Light of the World: A Beginner's Guide to Advent

by Amy-Jill Levine

Publisher:

Abingdon Press

, 2019

Overview

In Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent, author, professor, and biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine explores the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus. Join her as she traces the Christmas narrative through the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, the journey to Bethlehem, and the visit from the Magi. These stories open conversations around connections of the Gospel stories to the Old Testament, the role of women in first-century Jewish culture, the importance of Mary’s visitation and the revolutionary implications of Mary’s Magnificat, the census and the stable, and the star of Bethlehem and the flight to Egypt.


The book provides a rich and challenging learning experience for small groups and individual readers alike. As part of a larger four-week study that is perfect for Advent, it includes a DVD and a comprehensive leader guide.

Key Features

Amy-Jill Levine takes readers on an exploration of the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus.

Levine looks into characters such as Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, the magi, and others around Jesus to understand their relationships and roles in the Advent story.

Includes Participant Guide, Leader Guide, and DVD featuring renowned biblical scholar, Amy-Jill Levine.

The study highlights the main points of the Advent story and makes it more accessible to readers.

Product Details

• Title : Light of the World - [Large Print]: A Beginner's Guide to Advent
• Author: Levine, Amy-Jill
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Publication Date: 2019
• ISBN: 9781501884368

About Amy-Jill Levine

Amy-Jill Levine is E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Department of Religious Studies, and Graduate Department of Religion. Holding a B.A. from Smith College, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University, and honorary Doctorates from the University of Richmond and the Episopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Levine has been awarded grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. She has held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies. Her most recent publications include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus; the edited collection, The Historical Jesus in Context; and the fourteen-volume series, Feminist Companions to the New Testament and Early Christian Writings. She has recorded “Introduction to the Old Testament,” “Great Figures of the Old Testament,” and “Great Figures of the New Testament” for the Teaching Company’s “great lectures” series. A self-described “Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Protestant divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt,” Levine combines historical-critical rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating anti-Jewish, sexist, and homophobic theologies.