Books by Thomas W Mann

The first five books of the Bible contain many of its most famous stories, populated by vivid characters altogether human in their triumphs and failings--and an equally complicated deity. Many works of Western art and literature appeal to these stories, from Michelangelo''s painting of Adam and Eve to a novel like William Faulkner''s Go Down, Moses. The three great Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are rooted here. So is much of Western political theory and constitutional polity, for a good half of these books contains legislation (torah) of various kinds, as indicated by the ancient title: the book of the Torah. Law and narrative together render the character of the ancient covenant community known as Israel, as well as the God who rules over that community.In this revised and expanded version of his popular book of 1988, Mann engages literary criticism and theology in attending both to the composite nature of the Torah (or Pentateuch) and to its final, canonical shape. Mann''s study provides a lucid introduction to the heart of the Hebrew Bible, suitable for students and general readers, but also of interest to biblical scholars. ""Mann''s study of the foundational texts of biblical faith has long been a reliable staple of pedagogy and interpretation. In it he combines a well-honed capacity for critical judgment with an acute theological sensibility, all of which is presented in an accessible format. For these reasons this new edition is a welcome offer. In it he has . . . added materials that could not have been on the horizon in the first edition. This book will evoke many grateful readers.""--Walter BrueggemannColumbia Theological SeminaryPraise for the first edition:""I would find this volume extremely useful in introducing my students to this basic part of the Old Testament. I am quite excited about this project.""--Patrick D. Millerauthor of Stewards of the Mysteries of God""A sound piece of work. Its holistic, final-form approach reflects the major trend in biblical criticism. It is perceptive, sensitive, thoughtful, and stimulating.""--David Gunncoauthor of Narrative in the Hebrew BibleThomas W. Mann has taught at Princeton Theological Seminary, Converse College, Salem College, and Wake Forest University. For twenty-three years he was also the minister of Parkway United Church of Christ in Winston Salem, North Carolina. He is the author of The Book of the Former Prophets (Cascade Books, 2011), a sequel to this book; Deuteronomy (1995); and God of Dirt: Mary Oliver and the Other Book of God (2004).

The Former Prophets of the Hebrew Bible includes the books of Joshua through 2 Kings, a narrative of ancient Israel''s history of some seven hundred years from the ""conquest"" of Canaan to the exile, when Israel lost the land. From a critical perspective the narrative is a composite document incorporating many different literary sources from different times; seen as a whole, the result is a compelling example of ancient historiography as well as an impressive artistic achievement. Included are fascinating (and often horrifying) stories of war, religious fanaticism, terror, and disaster, as well as stories of deep personal loyalty, friendship, and faith. Many characters in the books of The Former Prophets are at once virtuous and villainous, such as King David: slayer of giants, writer of therapeutic songs, and builder of empire, who is also a permissive parent, a rapist, an adulterer, and a murderer. The books of the Former Prophets feature a witch who is far from wicked, and a religious reformer who slaughters the unorthodox. Even God makes an appearance as an evil spirit!Not only have such vivid personages inspired works of art and motivated groups, including the Pilgrims, who came to America to found communities like New Canaan. The Former Prophets also present parallels--often uncomfortable ones--to events in our own history from ethnic cleansing to tyrannical oppression. Yet the Former Prophets also picture the dream of a just and peaceful community that has motivated people of goodwill for thousands of years.Through it all the Former Prophets raise perennial questions: What is the relationship between divine sovereignty and human political institutions? How does a culture identify ""insiders"" and ""outsiders""? In what sense are historical events the result of human acts and also of divine Providence? How does a nation come to terms with its failures as well as its triumphs? ""Having retold the first part of the Bible''s story of ancient Israel in his acclaimed The Book of the Torah, Thomas Mann now presents the second half with critical and theological acumen. The difficult themes and pictures are not glossed over, but Mann''s rich interpretive retelling opens up avenues into a contemporary appropriation of this story, on which, for better or for worse, the Christian community is grounded.""--Patrick D. MillerPrinceton Theological Seminary, Emeritus""An amazing achievement. Lucidly, with illuminating parallels from modern times, Mann guides us superbly through vast terrain. He keeps the big picture always in view, yet has an unerring eye for the telling detail. He concisely explains disparate sources and historical background. But always the story, with its rich cast of characters, takes pride of place. We see complexities and ambiguities in narratives fraught with violence and we confront the challenges they present today''s reader. The final chapter, deeply thoughtful, critical, and constructive, lays out paths to better understand this great theological history as a work of theodicy, the struggle to comprehend God''s ways in a calamitous world. In Mann''s book, the ancient work has an excellent modern companion.""--David M. GunnTexas Christian UniversityThomas W. Mann has taught religious studies at the college, seminary, and doctoral levels and served as a parish minister in the United Church of Christ. He is the author of The Book of the Torah (1988), to which this book is a sequel.

Among the ambiguities, superficialities, uncertainties, and temporality of a contemporary day-to-day, rush-here, rush-there world, Mann beams a revelatory light on the ordinary things--bathing the baby or visiting an elderly day care center--and makes them glow with significance. It is a special gift to be able to uncover the spirituality in the familiar, to disclose the sacred in the ordinary, and the author effortlessly uncovers the epiphanies that wait patiently in the everyday for discovery.The reality of faith is at the core of these meditational explorations. To Taste and See not only illustrates how to think theologically about the ordinary events of life--it is a gentle challenge to do so. Mann draws his insights and inspirations from a variety of sources: the Bible, contemporary literature, swamp frogs, the life of the congregation, scholarly studies--all made accessible in a lively, informal, thought-provoking style. The riches of wisdom and the abundance of what it means to be Christian surround us. All we must do to partake of these gifts is to ""taste and see.""Thomas W. Mann, a widely published author, is the minister of the Parkway United Church of Christ, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.