The Religion of Israel: A Short History

There are two lsraels. One Israel was theological, legendary, and mythological. This was (and is) the Israel of the Bible. The other Israel is the Israel which produced the Bible. How and why should we distinguish between the two? This is the subject of William J. Doorly's provocative new work.Using literary analysis, the author presents the history of religious practices in chronological order, beginning with the emergence of Israel in the Highlands of Canaan (late 13th century B.C.E.) and continuing into the exile. Using the Hebrew Bible as a primary source, he identifies idealized concepts concerning Israel's past and corrects them for the purpose of obtaining a true historical perspective. Readers will come to understand that the foundations of both Judaism and Christianity emerged as a reaction to popular and official forms of Canaanite religious practice which have passed away.Comprehensive in scope, accessible in style as well as informative and valuable to those without a knowledge of Hebrew, this outstanding work will appeal to general readers, Bible scholars, students and religious professionals, who will find that it helps them read the Hebrew Bible more effectively and intelligently.