Focusing on concepts and themes as they relate to the comprehensive view of justice contained in the Old and New Testaments, Justice: A Biblical Perspective brings together various passages to give the historical and literary context. Dempsey sets a clear definition of justice and its relationship to compassion, two virtues that lead to liberation. While drawing readers" attention to the dilemma of justice and violence, Dempsey also introduces readers to an understanding of how the ancient Israelite and early Christian cultures and worldviews influenced the shaping of the Old and New Testaments, and how contemporary readers must appropriate biblical literature in relation to the contemporary global, religious, and social contexts in which the texts are now heard. Justice also emphasizes how the Bible can provide a view of justice for all creation on earth--both human and nonhuman.