Exploring the Old Testament in Asia

Description

Exploring the Old Testament in Asia is the first evangelical Old Testament textbook written both from and for an Asian cultural context. Rooted in the theological conviction that God still speaks through the Old Testament in all its fullness, the twelve essays in this book address key theological issues pertinent to the diverse cultures and contexts of Asia. Touching on topics from polytheism and kinship bonds to Scripture translation and the biblical conception of wisdom, the writers position themselves in conversation with Asia’s rich spiritual, cultural, and literary heritage. The result is a theological contribution that is both contextually relevant and biblically faithful.

Sujets

• Biblical Interpretation
• Biblical Criticism
• Philosophie et théologie
• Old Testament
• Religion

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 07 novembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781839737596
• Langue: English

Extrait

Amidst widespread approaches to the Bible from the perspectives of the margins in Asia, it is refreshing to read an exploration of the Old Testament by Asian evangelical scholars who delve into both the text and the Asian context. In interpreting the Old Testament with utmost sincerity and sensibly demonstrating its applicability to complex Asian contexts, the contributors have engaged in an authentic Asian reading of the Old Testament.
Chubamongba Ao, DTh
Principal,
Everest Theological Institute, Nepal
I enthusiastically commend this fine collection of essays on the theology of the Old Testament in Asian contexts. How good, as a Westerner who lived in Asia for some years, to see the mature contributions in this book. How helpful to see the deep engagement of the Old Testament with contemporary Asian cultures. In our global village, this book is invaluable wherever in this village we live. My thanks to the editors and contributors for feeding and stimulating the global church in such helpful, relevant, and missional ways.
Paul Barker, PhD
Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia
Visiting Lecturer in Old Testament,
Myanmar Graduate School of Theology
This is the volume for which I have been looking for a very long time. It contains the finest collection of evangelical studies in First Testament theology by Asians for Asians that I have encountered. Many of the individual essays are the best on the subject that I have read. This volume aims primarily to advance the kingdom of our Lord in a significant portion of the Majority World. However, if it were required reading in biblical theology and exegesis courses in Western institutions, we might awaken to the myopic and alien presuppositions that plague our readings of Scripture and recognize some unfortunate missiological and ecclesiological consequences for having exported these predispositions abroad.
Daniel Block, DPhil
Gunther H. Knoedler Professor Emeritus of Old Testament,
Wheaton College, Illinois, USA
As the globalization of Christianity continues, so does the need for contextual theology, especially from an evangelical perspective. Focusing on the interpretation and application of the Old Testament in diverse Asian contexts, the articles in this volume repeatedly show the varied interfaces between the Bible and culture, as well as how to engage in thoughtful, constructive dialogue. Not only Asian Christians but also all who love the global church will benefit greatly from this book.
Kevin Chen, PhD
Associate Professor of Old Testament,
Christian Witness Theological Seminary, California, USA
Exploring the Old Testament in Asia is a rare find. An excellent scholarly yet practical book, offering Old Testament theology from the Asian context for Asian communities, and written mainly by Asian authors. There is a rich and comprehensive application of biblical perspectives, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the Asian context, including our views on Yahweh and other gods; gender relations; our understanding of leadership, authority, and power; comparisons between Confucius’s concept of spirituality and biblical worship; our understanding of blessings including wealth and healing; and more. I fully agree with the contributors to the book that God still speaks today through the Old Testament in all its fullness through all cultures, including the Asian context. I highly recommend this book to all who want to dig deeper into the Old Testament to understand how it may apply to the Asian context today, helping us to powerfully communicate our Christian faith in diverse contexts.
Rev. Dr. Patrick Fung
General Director,
OMF International
This is a much-needed book for understanding the Old Testament in modern-day Asia, where the maturing Asian church needs a contextualized lens through which to apprehend the marvelous and timeless truths of God’s first written revelation to humanity. A special strength is the many chapters’ engagement with specific religious traditions in specific countries, like India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and more. It will certainly enrich the church in Asia, but it should be read in the West as well!
David M. Howard, Jr., PhD
Professor of Old Testament,
Bethlehem College and Seminary, Minnesota, USA
Professor Emeritus of Old Testament,
Bethel Seminary, Minnesota, USA
