Midrash And Theory: Ancient Jewish Exegesis And Contempory Literary Studies

Book Summary

In Midrash and Theory, David Stern presents an approach to midrashic literature that is responsible and responsive to the principles of Contemporary theory. As midrash -- the literature of classical Jewish Scriptural interpretation -- has undergone a revival in the larger Jewish community, the midrashic imagination has shown itself capable of exercising a powerful influence and hold on a new type of contemporary Jewish writing. Stern examines this phenomenon from the perspective of the cultural relevance of midrash and its connection to its original historical and literary contexts. Stern also explores the impact of modern literary theory on midrashic studies, and the resultant changes on the focus, the methods, and the intellectual assumptions of this field. By exploring this linkage, Stern provides not only an introduction to the midrashic tradition, but a fascinating insight into the impact of contemporary theory on an entire field of study.

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