Being Human in God's World
An Old Testament Theology of Humanity
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
A Biblical Perspective on What It Means to Be Human
This major work by a widely respected Old Testament scholar and theologian unpacks a biblical perspective on fundamental questions of what it means to be human. J. Gordon McConville explores how a biblical view of humanity provides a foundation for Christian reflection on ethics, economics, politics, and church life and practice. The book shows that the Old Testament's view of humanity as "earthed" and "embodied" plays an essential part in a well-rounded Christian theology and spirituality, and applies the theological concept of the "image of God" to all areas of human existence.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this scholarly, accessible, and beautifully written study, McConville (Law and Theology in Deuteronomy), professor of Old Testament theology at the University of Gloucester, welcomes the reader into an exploration of the Old Testament's portrayal of humanity as created "in the image of God." Guided by the biblical question, "What is the human being, that you give attention to them?" McConville investigates topics including human potential, the power of biblical language, theologies of work, modern and ancient concepts of self, the role of place and memory in human self-understanding, and "the nature of human relatedness to the earth." Declaring that "the Bible exemplifies and invites the imaginative rereading of its texts," McConville draws insights from such diverse sources as philosopher Charles Taylor, author Marilynne Robinson, poet Wendell Berry, and scholar Phyllis Trible. Through his analysis of Scripture's "montage of human stories," McConville ultimately asserts that "the capacity of humans for affirming the goodness of God's creation in ways that are full of imagination and integrity seems unbounded." Insightful, provocative and compelling, this book is itself a work of literature to be savored.
