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Here is a draft of a book review that I did for the Review of Biblical Literature:

Methods for Exodus (Methods in Biblical Interpretation) (Cambridge University Press, 2010)
. Pp. xiv + 254. Paperback. 978-0-521-71001-5. $24.99.

Methods for Exodus, edited by Thomas B. Dozeman, is the fourth volume in the series Methods in Biblical Interpretation. Earlier volumes include Methods for Luke (Methods in Biblical Interpretation)
; Methods for Matthew (Methods in Biblical Interpretation)
, and Methods for the Psalms, edited by Esther Marie Menn. The Methods in Biblical Interpretation series from Cambridge University Press seeks to introduce students and general readers of the Bible to six distinct hermeneutical approaches to the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. Methods included ranged from traditional historical-critical “world behind the text” approaches to new “world in front of the text” methodologies influenced by the globalization and democratization of Biblical Studies. Each volume includes an introductory essay followed by six essays penned by a leading practitioner of a discrete interpretive method. Each essay introduces the student to a specific hermeneutical method by reviewing its history of development. The scholars then discuss each discrete method’s applicability to the given biblical book. Finally, the writers apply the methods to the same set of texts. By assigning each writer the same texts, Methods in Biblical Interpretation allows the reader to see the similarities and differences between the various approaches to the text. Moreover, the authors themselves attempt to point out connections between their approach and the exegetical lenses of others.

Dozeman’s Methods for Exodus offers a strong addition to the series. Dozeman is a leading scholar on the book of Exodus and has gathered an impressive band of exegetes to contribute to the volume. Dennis T. Olson writes the chapter on “Literary and Rhetorical Criticism.” Kenton L. Sparks covers “Genre Criticism.” Suzanne Boorer discusses “Source and Redaction Criticism.” Jorge Pixley describes “Liberation Criticism.” Naomi Steinberg illustrates “Feminist Criticim.” Gale A. Yee proffers an introduction to “Postcolonial Biblicial Criticism.”

Dozeman’s introductory essay (pp. 1-12) sketches out the aims of the book. First, Methods for Exodus seeks to introduce the above six methodologies that help readers to understand the book of Exodus. Second, Methods for Exodus hopes to show the ways that these discrete approaches relate to one another in terms of similarities and differences. Toward this second end, Dozeman notes that the divide between the approaches turns on how one understands the authority of the book of Exodus. Traditional historical critical approaches locate authority in the “world behind the text” of its authors and reconstructed social setting. More recent ideological methodologies locate authority in the “world in front of the text” rooted in the social location of its modern readers. Dozeman argues that these approaches find common ground in that both “behind the text” and “in front of the text” methods reflect critically on the historical setting of the literature. Moreover certain flavors of historical critical methods such as Genre criticism recognize the role of the modern reader in creating meaning. Dozeman then moves to describe the content of the book of Exodus in broad-brush strokes. He divides the book of Exodus into two sections: 1:1–15:21 and 15:22–40:38. The first division narrates the conflict between God and Pharaoh over the service of Israel. The second division describes the means and manner in which God will be present with God’s people as they move toward the promised land of Canaan. Next, Dozeman introduces the two texts that will serve as the common text to explore the various methodologies used to study Exodus: Exod 1–2 and 19–20. Dozeman concludes his introduction by providing a synopsis of the remaining chapters.

Dennis Olson’s chapter “Literary and Rhetorical Criticism” (pp. 13–54) offers a brief history of the rise of “text-centered” and “reader-centered” approaches as they emerged against the more traditional “author-centered” focus of historical criticism. Olson concentrates principally on “text-centered” reading methods over against “reader-centered” methodologies that deploy literary/rhetorical techniques such as feminist. Olson as will be true of all of the authors in this volume offers a strong survey of the literature as represented by its best practitioners. Olson offers the clearest example of how to practice literary/rhetorical criticism by adopting the Phyllis Trible’s step-by-step outline from her seminal work Rhetorical Criticism: Context, Method, and the Book of Jonah (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994). By describing and adopting a clear-cut methodology, Olson’s chapter may be the most helpful for students because it can easily be appropriated into their own exegetical work.

