Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address
Overview
In Hearing the Old Testament world-class scholars discuss how contemporary Christians can better hear and appropriate God’s address in the Old Testament. This volume is part of a growing interest in theological interpretation of the Old Testament.
Editors Craig G. Bartholomew and David J. H. Beldman offer a coherent and carefully planned volume, a truly dialogical collaboration full of up–to–date research and innovative ideas. While sharing a desire to integrate their Old Testament scholarship with their love for God—and, thus, a commitment to listening for God’s voice within the text—the contributors display a variety of methods and interpretations as they apply a Trinitarian hermeneutic to the text. The breadth, expertise, and care evidenced here make this book an ideal choice for upper-level undergraduate and seminary courses.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
Want similar titles? Check out Eerdmans Old Testament Studies Collection (16 vols.) for more!
- Discusses how Christians can better hear and appropriate God’s address in the Old Testament
- Offers a dialogical collaboration of up–to–date research and innovative ideas
- Applies a Trinitarian hermeneutic to the Old Testament text
- “Listening for God’s Address: A Mere Trinitarian Hermeneutic for the Old Testament” by Craig G. Bartholomew
- “The History of Old Testament Interpretation: An Anecdotal Survey” by Al Wolters
- “Philosophy and Old Testament Interpretation: A Neglected Influence” by Craig G. Bartholomew
- “Literary Approaches and Old Testament Interpretation” by David J. H. Beldman
- “History and Old Testament Interpretation” by Tremper Longman III
- “Biblical Theology and Old Testament Interpretation” by Mark J. Boda
- “Canon and Old Testament Interpretation” by Stephen G. Dempster
- “Mission and Old Testament Interpretation” by Christopher J. H. Wright
- “Ethics and Old Testament Interpretation” by M. Daniel Carroll R.
- “Hearing the Pentateuch” by Gordon J. Wenham
- “Hearing the Historical Books” by Iain Provan
- “Hearing the Psalter” by J. Clinton McCann Jr.
- “Hearing the Old Testament Wisdom Literature: The Wit of Many and the Wisdom of One” by Craig G. Bartholomew
- “Hearing the Major Prophets: ‘Your Ears Are Open, but You Hear Nothing’ (Isa. 42:20)” by Richard Schultz
- “Hearing the Minor Prophets: The Book of the Twelve and God’s Address” by Heath Thomas
- “Preaching the Old Testament” by Aubrey Spears
Top Highlights
“Thus, rather than asking if Israel itself ‘had a mission,’ in the sense of being ‘sent’ anywhere (anachronistically injecting again our assumption that mission is only about ‘sending missionaries’), we need to see the missional nature of Israel’s existence in relation to the mission of God in the world. Israel’s mission was to be something, not to go somewhere.” (Page 197)
“Modern Western readers are often struck by the similarities between the biblical version and the contemporary oriental tales, but those immersed in those ancient cultures would have been more struck by the differences.” (Page 235)
“From a Christian perspective a trinitarian hermeneutic is the right, truthful way to read Scripture and is the way that will yield a truthful understanding of the Old Testament.” (Page 18)
“The biblical concern with history is further affirmed by the frequent call that God’s people ‘remember’ (zākar) God’s acts in the past. Such remembrance is not simply for antiquarian reasons, but to engender confidence during a difficult present and hope for an uncertain future.” (Page 96)
“However, one of the marvels of our God is that we hear his voice as it is mediated through human writers, using the conventions of literary composition at their disposal. Thus, as we read the Bible as any other book we will recognize it as unlike any other book.17 Essentially, the literary turn is advocating a return to the basic principles of reading, and this is good news for those of us who aim to hear God’s address in the Old Testament.” (Page 71)
This welcome volume addresses the famine in the land (Amos 8:11–12), specifically, the famine of hearing the lifegiving Word of God to the contemporary church through the Old Testament. With a fine mixture of contributions from both internationally renowned and younger Old Testament scholars, this collection of essays guides readers through vital aspects of biblical interpretation, helping us hear afresh the voice of God in the texts of Scripture. . . . An invaluable resource for all who long to hear for themselves God’s address in the Old Testament.
—Daniel I. Block, professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College
How can we hear God speak to us in the text of Scripture to equip us for our missional vocation? This should be the fundamental question for critical biblical scholarship. Yet an enlightenment agenda has too often separated God’s address from the tools of biblical scholarship, leaving the church bereft of a word from God. This book is an urgent plea by an eminent cast of scholars for biblical scholarship to serve the church so that we can hear God speak through the text of Scripture. The pressing importance of this issue makes this volume priority reading!
—Michael W. Goheen, professor of worldview and religious studies, Trinity Western University
- Title: Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address
- Authors: Craig G. Bartholomew, David J. H. Beldman
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2012
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 493
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. O.T. › Criticism, interpretation, etc
- ISBNs: 9780802865618, 0802865615
- Resource ID: LLS:HRNGLDTSTMNT
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T00:36:34Z
Craig Bartholomew is H. Evan Runner Professor of Philosophy and professor of religion and theology at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, and principal of the Paideia Centre for Public Theology. His other books include Old Testament Wisdom Literature: A Theological Introduction and Where Mortals Dwell: A Christian View of Place for Today.
David J. H. Beldman is an instructor at Redeemer University College and is currently completing his doctoral degree in Old Testament at the University of Bristol.