinking, and solidarity with a loved one, and by reorienting the world to God's time which has a season for everything, Qoheleth challenges those in his Ptolemaic times who would deny the dignity of life or be paralyzed by its frustrating reality. Like Qoheleth, Tamez's interpretation helps us to 'feel our humanity' and live real life day-to-day with intensity. A must read for every pastor.--Denise Dombkowski Hopkins, Wesley Theological SeminaryElsa Tamez is the author of 'Through Her Eyes' (Wipf & Stock reprint, 2006), 'Bible of the Oppressed' (Wipf & Stock reprint, 2006), 'The Amnesty of Grace' (Wipf & Stock reprint, 2002), and coeditor of 'The Discourse of Human Dignity' (2003).

Why haven''t we North American biblical scholars done such a systematic study of the words for oppression in the Bible? If the answer is that we who possess the critical skills are not ourselves oppressed or identified with communities of the oppressed, then it becomes imperative that we listen all the more carefully to these voices from the South.-- Walter Wink, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation, Auburn Theological Seminary, New YorkThis book is a welcome addition to a growing body of evidence that the Bible is a book about social justice for the oppressed of the land and that this indeed is the good news.-- Marie Augusta Neal, SND de Namur, author of A Socio-Theology of Letting GoElsa Tamez''s book attracts our attention, not only for wrestling with a major biblical theme but also for keeping us in continuous contact with the text of the Bible.-- Carroll Stuhlmueller, CP, general editor of The Collegeville Pastoral Dictionary of Biblical TheologyA careful and creative interdisciplinary study in biblical theology, Old Testament, and social ethics. Elsa Tamez''s work has contributed to the church in Latin America and is now available as a readable, important resource for the English-speaking church.-- Jane Cary Peck and Carole Fontaine, Andover Newton Theological SchoolWriting from a perspective of those oppressed by poverty and sexism, Elsa Tamez has brought us a wealth of analysis of the biblical understanding of oppression.-- Letty M. Russell, Professor Emeritus, Yale Divinity SchoolElsa Tamez is the author of ''Through Her Eyes'' (Wipf & Stock reprint, 2006), ''Jesus and Courageous Women'' (2001), and coeditor of ''The Discourse of Human Dignity'' (2003).

"This study explores the meaning of justification in the framework of Latin American theology of liberation, which is a particular way of doing theology welcomed by both Catholics and Protestants. In this theology, the poor, 'oppressed and believing, ' constitute the privileged locus of theology. That is to say, theology is done from their reality of oppression-liberation and their experience of God. Every great theological theme, every biblical reading, must be reexamined from that angle of vision." (from the Introduction, by Elsa Tamez)