Pancratius C. Beentjes Livres

This volume deals with the Hebrew texts of all nine manuscripts discovered between 1896 and 1982 of the Book of Ben Sira that is reckoned among the deuterocanonical biblical wisdom literature and was written in Jerusalem about 180 BCE. In the first part of this volume the Hebrew manuscripts are offered in facsimile, i.e. presenting the real textual state of the recovered texts. The second part of this volume offers in a more convenient and functional way than in former text editions a synopsis of all Hebrew Ben Sira texts which are available in more than one manuscript.

The tense relationship between the Catholic Church and modernity, particularly in Europe, gives rise to a whole range of questions and analyses which are described and discussed in this volume. It has a historical overview of the evolution and diversity of the Church after 1945. Also attention is given to the interaction between theology and contemporary postmodern secular culture, the self-image of the Church in the wake of Vatican II, the contribution of the Catholic tradition to the contemporary pluralistic world, and to modern culture influencing Catholic tradition.

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. BZAW welcomes submissions that make an original and significant contribution to the field; demonstrate sophisticated　engagement with the relevant secondary literature; and are written in readable, logical, and engaging prose.