A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: 2nd Edition

Top Highlights

“This means that in Joshua and Judges we do not have a factual report on what happened as Israel settled in the land; instead we have an interpretive account of what that land settlement is taken to mean by those who shaped and valued the literature.” (source)

“As such, the law is not understood in a static sense, as if the law were given once and for all. In view of Israel's ever-changing experiences on its journeys, laws will be given and revised and even taken away.” (source)

“The Old Testament is the collected faith testimony of ancient Israel” (source)

“Many of the theological claims of the text were, accordingly, explained away or regarded as early, more primitive religious expressions. Such a perspective is, of course, contrary to the claim of the text itself that the activity of God—including all of God's mysterious, hidden, and alien aspects— is at the heart of any meaning ascribed to these texts. The movement beyond historical criticism in recent interpretation attempts to read the text with attention to all of its claims, including those that seem odd, alien, or difficult but are nevertheless part of the text that is to be read as scripture by the church.” (source)

“Few would any longer defend the possibility of genuinely "objective" interpretive readings of biblical texts. We agree with those who would argue that there are no disinterested readings of biblical texts. Every reader or reading community brings a set of contextual assumptions, perspectives, and values into the interaction with the biblical text. Thus, interpretation must critically reflect on the context of the reader as well as the text.” (source)