Kenton Sparks’ essay on “Genre Criticism” (pp. 55–94) describes the emergence of the discipline as a corrective out of Form Criticism. The goal of Genre Criticism is to achieve reader competence in terms of understanding the verbal discourse of a given piece of literature. Reader competence implies that a reader recognizes how a given type of literature works and as well as the ability to understand it. The advance that genre criticism makes over traditional form criticism is the recognition that ideal types of literature do not exist. Rather readers group types of literature together in terms of common traits rather than in relationship to an ideal type or form. Sparks demonstrates the necessity of a close reading of the text in ways similar to the other methods in the book as well as the importance of extra-biblical comparative literature in attaining reader competency. Part of this competency as it relates to the book of Exodus is recognizing the diversity of interests and concerns embedded in the final form of the text.

Suzanne Boorer writes on “Source and Redaction Criticism” (pp. 95–130). This is the most traditional approach in this collection of essays. Boorer rehearses the history of source/redaction criticism including its interplay with form and traditio-historical methods. There is not much new ground broken in this essay but her review of the literature is probably the broadest and most helpful in the collection. The complexity and subjectivity of identifying discrete sources as well as the vastly different conclusions reached by competent scholars applying the method will remind the reader of the reason for the rise of the newer text and reader-centered hermeneutical approaches.

Jorge Pixley’s chapter on “Liberation Criticism” (pp. 131–162) is a lively and compelling read. Pixley is a leading and well-respected liberationist whose commentary on Exodus broke new ground in the field (On Exodus: A Liberationist Perspective. New York: Orbis Books, 1987). Pixley emphasizes the importance of the social location of the reader. He notes the irony and artificial nature of introducing a “method” to Western academics when it originally developed among poor and marginalized persons of faith living in the remote villages or in the urban slums of Latin America. Liberation theology reminds the reader that the reader’s context matters profoundly in interpretation. Pixley demonstrates that the book of Exodus is foundational for developing a theology of liberation. He argues that the prophets drew their liberationist and justice centered themes from the book of Exodus rather than creating these themes that are so central to the Torah.

Naomi Steinberg covers “Feminist Criticism” (pp. 163-192) well. Her introduction to the discipline is brief. She traces the rise of feminism among North American Anglo women and its spread to more marginalized groups in North America and around the world. She focuses the bulk of her chapter on illustrating a feminist reading of Exod 1–2 and 19–20. Her engagement with these common texts is the most thorough in the book and helps the reader to experience the range of interpretive options and the diversity within feminist criticism in terms of class, gender, and ethnicity. Steinberg also complies the most extensive bibliography in this volume.

In the final chapter, Gale Yee introduces “Postcolonial Biblical Criticism.” Her chapter spends a significant amount of space on introducing the philosophical roots of postcolonial theory. Postcolonial method is jargon heavy and readers encountering it for the first time may find themselves lost in the array of new vocabulary. Yee however is an able guide and demonstrates the powerful lens that postcolonial theory provides for illuminating new dimensions in the text of Exodus. She notes that Exodus may be read in support of both liberation and oppression. This leads her to remind her readers to ask two questions of their own interpretations: Whom does my interpretation help? Whom does it harm? Good questions indeed.

Each chapter concludes with a bibliography of key secondary resources for further study. Methods for Exodus also includes a Glossary, Name Index, and Scripture Index. The Glossary is particularly helpful. The various hermeneutical approaches introduce a plethora of specialized jargon into the English language. These can be bewildering to the beginning student. The Glossary gathers the most common terms together and offers a brief definition.

Methods for Exodus is an excellent resource for advanced exegetical courses in colleges and seminaries. Its stated target audience is students, scholars, and interested clergy. I think that this may be overly optimistic. This is a book best suited for advanced students and scholars. It is well written, but assumes a solid grounding in the current climate of biblical hermeneutics. Methods for Exodus does achieve its goal of illustrating how six different methodologies read the book of Exodus.

Brian D. Russell
Professor of Biblical Studies
Asbury Theological Seminary
Orlando, FL

Christianity Today interview with Anne Rice on “Following Christ without Christianity”

David Fitch on “The Timeless Hauerwas”

Book Review by two Fuller Profs of Leonard Sweet’s latest: Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who’s Already There
.

Authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola have teamed up to produce a new book: Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ (Thomas Nelson). It will be released officially on June 1, 2010. There will be a special discount for Amazon orders of Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christon June 1, 2010. I was privilege to receive an advanced copy for review.

Jesus Manifesto is a book on Christology. Sweet and Viola offer their readers and invitation to reassess their understanding and relationship with the core of Christianity: Jesus the Messiah.

Recapturing an authentic Christology is critical for our 21st century mission. If we get our Christology wrong, we never get started with the real Jesus. Here is an excerpt from early in the book that gives you a feel for where Sweet and Viola go:

For many Christians, their occupation has nothing to do with spiritual things at all. For others who are not inclined to divine matters, their occupation is evangelism. For some it’s church multiplication that matters most. For others, it’s memorizing the Bible and learning theology. Many Christians, are most occupied with social action, while others are most occupied with leadership and its various principles. Still others are mainly occupied with missions, or praise and worship; the casting out of demons, or healing; miracles, holiness, or the end times; spiritual authority and submission, justice, or politics, etc. The list is endless.
But all of these are “its”–just things. In fact, the Christ family has swung so far from its Lord that most of our preaching and teaching today is an “it” rather than a “Him.”
…Yet the reality is that Christ trumps everything. The Father exalts Him. The Spirit magnifies Him. The angels worship Him. The early church knew Him as her passion, her message, and the unction of her life. Christ was her specialty. He was her Bridegroom and head. She specialized in nothing else.
All told, there’s nothing worth pursuing outside of Christ. (19-20).

The book contains an Introduction and Ten Chapters. Sweet and Viola carefully critique the contemporary Western expressions of the Church in a winsome way. This is not the typical “everything has been bad since Christendom” book. Not at all. It has a more constructive agenda. It exalts Jesus Christ and reminds all who read Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christthat the fundamental question remains the one Jesus asked his first disciples at Caesaria Philippi: Who do you say that I am?

Sweet and Viola write eloquently and passionately. This book is an easy read. Its simplicity is disarming. They relentlessly and carefully proclaim the beauty, the person, the work, and the mission of Jesus as both a man and as Son of God. Just when you think that they are painting a docetic view of Christ, they reintroduce Jesus in all of his humanity and vice versa. They achieve a balanced view of Jesus that is rooted in Scripture and in line with the earliest Christian confessions. One is left hungry to realign with the person of Jesus and follow him as our Risen Lord into the world on mission.

Remember: There will be a special discount at Amazon for those who purchase Jesus Manifesto on the day of its release–Tuesday 1 June 2010.

Here is a draft of my forthcoming review of R. W. L. Moberly The Theology of the Book of Genesis (Old Testament Theology) (Old Testament Theology; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009). Pp. xxiv + 272. Paperback. 978-0-521-68538-2 $23.99

R. W. L. Moberly’s The Theology of the Book of Genesis (Old Testament Theology) presents a wise and informed reading of the book of Genesis for both Church and the World. Moberly is Professor of Theology and Biblical Interpretation at Durham University. He is the author of many scholarly books and essays.
The Theology of the Book of Genesis is the second volume to appear in the series Old Testament Theology edited by Brent A. Strawn and Patrick D. Miller. The series aims to provide an avenue for extended theological reflection on the individual books of the Old Testament. In the Preface, the editor’s note three developments that make the series important and welcome in today’s milieu. First, the reality of a “postmodern” hermeneutical climate opens new possibilities for theology. Second, the diversity of those practicing biblical interpretation has moved well beyond only Catholic priests and mainline pastors to include scholars of other Christian backgrounds as well as Jewish scholars and persons outside of confessing religious communities. Last, the series aims to participate in the growing trend of interdisciplinary studies that have brought the disciplines of biblical studies, ethics, and systematic theology together as conversation partners.

