Purity and Holiness: The Heritage of Leviticus

Purity has long been recognized as one of the essential drives which determines humankind's relationship with the holy. This volume studies the 'pure' and 'holy' from both Christian and Jewish perspectives, beginning with the Hebrew Bible, and proceeding on to the New Testament, Qumran, Rabbinics, Patristics and reaching even the medieval and modern times. A wide array of disciples are used including exegesis, archaeology, liturgy, feminist studies and anthropology, all coming together to study the complex phenomena of purity within its religious and social framework.