The Old Testament and God (#01 in Old Testament Origins And The Question Of God Series)

Publisher Description

In The Old Testament and God, Craig G. Bartholomew offers an innovative, compelling new introduction that takes a critical realist approach to our understanding of the history, literature and theology of the Old Testament.

Opening up a distinctly theological interpretation, he explores the key questions that arise from reading the Old Testament against its environment and pays close attention to intertextuality – both within the Old Testament itself and between the Old and New Testaments. Packed full of brilliant insight, this is a fresh, illuminating account of the question of God in the context of Old Testament interpretation today.

The Old Testament and God is the first volume in a ground-breaking new series, Old Testament Origins and the Question of God, which acts as a companion series to N. T. Wright’s Christian Origins and the Question of God. Thorough and eye-opening, it is ideal for both students and professors of Old Testament studies who are looking for a big-picture, holistic narrative approach to the Old Testament that still takes into account its own unique challenges.

A paradigm-shifting study, The Old Testament and God will leave you with a deeper, comprehensive understanding of the literary, historical and theological dimensions of the Old Testament, its interpretation, and its function as part of Christian scripture. Its cutting-edge approach has far-reaching implications for all areas of theological enquiry, making it essential reading for all serious students of the Bible and theology today.

Page Count: 608

PRESS REVIEWS

‘Within the sometimes bewildering world of Old Testament scholarship, with its modern and postmodern presuppositions, Craig Bartholomew charts a new way forward, one that takes fully seriously the historical, literary and theological dimensions of the Old Testament, and above all takes the God of the Old Testament fully seriously as one who acts and reveals. For anyone who finds the Old Testament irrepressibly fascinating, this will be an exciting as well as a learned and coherently argued book.’

• Richard Bauckham, Emeritus Professor of New Testament Studies, University of St Andrews, Scotland

‘In this far-reaching and ambitious work, Bartholomew compellingly contends for an audacious notion: the Old Testament needs God and, above all else, enacts deific truth. This claim stands in sharp contrast with modernity reinforced by its tacit atheism and sardonic rejection of the supernatural. Consequently, the most central aspect of the Scriptures is absent in most post-Enlightenment biblical criticism. The Old Testament and God models an alternative, post-critical approach that is both overtly theistic and particularly Christian.’

• H. H. Hardy II, Associate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

‘In this introductory volume, Bartholomew makes an impressive start to a project that seeks to do for the Old Testament what N. T. Wright has done for the New Testament. A great strength of his approach is an in-depth philosophical and methodological awareness. This enables him to provide a sharp critical evaluation of a number of traditional scholarly views. His careful attention to the historical, literary and theological dimensions of the Old Testament sheds new light on many disputed issues, as well as illuminating the rich Old Testament portrayal of the living God.’

• Philip Jenson, Teaching Associate in Old Testament, Ridley Hall, Cambridge

‘Only Craig Bartholomew could have written this book! The range of interlocutors is vast; Old Testament scholars mingle with philosophers, literary theorists and historians of the Ancient Near East, and Bartholomew’s immensely creative and constructive mind orchestrates a powerful symphony by means of a running commentary upon the scholarship. At the heart of the matter is the possibility – indeed the firm conviction – that the living God has revealed himself to Israel. A joy to read, this book should fund a new and multifaceted conversation grounded in the question of God.’

• Matthew Levering, James N. Perry Jr and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

‘Craig Bartholomew brings his wide knowledge and insight to the question of God in the Old Testament. His training and sensibilities as both an Old Testament scholar and a philosopher are on full display here. This book, the first of four, is a big book in the best sense of the term. He considers the most important questions and utilizes the best approaches to study of the Old Testament. In my opinion, Bartholomew sets the study of God in the Old Testament on its proper foundation, which makes this essential reading for all scholars and serious students alike.’

• Tremper Longman III, Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Westmont College

‘Who but Craig Bartholomew could have imagined this book, much less actually written it? In The Old Testament and God, he takes the reader on an exhilarating quest to answer the biggest question not only in biblical studies, but in our lives: the question of God. Along the way, Craig introduces us to a vast array of voices, from philosophers and historians to narrative critics and specialists in the Ancient Near East. The end result is part manifesto, part invitation. The Old Testament and God is sure to guide and inspire students and scholars alike.’

• Michael J. Rhodes, Lecturer in Old Testament, Carey Baptist College, Auckland, New Zealand

‘This opus breathes intelligence, learning and creativity as it frames what it means – and could mean – to study the Old Testament. True to form, Bartholomew assesses the academy critically, with breadth of vision and philosophical rigour. He methodically advances a theological vision of the Old Testament that takes as fundamental its kerygmatic force. Faith and theology inform Bartholomew’s work as resources rather than obstacles, while he rightly pleads for genuine pluralism in the academy. Although it will be possible to interrogate Bartholomew’s argument, it will be impossible to ignore it. This volume exhibits the characteristics of a classic.’

• Heath A. Thomas, President and Professor of Old Testament, Oklahoma Baptist University

‘Many of us were apprenticed into the guild of Old Testament scholarship under the paradigm of alleged academic “objectivity” in which “God” could not be the subject of a sentence that presumed his living reality and power, other than as a fictive character in the narrative. Craig Bartholomew challenges that paradigm in a way that enables an encounter with the living scriptures to be an authentic encounter with the voice of the living God.’

• Chris Wright, Global Ambassador and Ministry Director, Langham Partnership