Moberly masterfully embodies the goals of the series and sets the bar high for future volumes. The Theology of the Book of Genesis (Old Testament Theology) contains twelve chapters. Chapter One “What is a ‘Theology of Genesis’?” allows Moberly to address contemporary issues confronting the discipline of biblical theology and to locate his own reading strategy within the discipline. Moberly’s approach is canonical. He reads the various texts of Genesis carefully within their literary and historical contexts but also with an eye to the wider canonical context of the Old and New Testaments. Moreover, Moberly takes seriously his own situatedness within a contemporary community of faith. He puts it this way: “It is in the meeting of biblical text with canonical context and the ongoing life of communities of faith that theology is done—and where one may hope to try to articulate a theology of Genesis.”(17) Thus, Moberly takes seriously the biblical text and brings to it all of the academic rigor and sophistication of a trained exegete, but he also comes to the text as a person located in the 21st century Western world and attempts to listen to the text through questions and issues raised by modern readers.
It follows from this that there is something intrinsically contextual and provisional about theological use of the biblical text. Theology is not a once-for-all exercise in finding the right words and/or deeds, but rather a continuing and ever-repeated attempt to articulate what a faithful understanding and use of the biblical text might look like in the changing circumstances of life. To be sure, philological and historical insights into the nature and meaning of the text should enter into these ever-renewed attempts, so that one does not say silly things willy-nilly; and one can always learn from the giants among earlier generations of commentators. So one does not start afresh each time, but in principle one has an accumulated wisdom to draw on. (19-20)

Moberly’s approach influences his selection of texts. A book of this size must be selective. He engages the expected texts in Genesis such as Gen 1, Gen 3, and Gen 12:3, but he moves into the exegesis of the texts through the interpretations of contemporary writers, many of whom are not biblical scholars. Often he begins with a controversial question or author such as Richard Dawkins who is both a scientist and public spokesperson for a resurgent and “evangelistic” atheism. This allows Moberly to read Genesis in light of questions generated often from a “hermeneutic of suspicion” and presses him to engage the text with issues confronting life in the 21st century. The resulting interpretations of Genesis are rich, thought provoking, and free of both simplistic Christian apologetics and academic reflection detached from engagement with the contemporary world. Chapters Two – Six focus on passages in Genesis 1-11; Chapters Seven – Twelve on Genesis 12-50.

In Chapter Two “On Reading Genesis 1—11”, Moberly confronts the historical-critical and literary challenges to interpreting these famously difficult passages. He finds wanting both historical-critical and pre-Modern methods of dealing with the tensions and questions raised by these texts. The purpose of this chapter is to further argue and describe the canonical method that he will apply throughout the book. Given the diversity of the material, Moberly stresses the vital necessity of reading Genesis in its final form with the assumption by the reader of its coherence.

In Chapter Three “Genesis 1: Picturing the World”, Moberly reads the Creation account of Genesis 1 against the challenges posed by Richard Dawkins. Dawkins argues that the world as it exists calls into question the alleged goodness of the God described in Genesis 1. For Dawkins, the world is amoral. There is no evidence of the hand of a good and moral God. Moberly engages Genesis 1 and argues that the issue at stake is “how one pictures the world” (42). Genesis 1 is clearly a powerful voice for the goodness of Creation. Moberly also affirms the weightiness of Dawkins critique that emphasizes the opposite of Genesis 1: evil, suffering, and the apparent randomness of creation. How does Moberly proceed? He appeals to other accounts of creation including those that affirm the conflict of God with evil, e.g., Pss 44 and 89. Moberly also engages Jon Levinson’s Creation and the Persistence of Evil. The end of this is not an exegetical attempt to sidestep Dawkins, but a reaffirmation of the good picture of Genesis 1 within a canonical portrait that is able to hold in tension the goodness of creation with the presence and conflict of evil.

In chapters Four “Genesis 2-3: Adam and Eve and “the Fall,” Five “Genesis 4: Cain and Abel,” and Six “Genesis 6-9: Cataclysm and Grace,” Moberly offers perceptive readings of these theologically vital but classically difficult texts. In each chapter, Moberly begins with a modern reading: James Barr’s The Garden of Eden and the Hope of Immortality (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993) on Genesis 2-3, Regina M. Schwartz’s The Curse of Cain: The Violent Legacy of Monotheism (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1997), and Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion (London: Bantam Press, 2006) on Genesis 6-9. In response to the issues raised by these authors and in conversation with the broader interpretive tradition, Moberly demonstrates how a canonical approach offers a in his view a better reading than those offered by his dialogue partners. These chapters are a model of exegetical precision, engagement with historical-critical concerns, and the importance of one’s reading strategy.

