As distinct from the extant studies of ancient canonical texts which focuseither on literary GrecoRoman or religious JudeoChristian canons thepresent volume aim... » 

As distinct from the extant studies of ancient canonical texts which focuseither on literary GrecoRoman or religious JudeoChristian canons thepresent volume aims at bridging between these two fields by proposing the firstcomparative study of canon.An international team of experts discusses the processes of canonformation insocieties of the ancient world addressing such issues as canon and thearticulation of identity the hermeneutical attitude toward canonical textstextual fixity and openness oral and written canons methods of transmissionand more. Among the topics discussed are Mesopotamian canons Zoroastrianismthe Bible Homer literary and philosophical canons in ancient Greece and Romethe New Testament the Roman law Rabbinic Judaism and Kabbalistic literature.The future of the socalled Western Canon is one of the most hotly debatedissues of the day. There is reason to believe that what is perceived today as aunique crisis can be put into perspective by students of ancient societiesfor the simple reason that the ancient world offers us the historicalperspective of civilizations as a whole and allows us to study culturalphenomena in the longue durie. «