Authoritative introduction to the Samaritan tradition from antiquity to the present Most people associate the term "Samaritan" exclusively with the New Testament stories about the Good Samar
Authoritative introduction to the Samaritan tradition from antiquity to the present
Most people associate the term "Samaritan" exclusively with the New Testament stories about the Good Samaritan and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Very few are aware that a small community of about 750 Samaritans still lives today in Palestine and Israel; they view themselves as the true Israelites, having resided in their birthplace for thousands of years and preserving unchanged the revelation given to Moses in the Torah.
Reinhard Pummer, one of the world's foremost experts on Samaritanism, offers in this book a comprehensive introduction to the people identified as Samaritans in both biblical and nonbiblical sources. Besides analyzing the literary, epigraphic, and archaeological sources, he examines the Samaritans' history, their geographical distribution, their version of the Pentateuch, their rituals and customs, and their situation today. There is no better book available on the subject.
Review of Biblical Literature
"The author's keen expertise, signature accuracy, and concise style have resulted in a formidable book that will no doubt shine both as a textbook and as an indispensable handbook for the scholarly expert."
Steven Fine
— Yeshiva University
"Reinhard Pummer is the world's leading expert on all things Samaritan. In this marvelously detailed yet highly accessible volume, he presents not only the Samaritans' religion, literature, history, and material culture but also their life today. This is an important book for scholars, students, and general readers — a real cause for celebration!"
Pieter W. van der Horst
— Utrecht University
"There is no better introduction to the history, religion, and culture of the Samaritans than this impressive book, the product of half a century of research by the leading Samaritanologist of our time, Reinhard Pummer. Written in a clear style, it reflects in all respects the present state of our knowledge of this fascinating branch of Israelite religion and culture."
Gary N. Knoppers
— University of Notre Dame
"Pummer has done us all a great service by producing such a well-informed analysis of the identity, history, and religion of the Samaritans."
Abraham Tal
— Tel-Aviv University
"This book provides not only 'a concise biographical and character sketch of the community as it developed throughout the centuries' but also a major instrument of guidance for all who seek to take a journey through the vast realm of Samaritanism."
Robert T. Anderson
— Michigan State University
"Pummer distills his many years of Samaritan study and research in a clear, focused writing style to profile and illuminate the history, culture, and literature of this unique community from its origins to its existence in the Holy Land today."
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Reinhard Pummer is professor emeritus of religious studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Among his other books are The Samaritans in Flavius Josephus and Early Christian Authors on Samaritans and Samaritanism.
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