Old Testament Theology in a Canonical Context

Rating:
Summary: A bold reaction against historical-critical studies
Review: Prof. Childs does not refer to his work as canonical criticism, but he does suggest that interpreters will produce more fruitful theological insights if they consider the canonizing process when reading the text. Childs asserts that the Church ought to embrace the whole of the OT, which it has received and regarded as authoritative for the better part of two thousand years.

Trained in the historical-critical method, Childs has come to believe that the tedious historical questions of biblical scholarship have not led to theological illumination. He feels that recent systematic theology could benefit from the work of biblical theologians if they would consider the text in its final form. After all, God's revelation supposedly lies within the text and not in historical-critical studies.

Though Childs has harsh words for "theologically bankrupt" historical studies, many readers will find that his model is not without problems of its own. Overall, though, he constantly includes references that bolster his argument and anyone interested in biblical or theological studies should be familiar with this book.

Rating:
Summary: Scholarly, but Painfully Dry
Review: This book is a very scholarly work that deals with major themes of Old Testament theology. Childs writes from a moderate position, but interacts with many critical and non-evangelical OT scholars. Though the book is fairly short, all the major themes of OT theology are dealt with. However, the book is very dry, and many will have a hard time reading through it. It is a very scholarly resource, but lacks the evangelical "enthusiasm" you find in many theological books written by conservatives. 5 stars for scholarship; 1 star for readability. Average: 3 stars.