ISBN A Hermeneutic of Wisdom (Recovering the Formative Agency of Scripture) book English Paperback 320 pages

How does the Bible shape us in our deepest affections and convictions? In this book, experienced teacher and scholar J. de Waal Dryden develops an integrated hermeneutic that connects the Bible to spiritual formation and the development of Christian virtues. He argues that this is actually what the Bible was written for and explains how to develop reading strategies built around this central conviction. Dryden challenges conceptions of the Bible as a collection of texts whose primary purpose is to communicate theology, ethics, or history. He asserts that the whole Bible can be understood as a wisdom text that directs its readers morally, shapes them in their deepest affections and convictions, and impacts how they look at the world and live in it.Offering an innovative hermeneutical approach that goes beyond theory to concrete exegesis, A Hermeneutic of Wisdom will serve as an ideal supplement to standard hermeneutics textbooks. It will also be useful for biblical scholars, theologians, and pastors.ContentsIntroductionPart 1: Tilling the Soil1. Knowing and Reading2. Theology and Ethics3. Law and GospelPart 2: Planting the Seeds4. Reading Gospels for Wisdom: Theory5. Reading Gospels for Wisdom: Practice6. Reading Epistles for Wisdom: Theory7. Reading Epistles for Wisdom: PracticeConclusionAppendix: Wisdom and 'Wisdom Literature'Indexes