BAS Publication Awards - The BAS Library

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The biennial Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Awards recognize the best new books on archaeology and the Bible. Made possible by a generous gift from the Leopold and Clara M. Fellner Charitable Foundation, through its trustee, Frederick L. Simmons, the 1999 awards are for books published in 1997 and 1998.

Best Book Relating to the Old Testament

Judges

Sidnie White Crawford, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
P. Kyle McCarter, Jr., Johns Hopkins University
James C. VanderKam, University of Notre Dame

Biblical Figures Outside the Bible

Michael E. Stone and Theodore A. Bergren, Editors
(Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press, 1998) 432 pp., $35.00 (hardcover)

The Text of Genesis I–II: Textual Studies and Critical Edition

Ronald S. Hendel
(New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1998) 168 pp., $29.95 (hardcover)

Biblical Figures Outside the Bible brings together essays by a number of talented scholars on aspects of the postbiblical representation of major biblical figures, ranging from Adam and Eve to Ezra and Nehemiah.

These highly original essays shed important new light on how holy scripture was read by early Jewish and Christian interpreters and how their interpretations shaped the way in which subsequent generations, including our own, came to understand the Bible.

The Text of Genesis I–II: Textual Studies and Critical Edition is both groundbreaking and courageous. Ronald S. Hendel incorporates with impressive expertise and open-mindedness the evidence of all ancient manuscripts and advocates an eclectic edition of the text of the Hebrew Bible, reconstructed from the best readings of the ancient witnesses.

Best Book Relating to the New Testament

Judges

Paula Fredriksen, Boston University
Anthony Saldarini, Boston College
Edwin Yamauchi, Miami University

An Introduction to the New Testament

Raymond E. Brown
(New York: Doubleday, 1997) 878 pp., $42.50 (hardcover)

Paul: The Man and the Myth

Calvin J. Roetzel
(Columbia, SC: Univ. of South Carolina Press, 1998) 270 pp., $34.95 (hardcover)

The two winners in this category serve as an excellent beginning point for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the New Testament, whether a first-time student or a longtime scholar. Both An Introduction to the New Testament and Paul: The Man and the Myth provide up-to-date and accessible expositions of the scholarship in the field while taking into account the problems facing scholars today.

Mediating between Christian theology and critical historiography, the late Raymond Brown has furnished a reading guide and commentary on the historical, thematic, theological, religious, spiritual and ecclesiastical aspects of each New Testament book. His dedication to the solid historical analysis of ancient texts and to studying the New Testament in its historical setting will facilitate a new generation’s study of the Bible.

Calvin Roetzel brings the best of contemporary Pauline scholarship to Paul’s letters, interpreting each in its literary and social context. By listening faithfully to the voices within each letter, even when they appear to contradict traditional interpretations, he provides readers with a sound, intelligent study.

Best Scholarly Book on Archaeology

Judges

David Hopkins, Wesley Theological Seminary
Jodi Magness, Tufts University
Eric Meyers, Duke University

Gods, Goddesses, and Images of God in Ancient Israel

Othmar Keel and Christoph Uehlinger
(Translated by Thomas Trapp)
(Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998) 512 pp., $45.00 (hardcover)

The authors of Gods, Goddesses, and Images of God in Ancient Israel convincingly argue that visual imagery is essential for understanding the religion of ancient Canaan and Israel. To make their case, they lead readers on a stimulating and eye-opening tour of 1,500 years of iconographic material culture from the ancient Near East. Hundreds of line drawings of seals and seal impressions, pendants, inscriptions, and various cultic paraphernalia illustrate the visual dimension of the divine. The carefully assembled and annotated data contained in this volume will make it a standard reference work for years to come.

Best Popular Book on Archaeology

Judges

David Hopkins, Wesley Theological Seminary
Jodi Magness, Tufts University
Eric Meyers, Duke University

The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries

Mark Lehner
(London: Thames and Hudson, 1997) 256 pp., $39.95 (hardcover)

The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries sets a new standard for popular books on archaeology. As a specialist in Egyptian archaeology, Lehner brings his sophisticated knowledge, along with a more personal, firsthand approach, to a sometimes overwhelming field. The 556 photos and drawings (83 in color) have informative and interesting legends that go far beyond the usual “this is…” caption. The creative design draws the eye to every page of this attractive book, which beautifully integrates text and sidebars. Explanations of the building techniques cap this well-done, even artistic, publication.

Special Citation

Judges

Sidnie White Crawford, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
P. Kyle McCarter, Jr., Johns Hopkins University
James C. VanderKam, University of Notre Dame

The Leningrad Codex: A Facsimile Edition

David Noel Freedman, General Editor
Astrid Beck, Managing Editor
James Sanders, Publication Editor
Bruce Zuckerman and Marilyn Lundberg,
Associate Editors and Photographers
Kenneth Zuckerman and Garth Moller, Photographers
(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans; Leiden: Brill, 1998) 1,070 pp., $255.00 (hardcover)

The publication of this beautiful facsimile edition of the oldest complete Hebrew Bible is a major event in the history of biblical scholarship. The Leningrad Codex is now available in full to everyone, with clear black-and-white photos of every page of the text, 16 full-color illuminated carpet pages and helpful introductory essays. This phenomenal and long-lasting reference tool deserves special recognition.