The Old Testament for a Complex World - by Cameron B R Howard (Paperback)

About the Book

Shows how the critical study of the Old Testament helps us understand the Bible as a dynamic testimony for our changing future.

Book Synopsis

"This impressive analysis will resonate with any Christian interested in the evolution of biblical criticism."--Publishers Weekly

What if the Bible, which has come to us through a complex process, is just the resource we need to speak to the challenges of living as Christians in a complex world? In today's era of significant cultural upheaval, studying the Old Testament can seem impractical or irrelevant. This book reclaims the Old Testament as a vital resource for today's church, showing how critical study of these texts helps us understand the Bible as a dynamic testimony for our changing future.

From the Back Cover

"Effectively connects the world of critical biblical scholarship to today's Christian communities"

This book demonstrates how critical study of the Old Testament helps us understand the Bible as a dynamic testimony for our changing future.

"The problems that beset church and society are profound and ever more evident in the tattering of our daily lives. Yet one resource of enormous profundity sits right before us, largely unopened, unread. In this inspiring book, Howard unleashes the Old Testament's power to address what ails us and to point us toward a more flourishing world for all."
--Jacqueline Lapsley, Princeton Theological Seminary

"The Old Testament is at once one of the most interesting and most misunderstood bodies of literature in the world. The church, which ought to be among its most appreciative audiences, is instead often at a loss for what to say about it and how to hear it in our own times. This book offers both new foundations and concrete ways forward to reintegrate this majority portion of the Bible back into the life of the church at a time when we most need it. And I can think of no better guide than Howard."
--Christopher B. Hays, Fuller Theological Seminary

"This illuminating and beautifully written book shows us how the 'iconically old' Old Testament from bygone 'Bible times' nevertheless reflects a truly dynamic ethos. In three helpful case studies, we are shown how Scripture captures and canonizes 'required innovation.' The result of this book? Provocations of possibility and hope for the church--and a world--that finds itself in difficult days. Here is a volume that can change and help the church, those who belong to it, and those who serve it."
--Brent A. Strawn, Duke University

"Howard effectively connects the world of critical biblical scholarship to today's Christian communities. Readers will discover the ways that seemingly arcane topics such as the genre of apocalypse can inspire new approaches to church leadership."
--Roger S. Nam, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

"A bold, new approach to a persistent, old challenge--the relevance and authority of the Old Testament to the life of faith. Howard grapples with the dynamic complexity of the Old Testament head-on and offers a convincing case that this complexity is itself a gift."
--Rolf Jacobson, Luther Seminary

About the Author

Cameron B. R. Howard (PhD, Emory University) is associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has also taught at the Interdenominational Theological Center and the School of Theology at Sewanee. Howard has written for BibleOdyssey.org and is a frequent contributor to WorkingPreacher.org.