Description
The volumes in Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible from Westminster John Knox Press offer a fresh and invigorating approach to all the books of the Bible. Building on a wide range of sources from biblical studies and the Christian tradition, noted scholars focus less on traditional historical and literary angles in favor of a theologically focused commentary that considers the contemporary relevance of the texts. This series is an invaluable resource for those who want to probe beyond the backgrounds and words of biblical texts to their deep theological meanings for the church today.
In Lamentations, Harvey Cox finds this poignant and evocative biblical book written 2,500 years ago to be a shockingly current text. Drawing on a wide array of sources from poetry, novels, films, paintings, and even photography to classical and contemporary theology, Cox offers a contemporary theological reading of Lamentations that is provocative and sure to stir numerous theological reflections and responses.
The biblical book of Song of Songs has historically been seen as pointing to Christ’s love for the church and has been interpreted allegorically. Yet, it is unique in the canon for its use of erotic poetry, celebrating the human body and human love in graphic terms. Stephanie Paulsell suggests that the Song still has profound meaning for us, teaching us “to love not only what we can see shining on the surface but also those depths of the other that are out of our reach.”
Reviews
“The series offers an impressive variety of theological voices representing a broad range of traditions, styles, and locations, all asking what the upshot of the biblical texts is for pressing theological issues in our day, both issues that are perennial and issues that are peculiar to ‘modernity.’ They are disciplined by historical-critical scholarship, but they are not focused exclusively on historical questions, not even on the historical question of the biblical authors’ own theologies. Their ‘theological questions’ are not aimed at showing that biblical texts support commitment to a single, shared theological tradition; they seek to let the shape of the biblical text set the agenda for each commentary.” —David H. Kelsey, Luther A. Weigle Professor of Theology Emeritus, Yale University Divinity School
"As one who preaches regularly and teaches both clergy and laity, I find the Belief series to be just the kind of resource I depend upon for my own preparation and to recommend to adults who wish to move carefully through a book of the Bible. The approach is scholarly rich, theologically nuanced, and accessible to the thoughtful reader."
—Patricia J. Lull, Bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
"For the preacher who seeks to do justice not only to biblical texts in all their complexity, but also to the richness of historical and contemporary theology, the Belief series offers a vital new tool."
—Maxwell Grant, Senior Minister, Second Congregational Church of Greenwich, United Church of Christ
"Again and again, the careful scholarship and liveliness of the witness of each author have not only brought theological insight, but also new frameworks for preaching and looking at my own life of faith. This is an excellent series, the best one I have found for parish ministry."
—Kelly Nelson, Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Crawfordsville, Indiana
"I highly recommend the Belief series! The authors are widely respected theologians who aid pastors and teaching by bringing the biblical text into creative theological conversation with contemporary concerns."
—Roy Howard, Pastor, St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, North Bethesda, Maryland
"As a retired Campus Pastor, I have read only Mark, by the late, much lamented William C. Placher of Wabash College, but if others in the series are even nearly as good, buy them!"
—Steve Shoemaker, Ph.D., Religion, Duke (Theology & Literature) Presbyterian Campus Minister, NCSU, 1973-81, Univ. of Illinois, 1981-2008