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James Barr (1) (1924–2006)

Author of The Semantics of Biblical Language

For other authors named James Barr, see the disambiguation page.

20+ Works 1,283 Members 13 Reviews 1 Favorited

About the Author

James Barr was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Hebrew Bible at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Nashville, where he taught for ten years. His illustrious teaching career has also included professorships at Edinburgh University, Princeton Theological Seminary, Manchester University, and Oxford show more University. He has held visiting professorships and delivered major lecture series in Europe, the United States, Africa, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand, and was longtime editor of the Journal of Semitic Studies. show less

Works by James Barr

Associated Works

God in the Fray: A Tribute to Walter Brueggemann (1998) — Contributor — 44 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Canonical name
Barr, James
Birthdate
1924-03-20
Date of death
2006-10-14
Gender
male
Nationality
UK
UK
Birthplace
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Place of death
Claremont, California, USA
Occupations
Biblical scholar
theologian
minister
professor
Organizations
Church of Scotland

Members

Reviews

Great book on the abuses and proper way to use the original languages. It warns against the errors that Scholars and preachers still commit to this day
 
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Teddy37 | 4 other reviews | Jun 9, 2021 |
Although I enjoyed reading these essays, yet I disagree with some of Barr's views concerning scripture and tradition.
 
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Hany.Abdelmalek | 4 other reviews | Sep 16, 2020 |
Although I enjoyed reading these essays, yet I disagree with some of Barr's views concerning scripture and tradition.
 
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Hany.Abdelmalek | 4 other reviews | Sep 16, 2020 |
One of the odder offshoots of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (at least notionally; it's unclear whether there was any direct influence) was the thesis that Biblical Hebrew represented, grammatically, a different way of thinking (and was, accordingly, intrinsically superior at mediating divine revelation).

Barr demolishes the supposed linguistic bases of this claim handily. After Barr, arguments regarding, for example, the relative superiority or inferiority of argument in a philosophical mode - one of the drivers behind the original claims - has to rest on other grounds than claims of "Semitic thought-forms".

Barr's work is of continuing use as a reminder of the risks in dabbling in technical areas when one has more enthusiasm than expertise, when a genuine expert may be waiting in the wings.
… (more)
 
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jsburbidge | 4 other reviews | Dec 28, 2019 |

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Statistics

Works
20
Also by
2
Members
1,283
Popularity
#19,990
Rating
3.9
Reviews
13
ISBNs
92
Languages
4
Favorited
1

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