The Invention of Monotheist Ethics

Book excerpt: The Invention of Monotheist Ethics, Volume I presents a comprehensive analysis of the Biblical Book of Samuel. Usually taken to be a socio-political history of ancient Israel during a turbulent century of change, The Invention of Monotheist Ethics contends that beneath this surface level the true focus of Samuel is a profound appraisal of power, its seductive appeal and its drastic limitations. Thus Samuel emerges as a radical critique of our power-based world, and the way we, its inhabitants, order our lives. Taken together with the contention that the Book of Samuel was written by a woman, the Biblical book emerges as a woman's critique of a man's world. This assessment concludes by proposing an alternative to the world we know: a world based on care and concern. Relying on recent sociological studies, this work explores the ramifications of an ethic based on care rather than justice.