Captive to the Word of God: Engaging the Scriptures for Contemporary Theological Reflection
Digital Logos Edition
In Captive to the Word of God, eminent theologian Miroslav Volf invites readers to dip with him into the deep well of Scripture—to look over his shoulder as he engages actively with the Bible, which, as he notes, is at once a sacred text, a witness to Jesus Christ, and the site of God’s self-revelation for the sake of humanity’s salvation.
After a probing explanation of how and why he uses Scripture to shape theological thought, Volf applies his interpretive principles to 1 Peter, the Gospel of John, 1 John, and Ecclesiastes. Volf’s explorations—far from esoteric reflections emanating out of a theological bubble—get at the heart of some of the most real and perplexing religious quandaries of our time: pluralism, materialism, Muslim-Christian relations, how Christians ought to relate to their surrounding culture, and what it really means to say that “God is love.” Together, these chapters inspire a vision of life that is informed by Scripture and lived lovingly and joyfully before God and with others.
Interested in more? Be sure to check out the Eerdmans Biblical Interpretation Collection (13 vols.)
- Explores how and why Volf uses Scripture to shape theological thought
- Discusses some of the most real and perplexing religious quandaries of our time
- Applies interpretive principles to 1 Peter, the Gospel of John, 1 John and Ecclesiastes
- Reading the Bible Theologically
- Theology for a Way of Life
- Soft Difference: Church and Culture in 1 Peter
- Peculiar Politics: John’s Gospel, Dualism, and Contemporary Pluralism
- God is Love: Biblical Reflections on a Fundamental Christian Claim in Conversation with Islam
- Hunger for Infinity: Christian Faith and the Dynamics of Economic Progress
Top Highlights
“When identity is forged primarily through the negative process of the rejection of the beliefs and practices of others, violence seems unavoidable, especially in situations of conflict.” (Page 77)
“I am referring to 1 Peter, the epistle whose main theme is Christian life in a non-Christian environment.4” (Pages 67–68)
“Properly speaking, the essays in this book are theological readings of biblical texts” (Page 4)
“Fourth, God’s love is indiscriminately forgiving of every person and for every deed” (Page 143)
“Only those who refuse to be defined by their enemies can bless them.” (Page 78)
Miroslav Volf is one of the most exciting and well-respected theological voices on the American scene today. In the long run, however, the only work that lasts is by those theologians whose reflections arise from a deep attentiveness to and engagement with Holy Scripture. This volume shows that Volf is in that worthy company. Captive to the Word of God will enrich and nourish readers for many years to come.
—Timothy Larsen, professor of theology, Wheaton College
Full of insight and wisdom for those who wrestle with the challenges of living out Christian faith with the Bible in one hand and today’s newspaper in the other.
—John R. Franke, associate professor of theology, Biblical Theological Seminary, Hatfield, Pennsylvania
Volf has written a book of wisdom and clarity that connects the Bible, theology, and the meaning of Jesus Christ in a world hungry for love and truth. A book of sound biblical theology in dialogue with the culture of pluralism, this is a superb read!
—Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
- Title: Captive to the Word of God: Engaging the Scriptures for Contemporary Theological Reflection
- Author: Miroslav Volf
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2010
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 188
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible › Criticism, interpretation, etc
- ISBNs: 9780802865908, 0802865909
- Resource ID: LLS:CAPTIVEWORDGOD
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-01-16T19:05:24Z
Professor Volf is the founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. His books include Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996; revised edition, 2019), winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion and named one of Christianity Today’s 100 most important religious books of the 20th Century; Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World (2016); The Home of God: A Brief Story of Everything (2022), co-authored with Ryan McAnnally-Linz; and, most recently, co-authored with Matthew Croasmun and Ryan McAnnally-Linz, Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most (2023).
A member of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. and the Evangelical Church in Croatia, Professor Volf has been involved in international ecumenical dialogues (for instance, with the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) and interfaith dialogues (including the Muslim and Christian “A Common Word” initiative), as well as a participant in the Global Agenda Council on Values of the World Economic Forum. A native of Croatia, he regularly teaches and lectures in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, and across North America. Amongst his many invited lectureships, he has given the Dudleian Lecture at Harvard University; the Chavasse Lectures at Oxford University; the Waldenstroem Lectures at Stockholm School of Theology; the Gray Lectures at Duke University; the Stob Lectures at Calvin University; and the Cadbury Lectures at the University of Birmingham. In May 2025, he delivered the Gifford Lectures in Aberdeen, UK.