Introduction to Old Testament as Scripture [Hardcover]

Brevard S. Childs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1979

This Introduction attempts to offer a different model for the discipline from that currently represented. It seeks to describe the form and function of the Hebrew Bible in its role as sacred scripture for Israel. It argues the case that the biblical literature has not been correctly understood or interpreted because its role as religious literature has not been correctly assessed.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 688 pages
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers (May 1, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800605322
• ISBN-13: 978-0800605322
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like it or hate it, you can't ignore it, July 24, 2001

By 

Michael Baxter (LONDON United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Introduction to Old Testament as Scripture (Hardcover)

This is one of the most influential general introductions to the Bible ever written. After more than 20 years, it is still much discussed and much misunderstood. Childs is a devout Christian who advocates a new approach to Biblical criticism, called Canonical Criticism, whereby you should consider books of the Bible and indeed the whole Bible in the form in which they are accepted as canonical (namely inspired and authoritative works) by Jews and Christians. You may agree or disagree with his approach, but read this book carefully and think hard; whatever your conclusions, you will gain a lot of insight. Of course, as its title indicates, it covers only the Old Testament.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Post Critical Naivete Meets the Old Testament, August 30, 2005

By 

Michael (MARION, Argentina) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Introduction to Old Testament as Scripture (Hardcover)

Brevard Childs, noted scholar of the Hebrew scriptures and biblical theologian, has provided the church with a helpful introdcution to his version of canon criticism applied to the Old Testament. Use of "Old Testament" over "Hebrew Bible" or "Tanak" here is deliberate because, as a true Yale-schooler (cf. Lindbeck and Frei), Childs deliberately writes as a Christian churchman and regards the Protestant canon as normative. His method is one of looking for the theological substance of a given Old Testament book as it is embedded in its final canonical form and arrangement. Seeking a divine communication "beyond the desert of criticism" (Ricoeur), he briefly introduces and then brackets out the various historical-critical issues presented by a given book. The title is somewhat misleading as this is not a true "Introduction" on the order of Eissfeldt, R.K. Harrison, or Longman/Dillard, but is properly an introduction to Childs' method of approach. Although OT scholarship has surpassed many of his historical-critical conclusions (hence 4 stars), Childs achieves theological profundity in many places. He also writes in an elegant, preachable prose that theologians, pastors, and students will find refreshing and welcome.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly Work May Be Off-Putting for Some, September 20, 2008

By 

Paul Q. Kucera (Central Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Introduction to Old Testament as Scripture (Hardcover)

A standard work in the study of the formation of the Old Testament, by a recently deceased scholar from Yale. The book, written in the late '70s, reflects nearly 25 years of scholarship and study on the part of Childs. His central argument, more or less, has to do with understanding the "canonical" place or role of each of the books of the Hebrew Bible (OT, more or less). Thus, rather than focusing exclusively on the sources (J, E, D, P, and their offshoots), or on the literary forms found in the OT (myth, saga, poetry, oracle, etc.), or on whether the books reflect historically or archaeologically verifiable events and lives, Childs wants to call our attention to the vital and enduring role the books have had for the worshipping life of the Jewish people. This aspect makes this book well worth reading.

The drawback for many readers will be that Childs is very much writing as a scholar in conversation with other scholars. In a sense, a general readership is not Childs' intended audience, so the "average" reader could be very easily put off by that. That shouldn't necessarily keep you from buying this book, though. My advice for a general audience would be to read the chapters from end to start, since Childs uses a very accessibe structure for his discussion of each book of the OT, summing up the canonical place of each book at the end of each chapter.