Chapter Seven “On Reading Genesis 12-50” serves to introduce the interpretive issues present in the Patriarchal narrative. Moberly rehearses material that he covered well in his earlier work The Old Testament of the Old Testament (OBT; Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992).

Chapters Eight “Genesis 12:1-3: A Key to Interpreting the Old Testament?”
and Nine “Genesis 12:3a: A Biblical Basis for Christian Zionism?” focus on the initial call and promises to Abraham. Moberly challenges a broad consensus that reads Gen 12:1-3 as a call for Abraham and his descendants to serve as agents of blessing for the nations. In his exegesis of 12:3a he disputes the Christian Zionist reading that argues for a foreign policy of unconditional support for the nation of Israel as the basis for a nation being blessed by God. In both chapters, Moberly models the tensions and hermeneutic finesse required by one who reads a text both in its literary and broader canonical context.

Chapter Ten “Genesis 22: Abraham – Model or Monster” presents perhaps the greatest exegetical challenge to Moberly. This text has challenged interpreters from the beginning. How could a good God test Abraham in this manner? How can Abraham’s willingness to offer his own son in sacrifice serve in any way as a model for future generations of believers? Moberly recognizes the long standing theological problem inherent in Genesis 22. Yet he ups the ante by offering commentary from contemporary persons who are horrified by the implications of Abraham’s obedience. Moberly argues that the problems arise principally with readers who do not take seriously its ancient cultural and literary context or how a religious community’s rule of faith helps to shape the understanding and appropriation of this passage. For Christians this text remains problematic, but it has always been read in light of the passion of Jesus. This is a blatant theological move, but Moberly demonstrates its warrant in light of the canon. Such a move does not remove all of the issues, but as Moberly reminds us about both Gen 22 and the passion of Jesus: “Nonetheless, Christians believe that, rightly understood and appropriated, these texts point to an entry into anguished darkness that can be a way into light and life” (199).

Chapter Eleven “Abraham and the ‘Abrahamic Faiths’” explores the interfaith dialogue between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam under the rubric of “Abrahamic faiths.” Moberly is critical of the approach for its shallow engagement with the text of Genesis but recognizes its popular appeal and attempts to suggest ways in which an exegesis of the Abrahamic tradition may move the conversation forward.

Chapter Twelve “Genesis 37-50: Is Joseph Wise?” closes the work. In the final chapter, Moberly uses Von Rad’s “The Joseph Narrative and Ancient” as a heuristic tool for reading the Joseph story as embodying a didactic function of teaching wisdom to the faithful. He does not try to resurrect Von Rad’s historical-critical hypotheses, but rather uses Von Rad’s insights as a reading strategy. Thus, Moberly ends the book with a creative reuse of traditional criticism for the purposes of his post-modern hermeneutic.

Moberly also includes a helpful annotated bibliography of commentaries, histories of interpretation, and theologies covering material in Genesis.

This is one of the finest works of biblical theology that I have read in some time. Moberly is a committed Biblicist who is fully aware of the present contested place of the Bible in the Western world. He courageously reads the text in the presence of some of the most trenchant critics. He brings all of his exegetical skills to bear on each text. Readers will not always agree with Moberly’s conclusions. I for one remain convinced that Genesis 12:3 describes the election of Israel for God’s missional aims of redeeming the nations. But no one can read The Theology of the Book of Genesis without being drawn into deep thinking about hermeneutics, the theological meaning of the Bible, and its ongoing conversation with humanity. Moberly demonstrates the power of a canonical hermeneutic rooted in a close and careful reading of the biblical text. He also shows the ongoing relevance of the enterprise when it begins with the questions and criticisms of contemporary writers and thinkers. This is Moberly at his best: independent thinking, clear exegesis, and theologically sophistication.

