J. David Pleins presents a sociological study of the Hebrew Bible, seeking to uncover its social vision by examining biblical statements about social ethics. He does this within the framework provided by Israel's social institutions, the social locations of its actors, and the historical struggles for power and survival that are reflected in the transmission of the texts.
J. David Pleins is Professor of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. He is an associate editor of The Anchor Bible Dictionary.