Contexts For Amos: Prophetic Poetics In Latin American Perspective (journal For The Study Of The Old Testament)

This learned volume offers a close reading of chapters 3 to 6 of the book of Amos, and attempts to locate biblical study and theological reflection within the complex cultural context of Latin America. The author prefaces his study with a wide-ranging survey of the continuing debate over the proper use of the Bible as a model for the structures of society. The author's particular focus is Latin America, and through sociological and textual analysis, he seeks to define the role of the prophetic biblical voice in this society and presses for a recognition of moral complexities and a constant questioning and self-evaluation from those who would claim to speak for God in society. 1. Relating The Text And The World: Introduction And Framework -- 2. The World Behind The Text: Sociological Studies And The Old Testament -- Fundamental Categories ; The Prophet As A Model For Action ; The Object Of Prophetic Denunciation -- Problems And Limitations In Method ; Basic Criteria ; Constructing A Social Theory -- Conclusion And Challenge -- 3. A World Within The World: Religion And Morality In Context: -- Religion And Moral Life In Context ; Geertz: Interpretive Anthropology And The Nature Of Culture ; Berger: Sociology Of Knowledge And Sociological Methodology ; Macintyre, Hauerwas And Narrative Ethics -- Understanding Latin America: Religion And Morality In Latin America ; Doing Theology In The Latin American Context -- Israelite Morality And Old Testament Text: Structural Anthropology And The Primitive Mentality ; Moral Life In Ancient Israel And The Problem Of The Text -- 4. The Text And The World: The Moral Authority Of Scripture And The Call For A Responsible Poetics -- Textual Power: The Moral Authority Of Scripture -- Textual Method: Poetics And Responsible Reader ; The Choice Of Poetics ; The Text And History ; The Responsible Reader 5. The World Within The Text: Poetics And The Social Imagination In Amos -- A Poetic Reading Of Amos 3-6: Two Tales Of One City ; Love Can Be Blind ; What Is In A Name? ; The Delusion Of Power -- Religion And The Social Construction Of Reality N Amos -- 6. From The Text To The World: Amos In The Modern Context -- 1. Participation In The Textual World: The Text As An Identity Document ; Archetypes And Textual Ambiguity ; Direct Address And The Modern Reader -- Popular Religion And The Revolutionary Proyecto Historico: Religion And A Particular Proyecto: The Case Of Sandinista Nicaragua ; The Proposal Of A New Liturgy ; The Nature Of God And Idolatry -- A Final Word -- Tradition And History In Amos -- Textual Method In Latin American Liberation Theology Mark Daniel Carroll R. Originally Presented As The Author's Thesis (ph. D.)--university Of Sheffield, 1991. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.