Obituary for "Wisdom Literature"
The Birth, Death, and Intertextual Reintegration of a Biblical Corpus
Obituary for "Wisdom Literature"
The Birth, Death, and Intertextual Reintegration of a Biblical Corpus
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Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780198898689
Number of Pages: 352
Published: 15/09/2023
Width: 13.8 cm
Height: 21.5 cm
An Obituary for "Wisdom Literature" considers the definitional issues long plaguing Wisdom scholarship. Will Kynes argues that Wisdom Literature is not a category used in early Jewish and Christian interpretation. It first emerged in modern scholarship, shaped by its birthplace in nineteenth-century Germany. Kynes casts new light on the traits long associated with the category, such as universalism, humanism, rationalism, empiricism, and secularism, which so closely reflect the ideals of that time. Since it was originally assembled to reflect modern ideals, it is not surprising that biblical scholars have faced serious difficulties defining the corpus on another basis or integrating it into the theology of the Hebrew Bible.
The problem, however, is not only why the texts were perceived in this one way, but that they are perceived in only one way at all. Therefore, Kynes builds on recent theories from literary studies and cognitive science to create a new alternative approach to genre that integrates hermeneutical insight from multiple genre proposals. This theory is then applied to Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs, mapping out the complex textual network contributing to their meaning. With the death of the Wisdom Literature category, both the so-called Wisdom texts and the concept of wisdom find new life.
Kynes has written a powerful work that forces us to reconsider much we thought we knew and that will probably appear in footnotes for some time. It probably deserves a panel discussion at SBL-though we might wonder which group will be brave enough to do so. * David G. Firth, Trinity College Bristol / University of the Free State, Review of Biblical Literature * Creative, provocative, and winsomely written, the book rewards a careful reading for interpreters of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes, as well as those more generally interested in questions on the nature of genre in literary and biblical interpretation. * Cooper Smith, Wheaton College, Bulletin for Biblical Research * An Obituary for "Wisdom Literature" provides a weighty contribution to these ongoing discussions. * Ross Harmon, Centre for Biblical Studies * An Obituary for "Wisdom Literature" is groundbreaking research in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies. Kynes' work is inherently valuable for its contribution to the study of Wisdon in the Hebrew Bible and as an example of the type of original research that Old Testament scholars should be doing. * Robb Coleman, Criswell Theological Review * Kynes provides the most comprehensive and succinct summary of wisdom literature to this date. His summary does not rehash old paradigms or information but presents fresh insights into the issues. * Nicholas Majors, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies * In his monograph Will Kynes has not only overturned what has been assumed for the past century regarding the texts we associate with wisdom, but has provided a way forward for greater attention to the voice of these texts within the broader canonical witness. * Mark Boda, McMaster University * By illustrating how taxonomic categorization as wisdom literature has problemati-cally influenced interpretation, by synthesizing recent discussion of weaknesses in the category's definition, and by providing a "metacritical" genealogy of the category, Kynes has performed a valuable service. * Stephen A. Long, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly * Kynes'An Obituary for "Wisdom Literature" is invaluable in terms of how it traces the genealogy of wisdom * The Biblical Review *
