Contemporary social theory has been much concerned with the re-assertion of ethnic identities in both Western and non-Western politics. This international collection of 21 essays is intended to contribute to the wider discussion by examining the construction and contestation of ethnic identities within the Bible itself and in biblical interpretation. An introductory essay brings into focus the main themes of the book - ethnocentrism, indigenity, concepts of culture and the politics of identity - and highlights the ethnic issues arising. Part One explores selected texts from the Hebrew Bible and from the New Testament, making use of methodological perspectives drawn from a range of disciplines. Part Two, Culture and Interpretation , looks at examples of how ethnicity figures both in the popular use of the Bible and in professional biblical interpretation.