The Theology of the Book of Genesis (Old Testament Theology) is suitable for college or seminary courses covering the book of Genesis, Pentateuch, or Old Testament theology. Students will learn from a wise exegete about the theological possibilities that arise from a close reading of the biblical text with eyes and ears attuned to the conversations and challenges of the world. Moreover, Moberly is an excellent writer and the text is accessible to any reader interested in a sophisticated conversation between a Christian, biblical scholar, the text of Genesis, and life in the 21st century.

Brian D. Russell
Professor of Biblical Studies
Asbury Theological Seminary – Florida – Dunnam Campus

This is a longer version of the review. I found Moberly’s book to be an outstanding contribution to biblical interpretation and our understanding of Genesis.

James K. Bruckner, Exodus (New International Biblical Commentary)
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2008). Pp. xvi + 348. Paperback. 978-1-56563-212-7 $16.95

The New International Biblical Commentary series aims to read the Bible from a context of believing criticism. Its contributors are committed to engaging the biblical text as people of faith who confess the authority of Scripture and as academics who interact with the full range of modern scholarship. The goal is to produce a faithful reading of the Bible that can enrich both the church and the academy by bring both into conversation with the biblical text.

James K. Bruckner serves as professor of Old Testament at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago. He has also written, Implied Law in the Abraham Narrative: A Literary and Theological Analysis (JSOTSup, 335; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2002) and Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (NIV Application Commentary Series; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004).

Bruckner follows the standard format of the New International Biblical Commentary series. He opens with an introduction (1-17). The commentary proper is divided into forty-eight short sections (19-331). Each section includes commentary on the relevant verses of Exodus followed by a section of notes in which Bruckner provides bibliographic references and more detailed dialogue with critical scholarship and technical issues in the text. Exodus ends with a bibliography for further reading (333-38), a subject index (339-42), and a Scripture index (343-48).

Bruckner reads the book of Exodus through six interpretive perspectives (5-6). First, Exodus is about liberation. This liberation, however, is principally a liberation to serve God rather than a liberation understood as a move from oppression to autonomous freedom. Second, Exodus highlights the role of Israel as Abraham’s descendants through whom God will bless the nations. This lens ties Israel’s deliverance from Egypt with God’s mission to extend blessing through God’s people. Third, God’s grace is the basis for the Sinaitic law. Law ordered the redeemed community and must not be read as the means for the salvation of the community. Fourth, Exodus traces the beginning of the emerging relationship between God and God’s people. This includes the theme of grumbling and rebellion against God, and God’s willingness to forgive his people despite their disobedience. Fifth, the Tabernacle represents a cooperative effort in which the Creator invites his people to craft a dwelling place for God’s glory. Last, the book of Exodus as a whole exists to speak a word of hope to God’s people. The reverberations of the Exodus message resonate across the literature of the Old and New Testaments.

In the Introduction (1-15), Bruckner provides an overview of key interpretive issues. His conclusions are rooted in evidence in the book of Exodus itself and are irenic in tone. He overviews recent source critical approaches to the Pentateuch. He recognizes the complexity of the final literary product and argues that its final redaction occurred in the late 6th century B.C.E. in light of the return from exile.

Bruckner focuses on making sense of the diversity of the text by reading its individual units in light of one another instead of emphasizing the differences between them. Moreover, Bruckner lends a sympathetic ear to the interpretive voices of liberation theology. As noted above, Bruckner understands liberation in the book of Exodus as a liberation for service in God’s mission more than as a liberation from oppression. However, Bruckner recognizes rightly the power of the Exodus narrative for those who have found themselves under oppression. He cautions the reader to assess one’s own “social group as oppressor and/or oppressed” (12). Bruckner also offers a nuanced description of the complex nature of Exodus’ portrait of God. In Exodus, God acts both unilaterally and through the agency of human beings. God gives life, but also kills Egyptians and some disobedient Israelites. Throughout the commentary, Bruckner emphasizes God as the Creator as a dominant theme of Exodus’ theological understanding. This follows in the footsteps of Terence Fretheim (Exodus; IBC; Louisville: John Knox, 1991), Bruckner’s doctoral advisor, and serves to give a coherent center to Bruckner’s commentary.

