Beholding the Tree of Life: A Rabbinic Approach to the Book of Mormon, Available November 12th! October 24 2014
by Bradley J. Kramer
247 Pages
Paperback: $21.95 (ISBN 978-1-58958-701-4)
Hardcover: $50.00 (ISBN978-1-58958-702-1)
(This title will also be available in e-book)
Greg Kofford Books is pleased to announce the release on November 12th of the newest title in our Contemporary Studies in Scripture series, Beholding the Tree of Life: A Rabbinic Approach to the Book of Mormon. Too often readers approach the Book of Mormon simply as a collection of quotations, an inspired anthology to be scanned quickly and routinely recited. In Beholding the Tree of Life author Bradley J. Kramer encourages readers to slow down, to step back, and to contemplate the literary qualities of this book of scripture using interpretive techniques developed by Talmudic and post-Talmudic rabbis.
The resulting analysis has achieved high praise for its innovation, depth, and fresh insight:
- “Beholding the Tree of Life is the first book I have seen that attempts to situate the Book of Mormon by paying serious attention to its Jewish literary precedents and ways of reading scripture. It breaks fresh ground in numerous ways that enrich an LDS understanding of the scriptures.” — Terryl L. Givens, author of By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion
- “Bradley Kramer has done what someone ought to have done long ago, used the methods of Jewish scripture interpretation to look closely at the Book of Mormon. . . . The results are not only interesting, they are inspiring. This is one of those books that, on reading it, I thought ‘I wish I’d written that!’” — James E. Faulconer, author of The Book of Mormon Made Harder and Faith, Philosophy, Scripture
-
“Without being the slightest bit tedious or obscure, Bradley Kramer presents an original approach to Book of Mormon study that everyone can appreciate and apply.” — Phillip A. Snyder, English Department Chair, BYU
- “Beholding the Tree of Life is a quiet master class in how to read scripture carefully in a way that unleashes powerful spiritual meaning. . . . If applied widely, the methods of reading taught and exemplified in this book promise to make our discussions of scripture at home and in church all the richer.” — Jason A. Kerr, visiting assistant professor of English, BYU
We will be celebrating the book's release with a roundtable discussion and author signing the evening of November 12th at Zion's Books in Provo (details to come).
Read an excerpt from Beholding the Tree of Life here.
Pre-order your copy here
Bradley J. Kramer holds an MA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BA in English from Brigham Young University with a minor in Near Eastern Studies. As the son of an LDS mother and a non-LDS father, he has had a life-long interest in interfaith dialogue. For the last several years, he has been a regular participant in Torah and Talmud classes at a local synagogue in Durham, North Carolina, and has helped arrange joint Mormon-Jewish study sessions and other educational exchanges. He has also given several presentations to local and regional groups on the affinities between Mormons and Jews and is a regular speaker at comparative religion classes. Bradley has worked professionally as a writer and editor and is married to the former Nancy Lubeck. They have three children and three grandchildren.