Living and Active: Scripture in the Economy of Salvation (Sacra Doctrina) [Hardcover]

Telford Work (Author), Richard B. Hays (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2001 | Series: Sacra Doctrina

For all of the Bible's popularity, confusion reigns about what the Bible is, its relationship to God and to its human authors and readers, and its proper use. Living and Active answers these fundamental questions by looking anew at Scripture from the perspective of Christian doctrine.

Rather than treating the Bible as a sourcebook for theology, Telford Work uses systematic theology to build a compelling new doctrine of Scripture that allows us to see the Bible at work accomplishing God's purposes in the world. Throughout the book, Work incorporates insights from the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist, Anabaptist, and evangelical traditions. He also interacts with patristic theology, historical-critical methods of interpretation, and postmodern thought. As a result, Living and Active is the most relevant and ecumenical statement of Scripture now available.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 357 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (December 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802847242
• ISBN-13: 978-0802847249
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,375,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a challenging and thoughtful "work" on Scripture, March 8, 2003

By 

curtis a. bronzan (visalia, california, united states of america) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living and Active: Scripture in the Economy of Salvation (Sacra Doctrina) (Hardcover)

telford work's first book (originally his doctoral dissertation from his fellowship at duke) rightly challenges the paradigm and dialect used by Christians to speak of their Holy Scriptures. rather than a simple reaction to recent scholarship on the doctrine of the Scripture, work (who modestly insists that his undergraduate students call him by his first name, telford) narrates the Bible's conception, mission, canonization, and ongoing life within the Church through the lens of the history of the Triune God's chosen community. to do this properly, telford work interacts with each of the many stages involved in Scripture's formation, including the beginnings of the Tanakh through the Sepuagint, as well as in the life and formation of Jesus through the post-ascension Church. by locating the use of Scripture in the life of God's Community - what he terms "the gathering" - he shows how the paradigm of inerrancy is fatally flawed. thus, telford fittingly presents a new ontological paradigm for the discussion of Scripture. he works alongside the giants of doctrine, including (but certainly not limited to) athanasius, augustine, barth, and barr. this is a profound and substantial book that will soon become a staple in colleges and seminaries, written by a man who is shaped not simply by ivory towers reaching into the sky, but infinitely more importantly, by the God to Whom such towers unknowingly point.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a thoughtful and challenging "Work", March 8, 2003

By 

curtis a. bronzan (visalia, california, united states of america) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living and Active: Scripture in the Economy of Salvation (Sacra Doctrina) (Hardcover)

telford work's first book (originally his doctoral dissertation from his fellowship at duke) rightly challenges the paradigm and dialect used by Christians to speak of their Holy Scriptures. rather than a simple reaction to recent scholarship on the doctrine of the Scripture, work (who modestly insists that his undergraduate students call him by his first name, telford) narrates the Bible's conception, mission, canonization, and ongoing life within the Church through the lens of the history of the Triune God's chosen community. to do this properly, telford work interacts with each of the many stages involved in Scripture's formation, including the beginnings of the Tanakh through the Sepuagint, as well as in the life and formation of Jesus through the post-ascension Church. by locating the use of Scripture in the life of God's Community - what he terms "the gathering" - he shows how the paradigm of inerrancy is fatally flawed. thus, telford fittingly presents a new ontological paradigm for the discussion of Scripture. he works alongside the giants of doctrine, including (but certainly not limited to) athanasius, augustine, barth, and barr. this is a profound and substantial book that will soon become a staple in colleges and seminaries, written by a man who is shaped not simply by ivory towers reaching into the sky, but infinitely more importantly, by the God to Whom such towers unknowingly point.

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended by N. T. Wright, October 1, 2004

By 

B. F. Mooney "biologist" (Mooresville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living and Active: Scripture in the Economy of Salvation (Sacra Doctrina) (Hardcover)

Anglican Bishop Tom Wright mentions and recommends this book is a recent lecture, as a good resource for those who are trying to understand the role of the bible in the modern church and in Christianity. I take that as pretty high praise in itself!