Customer Reviews

A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm using this book for an Old Testament class at seminary, but it is so much more than just a textbook to me. The authors work to discuss the OT from many viewpoints using a number of different types of criticism. I love the way that the book does not shy away from difficult issues in the Old Testament, such as violence and sacrifice, but rather helps the reader to understand the context of the Biblical passages as well as exposing him to classic and contemporary interpretations of those passages. The book is clear, well-organized, and very readable. I appreciate that the book does not seem to have an "agenda," but rather that it seeks to bring theology and spirituality into a discussion of the Old Testament - something that many treatements of the OT do not include. For a Christian, this book is essential in being able to link the theology of the Israelites to the theology of modern-day Christianity. A must-read for anyone wanting to broaden their understanding of the Old Testament.

This work is a seminary-level introduction to the Old Testament that bridges the gap between the academic and the confessional study of the Bible. Birch's much-needed approach is founded upon historical-critical scholarship, but it focuses primarily upon the biblical text as theological witness. Welcomed attention is given to how the OT functions theologically for the contemporary community of faith. This book's most likely place will be as a supplementary textbook that is used alongside a more traditional introductory text.

For the person interested in relating the message of the Old Testament scriptures to present day issues, especially in the area of social justice, this volume offers provocative insights based on sound scholarship. It kick-starts further independent thinking on these issues.

The authors know their stuff, and I'd thoroughly recommend what I've read of their individual scholarly work. However, having just plowed through this book in a seminary class, I'd have to say there's something peculiarly dull and lifeless about it. The main theological themes seem adequately covered, and the authors go to pains to highlight the diversity of theological approaches canonized in the Old Testament. But despite many inherently interesting topics, the writing is stiff.

One other critique: despite acknowledging the centrality of the exilic experience to the formation of the canon, the author's choose to devote relatively little space to the related literature. As a result, the book seems to hurry to its close.

Overall, this book is certainly adequate to it task, it's just not inspired or inspiring.

A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament by Bruce Birch, Walter Brueggermann, Terence Fretheim, and David Peterson, 2nd Edition

I am alway impressed when I see '2nd Edition' on a book. It means enough people took the time and money to read it and comment on it that the authors took the time and energy (not to mention the publishers money) to publish an updated version of the book. And this book deserves all the congratulations it gets. Of the five texts I had in 'systematic' courses at seminary, this was certainly the best. It is made even better by the fact that it was virtually impossible to discern the seams where Brueggemann's Lutheran material ends and Birch's Methodist treatment begins.

This book was the best, primarily because it did not nicely stay within the strictly theological lines. In a class where the other two books were a bit light, the broad range of BBF&P was a real virtue.

This book is an example of something I have found odd throughout my readin of the Old Testament. All the best books seem to be written by Christians. Even the best commentaries on OT books are written by Christians, and more by Protestants than by Catholics (althought that tide may be changing). And when I compare theological writings by a Jew on Genesis (Creation and the Persistence of Evil by Jon Levenson) I get a completely different picture of Jewish theology. This is not because Christian theology is infused with a light shining backwards from the New Testament. Most modern scholarship, even by those who consider themselves evengelicals, take the text as presented, not as a mirror to the future.

One wonders why we don't use Kugel or Levenson or Fishbine or Kaufmann as our texts. What do the folks at Yeshiva use as an introduction to OT theology? But getting back to this book.

I appreciate the fact that the book follows the order of the books in the Protestant translations of the OT, as that was also the way we studied them, and that is the way with which we are most familiar. And, that order has theological significance, which is why the Jewish Bible is arranged in a different way.

The primary virtue for our class was that BBF&P combined history with theology. This is only appropriate, since Jewish theology is bound up in being 'in history'. Every chapter gave some reflection on the historical perspectives, the social perspectives, and the theological issues.The only major divergence from the Protestant Bible order was to address the wisdom literature (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiates, Psalms, Song of Songs)last, since they do not fit neatly between the Deuteronomic History and the Prophets.

This is a great textbook. I am hard pressed to recommend it to a reader who is really interested in OT theology. To them, I suggest they swap this book for Bright's A History of Israel and Bruggermann's OT theology works, or maybe similar works by Von Rad. You may also try various books by Jon Levenson, especially 'Zion and Sinai'. (I have not read this book, but it is inexpensive and well reviewed).

The book is an exellent text for reference material for someone studying the history of the OT. I ordered the book for a class, but later found out that I did not need the class. For background and research, the book is excellent.

I am a student of Pastoral Ministry at the Masters level. I have found the work done in this book, with the citings and notes to be of extreme value to me and my writings. This book is helpful to any level of reader because of the clear way it explains and uses graphs and pictorials. Worth the buy to keep in your library.

I wish I had the words to write about how this book has enriched my learning and growth. I don't so I'll just say this is an EXCELLENT addition to my library.

Using as an OT studies text. Well done treatment of theological aspects of OT. Am enjoying using.

This is an excellent OT theology. I would recommend this to any beginning student of the OT.