The Old Testament As Christian Scripture

The Hebrew Scriptures reveal God's covenant dealings with Israel. But since the time of the apostles, the Christian church has also viewed the "Old Testament" as Christian Scripture, which provided a theological and historical foundation for the writings of the New Testament and for the Christian faith.

In the modern era, however, this perspective has faced three major challenges that call into question the legitimacy of reading the Old Testament through a Christian lens: the rise of historical-critical study, strained Jewish-Christian relations alongside significant interpretive disagreements, and a renewal of interest in patristic exegesis. Add to this the modern dissonance caused by some Old Testament stories and customs, and the result is a crisis of interpretive method.

This volume addresses the relevance of the Old Testament for Christians today, pushing toward theological and historical integration rather than conflict. The contributors are an international, ecumenical group of respected scholars in biblical studies, theology, and patristics. Students and scholars will benefit from this academically rigorous volume on an issue of perennial interest in both the church and the academy.