Unity in the Book of Isaiah - (Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies) by Benedetta Rossi & Dominic S Irudayaraj & Gina Hens-Piazza

About the Book

Approaches the Book of Isaiah through the concept of unity in order to explore the challenges of this perspective and also outline new directions in the unity movement and encourage further holistic readings of the text.

Book Synopsis

Building on previous holistic readings of the Book of Isaiah, this collection approaches Isaiah through the concept of unity. Contributors outline research that point to new directions in the unity movement and, in the process, bring it under a critical gaze, considering the perennial challenges to unity reading and thus problematizing the very concept of unity.

Divided into four parts, the book provides methodological reflections on reading Isaiah as a unity, and examines historical and redactional readings, literary readings and contextual or reader-orientated readings. Topics include how the figure of Jacob functions as a unifying motif in the final form of the book, Isaiah 1 as an example of the relevance of local structure for global coherence and how woman as a root metaphor of Zion not only bears revelatory significance but also serves as a theological linchpin for a more holistic reading of the book. Overall, the book highlights the continued promise of holistic readings for diverse methods and varied approaches to the Book of Isaiah.

Review Quotes

"This important volume shows how, in the last two decades, a point of no return has been reached for the exegesis of Isaiah: this prophetic book can no longerbe seen as a collection of distinct texts by individual authors (even with mutual influences)." --Rivista Salesianum [Bloomsbury translation]

"This volume makes it clear that an essential and irreversible paradigm shift has taken place in Isaiah research in recent years ... This also makes it worthwhile for theologians and pastors who read the Book of Isaiah to preach from it or gain theological insights to take note of what present Isaiah research has to offer." --Theologia Reformata

About the Author

Benedetta Rossi is Associate Professor of Old Testament Exegesis at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Italy.

Dominic S. Irudayaraj S.J. is a faculty member at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Italy, Visiting Professor at Hekima College, Kenya and Research Associate at University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Gina Hens-Piazza is Professor of Biblical Studies and Joseph S. Alemany Endowed Chair at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, USA.