The Art of Biblical History - (Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation) by V Philips Long (Paperback)

About the Book

The final volume in the acclaimed Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation series, this book deals with these crucial questions: Is the Bible a history book? What do we mean by 'history' anyway? In what sense is biblical historicity important for faith? Why is there so much scholarly disagreement over historical issues relating to the Bible?

Book Synopsis

This fifth volume in the Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation series is an exploration of both the historical nature of the Bible and the character of biblical history writing. In view of recent trends in biblical studies, the age-old question of the relationship between history and faith must again take center stage in hermeneutical discussion. The Art of Biblical History seeks to address basic questions that all Bible readers might ask: Is the Bible a history book? What do we mean by "history" anyway? In what sense is biblical historicity important for faith? Are there guidelines for discovering what historical truth claims a particular passage may be making? The discussions take account of both current thinking among biblical scholars and the best insights of secular historians. The result is an attempt to describe biblical history writing as a kind of representational art and to commend a hermeneutical approach that does justice not merely to the historical or literary or theological character of the Bible, but to all three at once.

From the Back Cover

This fifth volume in the Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation series is an exploration of both the historical nature of the Bible and the character of biblical history writing. In view of recent trends in biblical studies, the age-old question of the relationship between history and faith must again take center stage in hermeneutical discussion. The Art of Biblical History seeks to address basic questions that all Bible readers might ask: Is the Bible a history book? What do we mean by 'history' anyway? In what sense is biblical historicity important for faith? Are there guidelines for discovering what historical truth claims a particular passage may be making? The discussions take account of both current thinking among biblical scholars and the best insights of secular historians. The result is an attempt to describe biblical history writing as a kind of representational art and to commend a hermeneutical approach that does justice not merely to the historical or literary or theological character of the Bible, but to all three at once.