Book Review: Exploring The Religion of Ancient Israel

This review is of a very helpful, relatively slim, and incredibly readable book on a rather dense and huge subject. "Exploring the religion of Ancient Israel: Priest, Prophet, Sage and People" by Aaron Chalmers is a technically based but very accessible look at the religion of the Ancient Israelites, particularly in their context as just part of the Mediterranean religious landscape. Packed full of facts, focus and figures who have contributed to the scholarly debate, this is an excellent starting place for the layperson wanting to have a look at the religion of Ancient Israel. I write today a relatively brief review, because this is an introductory book, and one that is accessible and readable to/by all.

As the subtitle suggests, Chalmers makes a general survey somewhat more specific, focusing on four groups; Priests, Prophets, Sages and the People. The latter here is particularly interesting - as the Old Testament tends to speak of individuals relating to God, rather than looking at societal trends etc. The focus on the people and what they believed is very interesting, and relates in fascinating ways to the Old Testament account. Not being an OT scholar means I cannot really comment on the accuracy of his account, but what Chalmers says regarding the faith of the people seems to sit well with the biblical data, and is useful.

Much of the text here is relating the religion of Ancient Israel to the religions and socio-political trends of the Ancient Near East. The ANE, as Chalmers helpfully abbreviates it, is a fascinating melting pot of ideas, amongst which the religious tradition that eventually gives birth to Christianity is born. There is not much about the inter-relation of Christianity and Judaism in this book, which is perhaps to be expected, except for when we engage with Prophets and so on. The sections on biblical prophecy, specifically the prophetic literature, in this book are very helpful. There are useful distinctions made between various kinds of prophets, and the way in which these holy men related to the rest of the people of Israel.

Before moving on to my verdict, it is worth noting the structure, layout and practical strengths of this book. Chalmers moves through the book very methodically, dealing with issues as they come up and relating all of his points to solid scholarship, the wider scholarly context, and the biblical text. The basic text of his work is interspersed with helpful nuggets and additions, however. One of the most useful of these are the 'Scholar Focus' panels, where a particular scholar of note is examined. I found the one on Von Rad particularly helpful - I have read a good deal of Von Rad but did not necessarily understand the context in which he was writing! There are also the self-explanatory but excellent "Going Deeper" and "Have You Considered?" panels, amongst others, which do what they say on the tin. The various additions and interpolations that Chalmers utilises are very useful, and add value to the book.

Overall, then, this is an excellent primer on a very specific but important topic. To understand Jesus one must understand his religion, and to understand that it is important to understand the religious background. "Exploring the Religion of Ancient Israel" does an excellent job of going into the beliefs and practices of the Jews, and draws on many sources and scholars to inform and direct the reader. Readable and deep, with lots of pointers on what to read next, this is an excellent introduction. Highly recommended. It's available now from SPCK.