Bruckner’s exegetical treatment of Exodus is remarkable for its blend of brevity and depth. I have not always found volumes in the New International Biblical Commentary Series to be helpful due to their short treatment of passages. Bruckner’s volume has been edited well. He wastes few words and is able to produce explanatory comments on the text that are penetrating and full of rich insight. Bruckner reads each passage within the narrative of Exodus, but he is also able to bring it into dialogue with relevant passages in the wider biblical literature. This serves to link key themes in Exodus with the larger biblical narrative and permits Bruckner to reflect on the theological meaning of passages.

Each section of the commentary ends with “Additional Notes” in which Bruckner delves deeper into critical issues raised by the text itself and by the scholarly community. Readers will find keen insights and clear guidance to significant secondary literature on the text. Bruckner demonstrates that he has read widely and well in the field. His interpretive judgments are based on solid scholarship.

Bruckner achieves a welcome balance in the space that he allocates for the two halves of the book. There are roughly 160 pages of commentary/notes on the mostly narrative material in Exodus 1-19 and 150 pages for the principally legal/liturgical instructions in Exodus 20-40. It is vital for understanding the book of Exodus to engage the difficult materials in the book of the Covenant and the Tabernacle sections in relationship to the narrative of deliverance in the first half of Exodus. The equal space allotted to the two halves allows Bruckner to read Exodus holistically and well. The ethical vision of the Sinai covenant is read in the context of Israel’s response to God’s prior gracious actions on behalf of the people.

Bruckner gives extended treatment to theologically and historically important texts such as the Ten Commandments (20:1-17). He also provides introductions to key units within Exodus such as the Plague narrative, Golden Calf, and Tabernacle. Bruckner succeeds in writing a coherent commentary that engages the details of the text without losing sight of the broader literary and theological issues at stake in the book as a whole.

Another strength of Brucker’s work is his appropriation and critique of liberationist interpretations of Exodus. Bruckner critiques the excesses of some liberationists who overemphasize the human role in liberation at the cost of divine action and sovereignty. He is equally critical of attempts of the opposite tendency to overplay God’s role at the expense of humanity’s actions in the service of the Creator. As Creator, God may act unilaterally and is the one who initiates the deliverance of God’s people. But God engages humanity for participation and limited partnership in God’s mission to bring blessing to all Creation. He reads the story of liberation and the giving of covenant within a context of grace and mission. The liberation of Israel from Egypt serves as the necessary means of Israel accomplishing God’s mission for God’s people of embodying God’s blessing for all humanity. The relationship between God’s actions and the work of God’s people is dynamic. In its essence, God’s people act and live in response to God’s gracious action and invitation to serve as God’s missional people in the world. God as Creator has chosen to accomplish his wider work of salvation in part through the agency of people. Both aspects have to be understood and reflected upon to give due justice to the book of Exodus’ understanding of human liberation. Of Moses’ role, Bruckner writes, “God acted in history to dispossess Egypt of its slaves and the peoples of Canaan of their land. God took the initiative but chose not to act alone. Gifted human leadership was crucial to God’s work in the world from the very beginning” (43). Of the interaction between God and Israel, Bruckner’s comments on the completion of the Tabernacle and the glory of God filling it are poignant:
Building this home together best expressed the reconciliation between the people and the Lord. God designed it and directed the construction through Moses. The people made and gave everything…By building the Tabernacle they participated in the restoration of hope. These chapters tell the truth about the dependence of love and reconciliation on mutual labor and attention to detail. The Lord met the excellent work of the people with approval, “moving into” their camp to “tabernacle” in their midst. (330)

Exodus is an excellent short treatment of the book of Exodus. It will prove a valuable and trustworthy guide to pastors and teachers. It explains the content of the book well with an eye to its theological meaning and offers clear bibliographic notes for those who may want to explore a particular issue more deeply. It achieves its goal of a reading of the text that brings the voices of the church and the academy together in a way that can enrich both communities. I recommend it heartily.

I’m reading Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them
by Jenifer Fox. This is an excellent book that applies Strengths theory to the development and learning of children and adolescents.

Here is a killer quotation on Fox’s definition of true teaching talent:
“True teaching talent reveals itself when the teacher struggles to engage student in the process, not giving up until he finds a way to bring about understanding and competence in the student.”