'Stranger Within' points out some of the consequences for European culture of the presence of an 'Old Testament' within the Christian scriptural tradition. There are many works that give an account of the contents and origins of the Hebrew Scriptures and the cultural consequences of its narratives and concepts, but here Hugh S. Pyper explores the effects of the fact that at the root of modern Western culture is a translated text, linked specifically to ancient Israel, that has to be 'counter-read' to give it authority in spite of its literal meaning. This issue is significant for broader intellectual history but often overlooked. For instance, Charles Taylor emphasises the centrality of the impulse to reform in the culture of Western Christianity but does not take account of the biblical roots of that impulse and how that works itself out in the disputes over the status of the Old Testament. By focusing on key moments of dispute over the status of the Old Testament, this work shows that these encapsulate dilemmas of power, identity and language that are still unresolved in contemporary culture.
Crucially, they are also related to the attitude of the 'stranger within' in Western Culture, epitomized in the relationship between Jews and Christians.