Catherine M. Murphy (F / United States, 1961), scholar
Catherine M. Murphy (b.1961) is an American scholar. Born in San Mateo, CA, Catherine M. Murphy received her PhD (1999) in New Testament and Early Christianity from the University of Notre Dame. Associate Professor at Santa Clara University.
Email: cmurphy@scu.edu
Works
Books
- Wealth in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the Qumran Community (2002 Murphy), book
- John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age (2003 Murphy), book
- The Historical Jesus for Dummies (2007 Murphy), book
2002 : Wealth in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Catherine M. Murphy, Wealth in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the Qumran Community (Leiden: Brill, 2002).
"This volume is concerned with exploring sectarian attitudes toward wealth and the economic practices that gave rise to and issued from those attitudes ... An introductory chapter establishes the state of the question. Three subsequent chapters focus on major sectarian texts: the Damascus Document, the Rule of the Community, and 4QInstruction A. Other sectarian and non-sectarian texts that mention wealth are discussed in a fifth chapter, while archaeological evidence from the Qumran region and contemporary documentary texts are introduced in chapters seven and eight. Finally, ancient secondary testimony on Essene economic practices is discussed ... The book breaks new ground in arguing for several biblical rationales for the practice of shared wealth. Its integration of archaeological and documentary evidence sheds surprising new light on the economic organization of the Qumran community."--Publisher description.
Introduction -- Wealth in the Damascus document -- Wealth in the rule of the community -- Wealth in instruction -- Wealth in other literature found at Qumran -- Archaeological evidence of wealth from the Qumran site and vicinity -- Wealth in documentary materials from the Judean desert -- Secondary testimony to Essene economic practices -- Summary and conclusions -- Appendix A: Parallel passages on wealth in all Damascus document manuscripts -- Appendix B: Parallel passages on wealth in all rule manuscripts -- Appendix C: Outline of the rule of the community (1QS) based on paragraph markings -- Appendix D: Arrangement of the rules of communal discipline in 1QS VI 24-VII 25 -- Appendix E: Archaeological site plan of the Qumran compound c.31 B.C.E. -- Apendix F: Comparative structure of various types of documentary texts -- Appendix G: Transcriptions of plates -- Appendix H: The Dead Sea region.
2003 : John the Baptist
Catherine M. Murphy, John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003).
"How did Gospel authors Matthew and Luke shape the story of John the Baptist around the story of Jesus? Why was the historical Baptist so popular? In John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age, Catherine Murphy explores the character of John the Baptist and compares what the foundational Gospels yield: not only the perspectives of the synoptic authors, but also a sketch of the historical figure of the Baptist, which is then placed within the religious, political and economic context of first-century C.E. Judea. Special attention is given to the interface between John and the Qumran community, which scholars have proposed ever since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Chapters are "Will the Real Baptist Please Stand Up?" "Redaction Criticism: How and Why Authors Shape Their Stories," "Baptist Vignettes in the Gospels: A Redaction-Critical Approach," "Another Angle on the Baptist Movement: Social-Scientific Criticism," "Purification Movements in the First-Century C.E. Judea," and "Conclusion."--Publisher description.
2007 : The Historical Jesus for Dummies
Catherine M. Murphy, The Historical Jesus for Dummies (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007).
"Was Jesus of Nazareth a real person? Did all of the events described in the gospels really happen? How was the world Jesus lived in different from our own? In The Historical Jesus For Dummies, you'll discover the answers to these questions and hundreds more. This accessible, plain-English guide to the life and times of Jesus paints a vibrant picture of his world, examining records in the New Testament and Roman history as well as recent archeological finds that shed new light on his life. You'll find informative explanations of Jesus's birth, infancy, and childhood; meet his followers and enemies; learn about his teachings and miracles, and discover how modern scholars and historians have arrived at these conclusions... Complete with a concise account of the spread of Christianity throughout the world, The Historical Jesus For Dummies puts you in touch with the human Jesus who walked the earth and whose teachings changed the world."--Publisher description.