Social Justice in the Epistle of James: A New Testament Amos?

Twenty-first century readers may not quickly connect Amos and James due to assumptions shaped by rearing, education, and cultural context. Kinds of assumptions are delineated; their informative and formative natures are analyzed; and their outcomes explored. Assumptions regarding Amos and James are...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Tillman, William M. 1946- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2011
In: Review and expositor
Year: 2011, Volume: 108, Issue: 3, Pages: 417-427
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Description
Summary:Twenty-first century readers may not quickly connect Amos and James due to assumptions shaped by rearing, education, and cultural context. Kinds of assumptions are delineated; their informative and formative natures are analyzed; and their outcomes explored. Assumptions regarding Amos and James are examined in order to demonstrate that assumptive points of address and how they are addressed evidence common ground. Contemporary moral development theory, which incorporates especially justice, is overlaid on Amos and James. Further resonance between the two works is demonstrated with this extra-biblical hermeneutical tool. The demonstrable similarities between Amos and James in how they addressed their audiences, the relatively similar areas of life and life issues addressed, and the juxtaposition of theology and ethics as reciprocal, draw the reader quickly to affirm that James is something of an Amos within the New Testament canon. The concluding challenge is for students of scripture to move beyond a simple comprehension of the commonalities of these two books of the Bible. Amos and James remain as prophetic for contemporary practitioners regarding how to be faithful to God and humanity as for their original audiences.
ISSN:2052-9449
Contains:Enthalten in: Review and expositor
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/003463731110800308