Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible Through Palestinian Eyes

In this short work aimed at the lay reader, Raheb, a writer, preacher, and president of Dar al-Kalima University College in Bethlehem, covers an impressive range of ancient and modern Palestinian history to set geopolitical context for the writings of the Bible. Raheb’s expertise in both the Bible and the region is deep, and he calls out misconceptions by outsiders about the culture and its texts while eloquently advocating for greater attention to that culture when interpreting the Bible, in particular to the long legacy of empire in Palestine and the people’s response to repeated occupations. This is a rarely heard perspective on the Bible, and Raheb’s writing is strongest when he explicates the words of Jesus with his political and historical perspective as a Palestinian as well as his spiritual perspective as a Christian. If anything, the book is too brief to fully explore his fascinating insights. Both an accessible introduction to the subject and an eloquent reminder for those more familiar with the subject this book deserve a wide audience. (Feb.)