Introduction

Sigmund Wagner-Tsukamoto
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Sigmund Wagner-Tsukamoto: University of Leicester

A chapter in Is God an Economist?, 2009, pp 1-10 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract The Bible is one of the oldest and most widely read documents of mankind’s cultural heritage. Its existence raises questions regarding its rationale, purpose and relevance. It is full of symbolic meaning: ‘The outwardly meaningless narrative may reveal inward truth and light. Before that truth and light can be received, the veil of allegory must be lifted and the symbols interpreted’ (Hodson 1967: 8). Theology here lifts spiritual and metaphysical veils of meaning, referring to a spiritual motivation behind the Bible and issues such as the nature of God, the godly identity and nature of human beings, the holy nature of the world, the sacred history of Israel and related questions concerning the meaning of life and the human condition (e.g. Gr b 2002: 281–2, 289–90; Rogerson and Davies 1989: 116; Childs 1985: 43–50, 97–8; Tullock 1981: 1–3, 39–41; Bruce 1979: 390–1; Lace 1972: 103–6, 115–18; Hodson 1967: 114–16; von Rad 1963: 16). Gilkey (1962: 153) and Kaiser (2001: 81) clearly stated in this connection that for understanding the Old Testament the question that has to be examined is, what ‘biblical authors meant to say’ — and from here they move on, in a theological tradition, to spiritual and metaphysical issues. Now and then, theology related the relevance of the Old Testament to issues of belief and moral guidance (Kaiser 2001: 184–4). Early key examples of Old Testament theologies which take the Old Testament as the revelation of God, of the relationship of humans with God, etc. are the ones of Eichrodt or von Rad (Spriggs 1974: 7).

Keywords: Social Conflict; Moral Disagreement; Mutual Gain; Bible Story; Present Book (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-23409-3_1

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DOI: 10.1057/9780230234093_1

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