This volume presents key contributions to scholarship in biblical studies that engages or is influenced by cultural studies. Robert Seesengood selects foundational pieces that are ordinarily hard to locate and presents them in line with more recent studies, situating and tracing the revolution in biblical studies that led to the wealth of work in reception history and the study of cultural engagements with the bible. As a result, this selection provides a grounding in key theoretical perspectives, and history of scholarship as well as an orientation to the discipline as it is now.

Beginning with a general introduction, as well as introductions each section of the book, this collection explores theoretical underpinnings, characters and passages in popular culture, motifs and methods, film and television. These introductions situate and frame the readings for readers and researchers, and at the end of each section is an annotated bibliography of further readings, which will prompt further research and discussion.