Biblical Theology

Past, Present, and Future

Walsh, Elliott

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781498234443
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

This book offers two things in particular: first, these are papers that have been commented on and re-worked in the context of a set of lively sessions from (International) SBL conferences from 2012 to 2014 (Amsterdam, St. Andrews, Vienna). Second, they offer an insight into the origins of the discipline as one which became conscious of itself in the early modern era and the turn to history and the analysis of texts, to offer something exegetical and synthetic. The fresh wind that the enterprise received in the latter part of the twentieth century is the focus of the second part of the volume, which describes the recent activity up to the present "state of the question." The third part takes a step further to anticipate the way forward for the discipline in an era where "canon"--but also "Scripture" and "theology"--seem to be alien terms, and where other ideologies are advanced in the name of neutrality. Biblical Theology will aim to be true to the evidence of the text: it will not always see clearly, but it will rely on the best of biblical criticism and theological discernment to help it. That is the spirit with which this present volume is imbued.

I I. PRESENT: METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR BIBLICAL THEOLOGY NOW

Biblical Theology in Transition

An Overview of Recent Works, and a Look Ahead at How to Proceed

Georg F ischer

A good fifty years have passed since the seminal work of Gerhard von Rad’s Theologie des Alten Testaments,178 and many things have changed in OT research. He was confident in his ability to outline a history of OT faith, and tried to do so by a description of the historical and prophetic traditions. At this time he did not consider the possibility of later origins of the biblical books; nowadays we assume that most of them came into being in their final redaction only in postexilic times. In addition to that, archeological evidence has dramatically altered our understanding of Israel’s history. These are two of the main reasons why von Rad’s “Theology,” although brilliant in its day, can no longer be considered relevant.

For this short article,179 I have to pass over many other theologies that followed his lead; Manfred Oeming,180 Jörg Jeremias,181 and especially Henning Graf Reventlow182 have presented helpful overviews which may make up for what cannot be offered here. Instead, I wish to concentrate on some specific theologies of the past twenty years and analyze briefly their characteristics. It is my aim to achieve thus some insights that might indicate directions for future “biblical theologies.”

Major Studies of the Past Twenty Years

I start with Horst Dietrich Preuss who published his two volumes on Theologie des Alten Testaments in 1991 and 1992.183 As the subtitle of his first volume indicates, one of his basic ideas concerns Yhwh’s election of Israel, and from this he deduces the people’s obligations; his approach can be termed “systematic,”184 and he devotes large portions to Israel’s conduct. In fact, almost the entire second volume deals with the people’s response and institutions, aspects that primarily belong to social and ethical areas.

Preuss grasped correctly a major aspect of the biblical God, with his emphasis on “election.” Nevertheless, today it seems difficult to base on just one main motif, the rich, multifaceted manner in which God is spoken of in the OT. A second point of discussion is the extent to which affairs that predominantly touch people may be dealt with in a “theology.”

In the same year as Preuss’s second volume, Brevard S. Childs’s Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments came out.185 It has become extraordinarily influential. His canonical approach takes into account the whole of the biblical scriptures and has heavily influenced German exegesis, too.186 Childs succeeds in showing the interrelatedness and unity of the OT and the NT, and the importance of interpreting biblical texts within the range of the canon.

Whereas from a Christian perspective his approach of viewing the Bible from “the one scope of scripture, which is Jesus Christ”187 can be more easily accepted, this is hardly an adequate stance from which to interpret OT texts in their own right.188 Furthermore, the attention given to the “canon” does not answer in itself theological issues.189

Another outstanding and prolific scholar is Walter Brueggemann, whose Theology of the Old Testament appeared in 1997.190 Therein he concentrates on the motif of “testimony,” in the various modes of “core, counter, unsolicited and embodied testimonies.” The first two aspects are especially helpful and illuminating. On the one hand, there is a kernel (“core”) in the way in which the OT speaks about God. On the other, these basic concepts are disputed by moments of “hiddenness, ambiguity and negativity.” The central notion of “testimony,” too, deserves appreciation. All we know about the God of the Bible comes from what others have said and written about him.

