Scripture and Cosmology - by Kyle Greenwood (Paperback)

About the Book

Kyle Greenwood introduces readers to ancient Near Eastern cosmology and the ways in which the Bible speaks within that context. He then traces the way the Bible was read through Aristotelian and Copernican cosmologies and discusses how its ancient conceptions should be understood in light of Scripture's authority and contemporary science.

Book Synopsis

Christians often claim to hold a biblical worldview. But what about a biblical cosmos view? From the beginning of Genesis we encounter a vaulted dome above the earth, a "firmament," like the ceiling of a planetarium. Elsewhere we read of the earth sitting on pillars. What does the dome of heaven have to do with deep space? Even when the biblical language is clearly poetic, it seems to be funded by a very different understanding of how the cosmos is put together. As Kyle Greenwood shows, the language of the Bible is also that of the ancient Near Eastern palace, temple and hearth. There was no other way of thinking or speaking of earth and sky or the sun, moon and stars. But when the psalmist looked at the heavens, the delicate fingerwork of God, it evoked wonder. Even today it is astronomy and cosmology that invoke our awe and point toward the depths of divine mystery.Greenwood helps us see how the best Christian thinkers have viewed the cosmos in light of Scripture--and grappled with new understandings as science has advanced from Aristotle to Copernicus to Galileo and the galaxies of deep space. It's a compelling story that both illuminates the text of Scripture and helps us find our own place in the tradition of faithful Christian thinking and interpretation.

Review Quotes

"Greenwood's Scripture and Cosmology provides an excellent survey of ancient cosmology, biblical cosmological language, and how interpreters of the Bible adjust to tensions produced by changes in scientific cosmology."

"Kyle Greenwood provides us with fascinating details of the ancient Near Eastern view of our universe. His thorough biblical analysis shows how this view permeates the Bible, giving us a better understanding of the message that God has for us in his Word. Scripture and Cosmology will be a vital resource for everyone seeking to understand the Scriptures."

"The Bible reveals God in ways that speak to all cultures, but does so from its human authors' own ancient cultures. Kyle Greenwood's Scripture and Cosmology explores one particular cross-cultural pressure point, the structure of the cosmos, by tracing this theme through the culture of the ancient Near East, the biblical writings and biblical interpreters who worked when early modern cosmological ideas were taking root. This example helpfully clarifies some of the difficulties Christians face as they seek God's revelation for today's culture."

"With good success, Greenwood has pursued the difficult task of addressing a topic from a multidisciplinary approach, so that Scripture and Cosmology forms something of an entry-level primer on the subject, reader-friendly both in terms of style and its condensed length. . . . Greenwood's tone is winsome and pastoral; rather than writing to refute the Bible's gainsayers, he has endeavored to help the challenged believer."

About the Author

Kyle Greenwood (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew language at Colorado Christian University. He is the author of several studies of the Old Testament in its ancient Near Eastern environment.