Strategies for Responding to Catastrophe

Seit 2004 gibt der Verlag De Gruyter in Zusammenarbeit mit der International Society for the Study of Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature das Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature · Yearbook (DCLY) heraus. Die Gesellschaft widmet sich dem Studium der Bücher der griechischen Bibel (Septuaginta), die nicht in der hebräischen Bibel enthalten sind, und der späteren jüdischen Literatur, also etwa aus der Zeit vom 3. Jahrhundert v. Chr. bis zum 1. Jahrhundert n. Chr. Die Jahrbücher publizieren die Referate und Ergebnisse der internationalen Konferenzen der Gesellschaft. x000D

Experts of deuterocanonical and cognate literature shed light on how an individual or a group understood catastrophes in the late Second Temple Judaism. The essays in this volume carefully study questions like: What kind of acts lead to a catastrophe? Is there a chance to avoid a catastrophe? How to respond to a catastrophic situation?

Ancient thinkers had strategies for survival and adapting to new situations. The contributors here select and analyze relevant passages covering the main works of the era from Ben Sira to the Book of Judith, from the Book of Tobit to early rabbinic liturgy. They focus on cognitive, psychological, social and ritual mechanisms that helped the ancient authors and their audiences cope with calamities.

Disasters do not belong only to the past. Even in the present times people feel themselves weak and vulnerable in front of threatening catastrophes. The strategies developed by the ancient people can offer us insights to topics such as hope and solidarity.

Autorentext
Marko Marttila, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Martti Nissinen and Jutta Jokiranta, University of Helsinki, Finland.