Befriending The Beloved Disciple: A Jewish Reading of the Gospel of John
"Adele Reinhartz's long-awaited and elegantly written book enriches our knowledge of emerging Judaism and Christianity. Befriending the Beloved Disciple engaged in a very generous and original reading of the fourth Gospel from a critical but sympathetic Jewish perspective. This is "must" reading for anyone concerned with the long history of anti-Judaism engendered by the Chrsitian Gospels. I highly recommend it."—Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza"Befriending the Beloved Disciple is an invigorating exercise in situated reading. Adele Reinhartz candidly lays out her reader's position in relation to John's Gospel as a Jew and a feminist, and then instructively explores the ways in which a reader so situated might relate to this text that insistently demads of its audience adherence to a particular community of belief. There is much to be learned here both about John and about the reading process."—Robert Alter, University of California, Berkeley"Reading the Gospel unaware of the cogency of alternative readings is ultimately an act of denial that robs the text of its potential to call readers into self-examination and conversation with other readers. By exploring compliant, resistant, sympathetic, and then engaged readings, as a female Jewish New Testament scholar, Reinhartz brings divergent readings of the Fourth Gospel into dialogue withone another and exposes the potential and the problems of each approach. As a result, everyone who reads this book will find that they are able to read the Gospel more knowingly, though less comfortably."—R. Alan Culpepper, McAfee School of Theology"A sensitive and highly perceptive Jewish reading of John." —E. P. Sanders, The New York Review, November 2001"Sensitive and engaging."—Craig A. Evans, Theological Studies, March 2002"This book will help rather than hinder Jewish-Christian relations."—Casimir Bernas, Religious Studies Review, April 2002"Reinhartz has helpfully opened a door to Jewish-Christian exegetical and theological discussion of this Gospel."—Theology Today, July 2002"This beautifully written and, at times, very personal study is a delight to read. Reinhartz brings both the text and the Beloved Disciple vividly to life (often in ways which Christian readers will find uncomfortable), and the book will prove essential reading for anyone desiring to deepen his or her relationship with both the Beloved Disciple and his gospel." Helen Bond, University of Edinburgh,The Journal of Theological Studies