A Preferential Option for the Rich: Wealth as the Facilitator for Faithfulness in the Book of Tobit
Scholars have interpreted Tobit as a paragon of piety in the Book of Tobit. A materialist reading of the tale, however, suggests that Tobit's assets are what facilitates his religious devotion over the course of the story. In this way, the narrative establishes a rhetorical reality in which the...
| Published in: | The catholic biblical quarterly |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Catholic Biblical Association of America
[2019]
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| In: |
The catholic biblical quarterly
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Tobit
/ Tobit
/ Wealth
/ Faithfulness
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| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament |
| Further subjects: | B
FAITHFULNESS of God
B Social status B Tobit B Poverty B Faithfulness B TOBITS B ASSET management B Wealth B Materialism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Scholars have interpreted Tobit as a paragon of piety in the Book of Tobit. A materialist reading of the tale, however, suggests that Tobit's assets are what facilitates his religious devotion over the course of the story. In this way, the narrative establishes a rhetorical reality in which the persistence of faithfulness in exile is less a matter of resolve than the result of accumulated wealth, as well as economic systems, which make it possible to continue traditional practices while living in a foreign land. Where wealth proves most advantageous is in Tobit's vision of the New Jerusalem. The affluent have maintained their conventional beliefs while in exile, and their wealth-enabled faithfulness forms a vetting process to determine inheritance rights in the New Jerusalem. |
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| ISSN: | 2163-2529 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The catholic biblical quarterly
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1353/cbq.2019.0136 |