"Cotton Mather's Biblia Americana was the first comprehensive Bible commentary composed in America. This volume serves as an essential companion to Biblia Americana as well as a useful resource in its own right. Written by some of the most prominent scholars in the field, these essays offer original, in-depth studies of Mather and his hitherto unpublished scriptural interpretations in the historical context of the early Enlightenment and the rise of Pietism.Transcending the pejorative image of Puritan witch doctor, Mather emerges from these essays as an erudite scholar and cosmopolitan theologian who was fully immersed in the new developments in biblical exegesis around the turn of the eighteenth century. Whether facing the challenge of historical criticism or examining the meaning of race and gender in the Bible, Mather wrestled with scientific and religious questions that are still relevant today" -- Publisher description.