1-2 Corinthians (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture) [Hardcover]

Thomas C. Oden (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture | Publication Date: December 1, 1999

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a unique twenty-eight-volume series encompassing all of Scripture and offering contemporary readers the opportunity to study for themselves the key writings of the early church fathers. Arranged by the books of the Bible, each portion of commentary allows the living voices of the church in its formative centuries to speak as they engage the sacred page of Scripture, rendered throughout the series in English in the ecumenically accepted Revised Standard Version of the Bible. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture does what very few of today's students of the Bible could do for themselves. With the aid of computer technology, the vast array of writings from the church fathers - including much that is available only in the ancient languages - have been combed for their comment on Scripture. From these results, scholars with a deep knowledge of the fathers and a heart for the church have hand-selected material for each volume, shaping, annotating and introducing it to today's readers. Each portion of commentary has been chosen for its salient insight, its rhetorical power and its faithful representation of the consensual exegesis of the early church. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is an ecumenical project, promoting a vital link of communication between today's varied Christian traditions and their common ancient ancestors in the faith. On this shared ground we listen as leading pastoral theologians of the church's first several centuries gather around the text of Scripture and offer their best theological, spiritual and pastoral insights. Today the historical-critical method of interpretation has nearly exhausted its claim on the biblical text and on the church. In its wake there is a wide-spread yearning among Christian individuals and communities for the wholesome, the deep and the enduring. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture seeks not to replace those excellent commentaries that have been produced in the twentieth century. It supplements them, framing them with interpretive voices that have long sustained the church and only recently have fallen silent. It invites us to listen with appreciative ears and sympathetic minds as our ancient ancestors in the faith describe and interpret the scriptural vistas as they see them. The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a postcritical revival of the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria, a text artfully elaborated with ancient and authoritative reflections and insights. An uncommon companion for theological interpretation, spiritual reading, and wholesome teaching and preaching.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'His excellent short introduction fulfills a number of functions - these translations are scrupulous and read well.' Reference Reviews

About the Author

Gerald Bray is professor of Anglican studies at Beeson Divinity School, Stamford University, Birmingham, Alabama. His publications include "The Doctrine of God", "Creeds, Councils & Christ" and "Biblical Interpretation: Past & Present". He is also editor of "Romans" in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579580718
• ISBN-13: 978-1579580711
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,909,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Church FATHERS, February 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 1-2 Corinthians (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture) (Hardcover)

Any book which meets its aim to present the thoughts of the church "Fathers" (as this book does) deserves to be evaluated on its stated intentions. Does this volume do an admirable and coherent job of offering Christianity's earliest theologians' thoughts on the letters to Corinth? Absolutely. Is it reasonable to expect views from this period to be in sync with intricate theological statements written hundreds (even thousands) of years later? Of course not. Walking through these early reflections on Scripture with the Fathers creates a fresh sense that Christianity is rooted in history, and that Christianity has an observable historical development of its own. Fascinating, on its own merits. Also of merit is the opportunity to have multiple historical sources available in the same volume. Who likes to pick up and put away dozens of books at a time?

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buy it only if..., April 21, 2002

By 

Andrew Edwin Jenkins (Birmingham, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1-2 Corinthians (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture) (Hardcover)

A few things to note in reading this book...

1. It is a resource of quotes, for the most part. So, it's not like a typical commentary, where you can read the passage of Scripture, then read the "commentary" and have an idea of what's being said. This book is full of quotes (a few lines long) related to each passage.

2. Which leads me to the second point... Usually, when you have a commentary you know the author's bias-- whether he/she is conservative, liberal, their theological leanings, etc., and you can make like adjustments when reading. Not so here. You will need to be somewhat versed in Church History (or have access to a book) in order to distinguish the sound theology of these individuals from the not-so-sound/heretical theology. And, it's possible (as was the case with Origen, for instance) that some of what they say is sound and some is way, way off... You just need to have some tool to make that distinction.

3. This book is very helpful, nonetheless, because we often forget that the ancient Christians struggled with the essentials doctrines of the faith for hundreds of years... and were versed in Scripture (although some of them get lost in allegory, etc.). It is both helpful-- and respectful-- I think, to know what these fore-runners in the faith said.

Buy the book-- but only if you already have some other commentaries (or resources) you can consult.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent addition. . ., February 18, 2004

By 

David Zampino "21st Century Hobbit" (Delavan, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1-2 Corinthians (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture) (Hardcover)

. . .to an excellent series.

Paul's two letters to the Corinthian church are illuminated by the commentary of many of the Fathers of the Early Church -- both East and West. For those unfamiliar with this series, such commentary provides an excellent understanding of "how" the Early Church interpreted Scripture.

This series is a "must have" for all serious students of the Bible or of Church History.