Who Needs the Old Testament?
Its Enduring Appeal and Why the New Atheists Don't Get It
Who Needs the Old Testament?
Its Enduring Appeal and Why the New Atheists Don't Get It
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Paperback / softback
£9.99
Publisher: SPCK Publishing
ISBN: 9780281065042
Number of Pages: 144
Published: 16/03/2017
Width: 12.9 cm
Height: 19.8 cm
Who needs the Old Testament?
It might be a literary classic, but what relevance does it have today?
How much of it can we believe anyway?
Katharine Dell invites you to rediscover the appeal of the Old Testament for the twenty-first century. In doing so she deftly refutes hard-line attacks by writers such as Richard Dawkins; she firmly critiques the atheistic agenda of those scholars who seek to undermine the Old Testament's historical grounding; and she helpfully reassures those within the church who express doubts about its usefulness as a resource for Christian life and thought.
Written by a world expert, this book will help many, both inside and outside the church, to gain a more informed appreciation of the different kinds of literature contained in the Old Testament, and a more nuanced understanding of the developing vision of God to which they witness.
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
PART ONE: Breaking the New Atheist Spell
Chapter 1: From Dawkins to Marcion: countering scepticism and atheism.
Chapter 2: The character and scope of the Old Testament: Countering a bad press.
Chapter 3: Meeting Dawkins head-on: texts in Genesis.
Chapter 4: Homing in on Hitchens: Exodus, Numbers and legal texts.
Chapter 5: Countering Dawkins: Texts in the ‘histories’.
PART TWO: Engaging with the Old Testament
Chapter 6: The Writings: a neglected corner of the Old Testament.
Chapter 7: The Prophets: a more convincing source of morality?
Chapter 8: Back to the Pentateuch and Historical books: the power of story.
Chapter 9: Questioning the history of Israel: scepticism within the Academy.
Chapter 10: A Christian Perspective on the Old Testament.
Dell confronts the 'New Atheists' head-on, demonstrating how their reading of the Old Testament ignores its cultural context and misrepresents its account of God, the world, and humankind. With equal rigour, she examines the conflicted intersection between Church and Academy, where scholarly skepticism seeds a growing clerical reluctance to preach and teach the Old Testament. . . With the skill of a scholar and the passion of one committed to the work of the church in the modern world, Dell demonstrates why and how the Old Testament offers a rich and realistic account of life in all its messiness. As she puts it, the Old Testament 'can be our friend, even if a challenging one at the end of the day'. * Samuel E. Balentine, Professor of Old Testament, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, Virginia * a 'thoughtful and compelling response' to the writings of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchins. * The Door * Dell is not afraid to admit issues that appear morally questionable, and eschews simple answers, but relishes the power of Hebrew storytelling * Church Times * one can almost feel the pages shudder with impact * Premier Christianity *
