Scripture and Its Interpretation: A Global, Ecumenical Introduction to the Bible - Tapa blanda

Top-notch biblical scholars from around the world and from various Christian traditions offer a fulsome yet readable introduction to the Bible and its interpretation. The book concisely introduces the Old and New Testaments and related topics and examines a wide variety of historical and contemporary interpretive approaches, including African, African-American, Asian, and Latino streams. Contributors include N. T. Wright, M. Daniel Carroll R., Stephen Fowl, Joel Green, Michael Holmes, Edith Humphrey, Christopher Rowland, and K. K. Yeo, among others. Questions for reflection and discussion, an annotated bibliography, and a glossary are included.

"This book is a treasure-house of resources for teachers and students of the Bible, as well as for anyone who wants to become more deeply informed about the texts that are Sacred Scripture for the Christian church. The volume provides balanced attention to history and hermeneutics, with particular attention to the reception of the biblical writings in various global and ecclesial contexts. I am not aware of any other book that packs so much valuable information about the Bible into such a concise and readable form. Its essays demonstrate the distinctive, twofold character of fine teaching: they are accessible for serious introductory study while, at the same time, full of mind-expanding perspectives for readers who may have studied the Scriptures for a lifetime."
--Richard B. Hays, Duke Divinity School

"Scholarly yet eminently accessible to the nonspecialist, this work is enlightening both as a historical introduction to the Bible and as an overview of how it has been read from ecumenical, intercontinental, and thematic perspectives. An invaluable tool for beginners as a way to situate themselves in the world of the Scriptures and as a resource to set the convictions of the experienced in a more inclusive context. A tour de force!"
--Brother John, Taizé Community, France

"This excellent introduction to the Bible goes well beyond the basic issues of who wrote when, where, and why. It sets out clearly the complex process of how particular writings (and not others) became designated as canonical; poses challenging questions about how Scripture is, can, or should be interpreted; and provides a fascinating account of how biblical interpretation has developed within the various denominations and different parts of the world. The volume is a strong reminder to readers of the extent to which their own reading of and response to the Bible has been shaped by their often very different cultures and traditions. It demonstrates that when the Bible is read in different contexts, it has a richness of relevance that individuals in their own contexts rarely appreciate--revealing what a truly catholic reading actually involves."
--James D. G. Dunn, Durham University

"This beautifully produced volume merits a place in the library and on the teaching agenda of every church and seminary. All adult students of Scripture, from beginners to the most experienced, could benefit from this multifaceted yet theologically coherent collection of essays, which is both historically grounded and thoroughly contemporary in outlook."
--Ellen F. Davis, Duke Divinity School