The third volume in this series on Jewish Second Temple prayer tradition concentrates on penitential prayers. Boda(theology, McMaster University), Falk (religious studies, University of Oregon) and Werline (religious studies, Barton College) have selected articles that go beyond the Second Temple to early Christian and post-Roman Judaism. They delineate the differences among groups regarding personal repentance and that of corporate entities, such as congregations or monasteries. Some note the borrowing by third-century Christians of Jewish sources. Others note the influence of developed Christian penitential practices on later Jewish sects, such at the eleventh-century Hassids and the sixteenth-century Luria Kabbalists. While the similarities are obvious, the authors all note that many are superficial, covering disparate beliefs in the relationship of the penitent to God and the community. The articles are uniformly interesting and the collection as a whole is excellent. The Society of Biblical Literature publishes the paperbound edition; Brill publishes the hardbound. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)