Free A Theological Introduction To The Old Testament: 2nd Edition Ebooks Online

                
              
Free 
A Theological Introduction To The Old Testament: 2nd Edition Ebooks Online
This book has become a standard text in seminary and university classrooms. The purpose of this second edition is to help readers come to a critically informed understanding of the Old Testament as the church's scripture. This book introduces the Old Testament both as a witness of ancient Israel and as a witness to the church and synagogue through the generations of those who have passed these texts on as scripture.  The authors of this volume share a commitment to the interpretation of the Old Testament as a central resource for the life of the church today.  At the same time, they introduce the Old Testament witness in a manner that honors the importance of biblical scholarship in helping students engage the variety of theological voices within the Old Testament.  This second edition gives special attention to deepening and broadening theological interpretations by including, for example, issues related to gender, race, and class.  It also includes more detailed maps and charts for student use.
Paperback: 504 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press; 2nd ed. edition (September 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 068706676X
ISBN-13: 978-0687066766
Product Dimensions:  6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:  4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #80,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)   #81 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Criticism & Interpretation > Old Testament   #184 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Bible Study > Old Testament   #274 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Old Testament
I'm using this book for an Old Testament class at seminary, but it is so much more than just a textbook to me. The authors work to discuss the OT from many viewpoints using a number of different types of criticism. I love the way that the book does not shy away from difficult issues in the Old Testament, such as violence and sacrifice, but rather helps the reader to understand the context of the Biblical passages as well as exposing him to classic and contemporary interpretations of those passages. The book is clear, well-organized, and very readable. I appreciate that the book does not seem to have an "agenda," but rather that it seeks to bring theology and spirituality into a discussion of the Old Testament - something that many treatements of the OT do not include. For a Christian, this book is essential in being able to link the theology of the Israelites to the theology of modern-day Christianity. A must-read for anyone wanting to broaden their understanding of the Old Testament.
A lot of scholarly theological work is dry and one wonders whether or not the authors believe. Not so with this work. The authors clearly write from a standpoint of devotion mixed with rigorous scholarship. The work is structured in historical sections rather than by books, giving a welcome Biblical Theological (big picture) perspective to the writing. The authors are clearly not afraid to apply textual scholarly methods to a sacred text, and the outcome is convincing and powerful.
This work is a seminary-level introduction to the Old Testament that bridges the gap between the academic and the confessional study of the Bible. Birch's much-needed approach is founded upon historical-critical scholarship, but it focuses primarily upon the biblical text as theological witness. Welcomed attention is given to how the OT functions theologically for the contemporary community of faith. This book's most likely place will be as a supplementary textbook that is used alongside a more traditional introductory text.
The authors know their stuff, and I'd thoroughly recommend what I've read of their individual scholarly work. However, having just plowed through this book in a seminary class, I'd have to say there's something peculiarly dull and lifeless about it. The main theological themes seem adequately covered, and the authors go to pains to highlight the diversity of theological approaches canonized in the Old Testament. But despite many inherently interesting topics, the writing is stiff.One other critique: despite acknowledging the centrality of the exilic experience to the formation of the canon, the author's choose to devote relatively little space to the related literature. As a result, the book seems to hurry to its close.Overall, this book is certainly adequate to it task, it's just not inspired or inspiring.
Great and knowledgeable author and speaker. Dr. Birch is able to bring a right brain approach to the works of the Bible. An overview that has speared our family to study the Bible again with greater understanding of the Bible's importance in history and in our lives life. We are grateful for his insightful understanding of the Bible. Judith Stover MA, MED and Lt Commander Dwight Avis, Jr
Great content for Old Testament studies. I used the Kindle version for a introductory seminary course. Page numbers seem to match the printed version which helps follow along in the class. However, there is no link for the table of contents, which makes it harder to find the beginning of chapters. Also, some of the maps and other images in the book are not easy to read. If you need this book for a class, I would go with the print version until the images are updated.
Four accomplished authors of various denominational affiliation join to give us a grand understanding of the Hebrew Bible respecting the original texts and interpreting them to us in the 21st century.
Bought this along with the two volumes of "Exploring the New Testament" series in fantastic. I have it prominently displayed on my shelf and I am constantly going back to reference things. Not the type of book I would read straight though (though you could) - but an excellent resource.
A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: 2nd Edition Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament, 2nd Edition Old Testament Wisdom Literature: A Theological Introduction The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol. 2: Expansions of the Old Testament and Legends, Wisdom and Philosophical Literature, Prayers, Psalms, and Odes, Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic works Egypt and the Old Testament: Notes on the Historical Reliability of the Old Testament Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Three Views on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) The Fourfold Gospel: A Theological Reading of the New Testament Portraits of Jesus Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey An Introduction to the Old Testament: Second Edition Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction; Second Edition An Introduction to the Old Testament, Second Edition: The Canon and Christian Imagination (Canon & Christian Imagination) Introduction to the Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective The Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination Old Testament Textual Criticism: A Practical Introduction An Introduction to the Old Testament: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts of the Hebrew Bible 