In 2008 I published my book Why Don’t We Read the Book that Christ Read? in Arabic to help Arab readers understand and appreciate the Old Testament. It has always been my dream to see similar (and better) books written in various contexts by local authors. The publication of this book is a dream becoming a reality! It is an indispensable read for anyone who aims to dig deep theologically and biblically into Asian issues. I am delighted to see several Langham graduates contributing to this volume, thus fulfilling John R. W. Stott’s vision for relevant contextual roots of the biblical truth.
Rev. Riad Kassis, PhD
International Director,
Langham Scholars Ministry
How is the Old Testament relevant to contemporary Asian contexts and issues? Exploring the Old Testament in Asia: Evangelical Perspectives offers an informative, insightful, and thought-provoking response for interested church leaders, pastors, missionaries, and scholars. In twelve essays, Asian biblical scholars bridge the gap well with such topics as: Old Testament law and ethics, and Asian parallels; Old Testament wisdom compared with Confucian wisdom; and gift-giving and bribery in Asian contexts. These stimulating essays deliver balanced discussions between the Old Testament and Asian contexts. They demonstrate an accurate understanding of Asian issues in their specific contexts, sound exegetical and theological analysis of parallel Old Testament contexts and passages, and careful evaluation of Asian issues with relevant Old Testament beliefs, values, and practices.
Roy Kong Low, PhD
President,
Grace Biblical Seminary, Hong Kong
A wide-ranging collection of essays which consistently draws thought-provoking parallels between the Old Testament and major aspects of Asian culture and religion. These essays are certainly not the last word on their respective subjects – many of them could have been expanded to book-length studies – but they are a welcome word nonetheless, opening up many areas for further research. I wish a book like this had been available twenty-four years ago, when I, a Westerner, first came to Singapore to teach the Old Testament.
Philip Satterthwaite, PhD
Lecturer Emeritus,
Biblical Graduate School of Theology, Singapore
This is a creative book heralding Asian evangelical biblical scholarship at its best with key scholars who not only take the Hebrew Bible seriously, but also resolve difficult, challenging, and relevant issues. The book will definitely be the best resource for thinking Christians in Asia as well as global scholarly communities.
Joseph Shao, PhD President Emeritus, Biblical Seminary of the Philippines
4th General Secretary, Asia Theological Association
In Exploring the Old Testament in Asia: Evangelical Perspectives , the contributors decenter from the Eurocentric perspective and “recenter the narrative of Christianity’s rootedness in Asia” (p. 2) in order to provide the basis for theology and ministry. They bring the world of the Old Testament and the world of Asia together to address issues pertaining to diverse Asian contexts such as the challenge of monotheism, the dynamics of gender differences, Confucius spirituality, kinship bonds, etc. In so doing, the word becomes flesh. I highly recommend this book for all who are passionate about the Scripture and its relevance to all people.
Chloe T. Sun, PhD
Professor of Old Testament,
Logos Evangelical Seminary, California, USA
Many have studied the Old Testament for the enrichment of the church, but most of this work has been done in the context of Europe and North America. This excellent collection of essays by scholars across Asia beautifully highlights the relevance of the Old Testament for the church today, showing how these readings can come to life in new ways in Asian contexts. Asian readers will feel at home in many of these discussions, and others across the world will be able to read the Old Testament in new ways that enliven their relationship with the God of the Bible.
Charlie Trimm, PhD
Associate Professor of Old Testament,
Biola University, California, USA
Director,
Every Voice: A Center for Kingdom Diversity in Christian Theological Education
I highly recommend Exploring the Old Testament in Asia . The authors intentionally open the “strange” world of the Old Testament by introducing Asian readers to familiar cultural issues. The authors are Asians or have lived in Asia. They critically examine the Old Testament from Asian perspectives. Each chapter bridges the Asian world with the world of the Old Testament. As a Western Christian with intercultural interests, I found the essays fascinating. They encourage all readers, Western and non-Western, to think critically of assumptions they bring to the Old Testament.
Willem VanGemeren, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and Semitic Languages,
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Illinois, USA
Exploring the Old Testament in Asia: Evangelical Perspectives is an excellent book to understand the Old Testament from an Asian evangelical perspective. While we Asians are very grateful to our overwhelmingly European saints for bringing the Scriptures to us (though there were some who came from Asia and other continents), the illustrations and metaphors they used to explain and teach the Scriptures came from their culture and community – and that made the word of God geographically distant for most of us.
Junias Venugopal, PhD
Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Evangelism & Leadership,
A. Duane Litfin School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership,
Wheaton College, Illinois, USA
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