Religion and Politics 4. The Book of Daniel. A Biblical Critique of Religious Uprisings.

The Book of Daniel was written about the same time as Maccabees II.  It would be best to listen to the Maccabees podcast before this one.  Remember that Maccabees II was a response to the Maccabees uprising, described in Maccabees I.  Daniel was placed in a much earlier time to conceal its contents as not being contemporary, even though it was.  This was a time when the literary style of the day was filled with poetry and metaphors and mystical symbolism.  For example, a domestic animal such as a sheep, represented a friendly country.  A wild animal such as a lion represented a hostile country.  Back in those days, everyone would have understood these stories to be symbolic, not literal.  If you were brought up in a tradition that treated these stories as if they were literal (as I was) then this will be a new approach for you, and a new way of looking at a biblical text. 

Have fun. 

ps.  This was a class lecture.  There  was some interaction with the class (which was off in zoom land) about readings and assignments.  In case I didn't delete that, sorry for the distraction.  

pps.  There is a Stocktonafterclass podcast discussion group on Facebook.  Thoughtful comments welcome.