Shades of Sheol: Death and Afterlife in the Old Testament

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Exploration of Jewish Development of Afterlife
Review: Philip Johnston offers a wonderful account full of scholarly research on Ancient Jewish views of afterlife. Fair and open minded on the origins of Jewish afterlife contrasting it with Caananitic, Mesopotamian and Ugaritic cultures. Insightful giving a rich view of the development of Afterlife in regard to Monotheism. This book explores the influences of YHWHism on middle eastern thanatology. The stark contrast between YHWH, eyeh asher eyeh, the G_d of the living and the Canaanitic Baal cult gives a great view of Jewish religion and its contrast to its neighbors. Excellent for any Biblical scholar interested in the development of Judeao-Christian view of afterlife.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Exploration of Jewish Development of Afterlife
Review: Philip Johnston offers a wonderful account full of scholarly research on Ancient Jewish views of afterlife. Fair and open minded on the origins of Jewish afterlife contrasting it with Caananitic, Mesopotamian and Ugaritic cultures. Insightful giving a rich view of the development of Afterlife in regard to Monotheism. This book explores the influences of YHWHism on middle eastern thanatology. The stark contrast between YHWH, eyeh asher eyeh, the G_d of the living and the Canaanitic Baal cult gives a great view of Jewish religion and its contrast to its neighbors. Excellent for any Biblical scholar interested in the development of Judeao-Christian view of afterlife.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This book is an excelent book. Johnson explores almost everything the Old Testament says about death and Sheol. He even brings points that go against the common thought of the day which cause one to think. I recomend this book to anyone wanting to more about death in the Old Testament. It is a great resource for papers too.