This is essentially a concise introduction to the theology of Kornelis Miskotte, a Dutch theologian, particularly as to how his approach to "theology and culture" shapes his view of the Old Testament. After a brief biography, this study discusses the sources of Miskotte's thought, his approach to Judaism, and his interpretation of the Old Testament.

Is there a gap between the academic study of the Bible and the work of theologians? What lies behind this gap? And most important, how have biblical scholars tried to bridge the gap with hermeneutical methods? This book addresses the exegesis vs. theology impasse and categorizes the most important attempts to bridge it over the past century, especially those of the last decades. These attempts are assessed and evaluated so that readers can see the philosophies undergirding each and the potential each has for a true "theological interpretation" of the Bible.

In this collection of essays-many of them here published in English for the first time-the distinguished Norwegian Old Testament scholar, Magne S3/4b°, investigates the complex and variegated history of traditions constituting the literature of the Old Testament. Professor S3/4b° provides tradition-historical studies of particular texts (such as the 'revelation' of God's name in Exodus and passages presenting the early preaching of Isaiah) and of particular theological themes (such as the priestly theology in the Pentateuch and the relation of apocalyptic to prophecy and wisdom), as well as more wide-ranging considerations of the significance of tradition history in Old Testament studies. The focus is on the diverse and creative development of the traditions, and on the final transition from pluriformity to canonical unity.

?Theology for me has always been about friendship ? whether with students, postgraduate students, colleagues, ministers, ecumenical believers from different traditions, theologians from abroad, or simply books and publications, articles and sources ... This volume is a witness to some of these friends and some of these conversation partners, dead and alive, near and far, like-minded or from totally different backgrounds and persuasions, I have met over several decades and with whom I have been privileged to engage, doing theology.? Dirk J. Smit

This Companion offers an introduction to Reformed theology, one of the most historically important, ecumenically active, and currently generative traditions of doctrinal enquiry, by way of reflecting upon its origins, its development, and its significance. The first part, Theological Topics, indicates the distinct array of doctrinal concerns which gives coherence over time to the identity of this tradition in all its diversity. The second part, Theological Figures, explores the life and work of a small number of theologians who have not only worked within this tradition, but have constructively shaped and inspired it in vital ways. The final part, Theological Contexts, considers the ways in which the resultant Reformed sensibilities in theology have had a marked impact both upon theological and ecclesiastical landscapes in different places and upon the wider societal landscapes of history. The result is a fascinating and compelling guide to this dynamic and vibrant theological tradition.

What is theologically and homiletically happening in 'prophetic' sermons? This empirical theological study offers an analysis of the prophetic dimension in contemporary practices of preaching, including sermons from Bonhoeffer, King and Tutu, and from Dutch local contexts. After a phenomenological opening, five theological concepts are extracted from the studied sermons: exposing destructiva; interrupting dominant discourses; recognising the Word; overcoming destructiva; and edifying the congregation. In this study, prophetic speech is reconstructed as an illuminative interplay between epiphanic and inductive aspects.

In this theological memoir, Ray Anderson takes us on his own journey from the prairie to the pulpit, and from the soul of a believer into the soul of a theologian. As a sequel to his earlier book, 'The Soul of Ministry', he shares with us the process by which his own spiritual hunger moved from uneasiness and unrest into a deeper sense of the soul of theology as exploration into the very soul of God (Part One). In Part Two, each chapter traces out the contours of a theology which "sings as well as stings." After more than 40 years of ministry as pastor, teacher and theologian, Anderson presents a theological hermeneutic by which Scripture and human experience can be read on the same page. If reading this book produces astonishment and wonder at the depth and daring to which God's grace encounters and embraces us through Jesus Christ, then that itself will lead us, with awe and reverence, to behold the soul of God.

How does one view Christian counseling as a calling? What is the role and task of the counselor from a theological perspective? How does one strip away the ambiguity that is too often inherent in the words "therapy" and "counseling" in a religious setting? Ray S. Anderson has written this book as a theologian with a keen interest in helping Christian counselors fulfill their task more effectively by enabling them to see that task more clearly. Too often, even counselors who achieve effective results are beset by what Anderson calls "an uneasy conscience"--the realization that for some reason "a little transactional analysis once a week works better than a month of Sundays in curing the souls of troubled parishioners." This book seeks to put that uneasiness and ambiguity to rest by helping counselors see their work as a means of grace, rooted in a model of personhood that is both theologically and psychologically sound for realizing the full potential of each person. Christians Who Counsel has three parts, involving building a foundation for Christian counseling, exploring the spiritual dynamics in counseling, and describing counseling in a distinctly Christian mode. Written without either theological or psychological jargon, this book is for all Christians who counsel, whether pastors, lay counselors, psychotherapists, or family therapists. With clarity of vision comes the power of a renewed commitment.

This volume takes up the problem of relations between the various Protestant churches and Jews, Judaism, and the State of Israel. Among the subjects discussed are: the attitudes of the Evangelical movement toward Jews and Israel; German Protestantism during World War II; mainstream Protestant churches and the question of Israeli policy; Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ;" and the history of relations between Protestantism and Judaism and they developed since the Reformation up to the present day.