The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul, discerning the thoughts of the heart. So proclaims te Epistle to the Hebrews. Yet for many persons the biblical Word of God is less a sharp sword than a crutch, supporting rather than piercing them. Interpreted as they have "always" heard it, scripture tells them exactly what they want to hear. Modern critical investigation of the Bible can change that radically, for now Christians and the churches are being told that the biblical authors did not always mean what they were thought to have meant when read through the spectacles of later interests. Because of its approach, some Protestants and Catholics believe the new biblical criticism is impious. Raymond Brown, a Catholic priest who is Auburn Professor of Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, argues strongly to the contrary. Critically interpreted, the Bible is all the more critical to Christians and the Church. The challenge of the scriptures is unleashed, "piercing to the division of soul, discerning the thoughts of the heart." - Back cover.

"The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul, discerning the thoughts of the heart." "So proclaims the Letter of the Hebrews. Yet for many persons biblical word of God is less a sharp sword than a crutch, supporting rather than piercing them. Interpreted as they have 'always' heard it, Scripture tells exactly what they want to hear. Modern critical investigation of the Bible can change that radically." Raymond E. Brown, a Catholic Sulpician priest who died 25 years ago on August 8, 1998, wrote the above words for the original edition of this book. He was convinced that modern, historical-critical study of the Bible as the word of God was neither a threat to the Christian faith nor a denial of its spiritual and theological dimensions. On the contrary, his goal was to demonstrate Scripture's profound impact on the life of the Church, leading to ongoing conversation in every era. "I consider Raymond Brown the greatest biblical scholar America has ever produced. This important new edition of The Critical Meaning of the Bible, expanded beautifully by Ron Witherup, illuminates the Bible's central truths critically and meaningfully." —Paul N. Anderson "In this book the eminent scholar Raymond Brown raised critical issues and perspectives that we are still engaging with today. Ronald Witherup's helpful preface and insightful addenda update this important volume." —Michael J. Gorman "Mapping recent shifts in the history of Catholic Biblical Scholarship warrants renewed attention to this important updated version of Raymond Brown's work. As Ronald Witherup writes in his fresh and insightful preface, these issues are still current today." —Gina-Hens-Piazza

For the pastor or serious layperson, the realm of biblical interpretation can be a confusing maze of personalities, communities, methods, and theories. This maze can often result in obscuring the main goal of interpreting Scripture: hearing and knowing God better. The Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible is a groundbreaking reference tool that introduces readers to key names, theories, and concepts in the field of biblical interpretation. It discusses these approaches and evaluates their helpfulness in enabling Christians to hear what God is saying to the church through Scripture. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds, and the dictionary covers a broad range of topics with both clarity and depth.

A thoroughly revised and comprehensive guide to basic terms and concepts used in Biblical criticism. This title provides everything a student needs for a class in Biblical interpretation. The new edition also includes a diagram of Biblical interpretation, over forty-five new articles, an additional two hundred bibliographic entries to enhance study. It is a reliable guide for modern critical study and a useful reference works for the student of scripture. The coverage of this handbook is extremely broad and accurate for a one-volume work.

Scriptural Authority and Biblical Criticism in the Dutch Golden Age explores the hypothesis that in the long seventeenth century humanist-inspired biblical criticism contributed significantly to the decline of ecclesiastical truth claims. Historiography pictures this era as one in which the dominant position of religion and church began to show signs of erosion under the influence of vehement debates on the sacrosanct status of the Bible. Until quite recently, this gradual but decisive shift has been attributed to the rise of the sciences, in particular astronomy and physics. This authoritative volume looks at biblical criticism as an innovative force and as the outcome of developments in philology that had started much earlier than scientific experimentalism or the New Philosophy. Scholars began to situate the Bible in its historical context. The contributors show that even in the hands of pious, orthodox scholars philological research not only failed to solve all the textual problems that had surfaced, but even brought to light countless new incongruities. This supplied those who sought to play down the authority of the Bible with ammunition. The conviction that God's Word had been preserved as a pure and sacred source gave way to an awareness of a complicated transmission in a plurality of divergent, ambiguous, historically determined, and heavily corrupted texts. This shift took place primarily in the Dutch Protestant world of the seventeenth century.

The autobiographical turn in biblical criticism reveals the interpreter’s “I” and reclaims it as an essential critical category, issuing a challenge to traditional, “objective” criticism. Pioneers in the field have contributed essays both practical and theoretical. They offer stimulating autobiographical re-readings of Hebrew Bible and New Testament texts, and address hermeneutical issues that are at stake in this young field of criticism.

Writing from a Jewish perspective, Jon Levenson reviews many often neglected theoretical questions. He focuses on the relationship between two interpretive communities--the community of scholars who are committed to the historical-critical method of biblical interpretation and the community responsible for the canonization and preservation of the Bible.

This volume introduces the reader to the most important methods of biblical criticism. It serves as an indispensable handbook for the work of students approaching biblical studies for the first time and for the professional interpreter of scripture who wants to understand the latest currents in biblical scholarship.

Welcomed on first publication as the best one-volume dictionary of theology available, here is an indispensable resource for students and clergy.