This is the first volume in Goldingay’s Old Testament theology. But one of the first things he says is that he does not like the name “Old Testament”. It makes the text sound irrelevant, out of date and useless. He prefers the term “First Testament”, and as a fun sidenote, I saw he is actually publishing a translation of the scripture with that name. I’ll have to check that one out.
This volume is brilliant in telling the story of Israel from creation on through to the prophets. It is not traditional theology with a focus on what Israel believed, but is a narrative of who they were. The second volume is all about what they believed, and it was much more dry. I never got around to the third volume, about their worship practice. But this first volume is brilliant.
David Hershey 