Certainly, the books of Brueggemann are in many ways illuminating and inspiring. However, there are questions raised about them, too. In his own article191 he answers the issues raised against him regarding “historicity” and “ontology,” though, in my estimation, not completely convincingly. He should distinguish more clearly between God’s “existence” and our way of speaking about him, and also perceive more clearly where the OT itself is marked by ideology.192

Maybe less well-known, yet nonetheless interesting, is the Old Testament Theology by Paul R. House.193 It is primarily intended as a textbook for students and has features of an “Introduction to the OT,” but provides also an informed overview of the history and methodology of OT theology,194 and at the end an appendix with an analysis of the most recent works which have appeared since 1993.195 He pleads in favor of following the order of the Hebrew Bible and wants to show for each book “its unique theological contribution to the OT.”196

House’s book is very useful, and he is generally sound in his hermeneutical positions, especially in his orientation towards the single books of the OT and their texts. One difficulty may lie in his desire to present “what the OT says about God as a coherent whole.”197 The emphasis on “theological unity” can sometimes obscure the perception of the differences in the various theologies of the biblical books.198

Turning again to German studies, the very title of the book of Erhard S. Gerstenberger bears distinctive features: Theologien im Alten Testament. Pluralität und Synkretismus alttestamentlichen Gottesglaubens.199 He uses the plural “theologies,” changes the normal genitive construction to im (= within) and indicates by the subtitle the alterations and variety of OT faith. Gerstenberger thus takes seriously the diversity of concepts and presentations of the biblical God. He attributes them to historical developments and various social groups and settings. They are in his eyes responsible for the inner contradictions within the OT.

Gerstenberger perceives correctly the rootedness of theology in society, and he is aware of the differences among the many theologies of the OT. He focuses very much on historical issues and changes in Israel; this implies a shift in attention from God towards the people. Therefore his book is less a “theology,” and more a “Sozialgeschichte.”200 In addition to this, some of his textual and historical assumptions are also questionable.

Equally distinctive is the work of Bernhard Lang, Jahwe der biblische Gott. Ein Porträt.201 He follows the lead of Georges Dumézil202 and conceives the biblical God as “Herr der drei Gaben,”203 namely wisdom, victory (war), and life. He emphasizes that God grants countless good things, and summarizes many motifs within these three main aspects.

Once again, as with Preuss, we find a central motif, this time split up into three main areas. This helps to organize a lot of the material, yet it has its limitations. Henning Graf Reventlow, in his review,204 criticizes further the “weitgehende Einebnung des vorexilischen Israel in die altorientalische Umwelt.” Lang seems to neglect the peculiarities of the biblical God. Central motifs like covenant, relationship, mercy, and forgiveness do not receive adequate treatment.

The most recent “theology” comes from Reinhard Feldmeier and Hermann Spieckermann and is entitled Der Gott der Lebendigen. Eine biblische Gotteslehre.205 It is the fruit of the collaboration of a New and an Old Testament scholar, both professors in Göttingen. The first main section, “Grundlegung” (= basics, essentials), deals with God’s “essence / being,” in German “Gottes Wesen”; the second one, “Entfaltung” (= unfolding, display), concentrates on God’s actions, “Gottes Wirken.”206 Their work presents systematically many major aspects of the biblical God, e.g., his name(s), love, omnipotence . . . , always dealing with both parts of the Bible.

Feldmeier and Spieckermann have produced the most up-to-date biblical theology in the sense that two specialists have contributed to the best of their knowledge from their respective fields and have found a good balance. Their concentration on the aspect of God ...

Table of contents

• Introduction
• I. PAST: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
• I I. PRESENT: METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR BIBLICAL THEOLOGY NOW
• III. FUTURE: CONSTRUCTIVE WAYS FORWARD FOR BIBLICAL THEOLOGY