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Theological Bible Commentary
edited by Gail R. O'Day and David L. Petersen
Westminster John Knox, Louisville, 2009. 479 pp. $49.95. ISBN 978-0-664-22711-1.
This superb one-volume Bible commentary meets a need both in biblical studies and in Christian religious communities for a resource that puts the best of scholarship in conversation with the theological claims of the biblical texts. Most commentaries focus on standard scholarly issues, addressing questions of authorship, original audience and structure. This one, by contrast, emphasizes theological questions: What does each biblical book say about God? How does the book describe God and portray God’s actions? Who is God in these biblical books? The individual commentaries, authored by scholars distinguished by their interest in theological reflection, together offer a glimpse of the wealth of theological perspectives that the contemporary reader can find in the Bible and model diverse ways of thinking theologically about biblical literature. Sam Balentine, William P. Brown, Ted Hiebert, Luke Timothy Johnson, Carol Newsom, Gail O’Day, Dennis Olson, and David Rensberger are among the contributors.
The Social Sciences and Biblical Translation
edited by Dietmar Neufeld
Symposium. Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, 2008. 188 pp. $24.95. ISBN 978-1-58983-347-0.
The Bible is an ancient book, written by, for, and about people whose worldview, culture, social values, and aspirations differ radically from those of the modern reader. To help bridge these gaps, this volume examines the translation and interpretation of a set of biblical texts from the perspectives of cultural anthropology and the social sciences. An introduction dealing with methodological issues is followed by essays that address the meanings that selected passages would have had to their original ancient audiences. Ten contributors thereby demonstrate how Bible translations can be culturally sensitive, taking into account the challenge of social distance, and avoiding the dangers of ethnocentric and theological myopia. Passages examined include texts from the OT, NT, and Dead Sea Scrolls. Among the contributors are Richard Rohrbaugh, John Elliott, and John Pilch.
Exploring the Origins of the Bible: Canon Formation in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective
edited by Craig A. Evans and Emanuel Tov
Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology. Baker, Grand Rapids, 2008. 256 pp. $22.99. ISBN 978-0-8010-3242-4.
This collection of essays by international scholars provides perspectives on various facets of the biblical writings, how those writings became canonical Scripture, and why canon matters. Emanuel Tov assesses the contribution of the Septuagint to the literary analysis of Hebrew Scripture; James Charlesworth defines the word “canon” and discusses aspects of the emergence of the canons of Scripture in the various Jewish and Christian communities of faith; Stephen Dempster addresses the much-debated question of the emergence of the tripartite canon (Law, Prophets, and Writings); Glenn Wooden explores the role of the so-called Septuagint in the formation of the biblical canons of Scripture; Craig Evans investigates the usefulness of the extracanonical Gospels for historical Jesus research; Stanley Porter explores the relationship of Paul to the canonization process; Lee McDonald addresses the question of authority; and Jonathan Wilson concludes the volume with a discussion of the theological implications of canon.
Enigmas and Powers: Engaging the Work of Walter Wink for Classroom, Church, and World
edited by D. Seiple and Frederick W. Weidmann
Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Pickwick, Eugene, Ore., 2008. 139 pp. $19.00. ISBN 978-1-55635-290-4.
This Festschrift celebrates and engages the work of of the noted author, biblical scholar, peace activist, and workshop leader, Walter Wink. Twenty-three contributors, Wink’s colleagues and former students, address the entire range of his work and its impact across disciplines, from biblical studies to peace studies, from theology to psychology, reflecting on the depth and breadth of his output, influence, and potential.
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