Enter the classroom of one of today's premier biblical interpreters as he shares his infectious love for the Old Testament. This is where you begin the adventure of exploring the Bible's First Testament. Some Old Testament introductions tell you what you could have seen for yourself. They might recount in detail what other scholars have said, and then tell you what you should think about it. But with refreshing directness, John Goldingay outfits you with basic knowledge, points out the main approaches, outlines the primary issues and then sets you loose to explore the terrain for yourself. Traverse the grand tapestry of the Torah. Discern the art and grain of biblical narrative. Listen to the cries, confessions and cadences of the Psalms. Probe the varied textures of wisdom literature. And ponder the prophets in the darkening nightmare of exile and the distant light of hope. More workbook than handbook, this introduction to the Old Testament is rooted in decades of tried and proven teaching. Goldingay displays a robust confidence in the truthfulness of Scripture combined with a refreshing trust in the reader's ability to grapple responsibly with the Old Testament. Even when the text hits you sideways, Goldingay encourages you not to squirm or run, but to grab hold and go deeper. Under his expert guidance the cordon between faith and criticism swings open into theological and spiritual insight.
"An Introduction to the Old Testament: Exploring Text, Approaches Issues by John Goldingay is an excellent guide through the deep trenches of the Old Testament Scriptures. Goldingay is a seasoned professor and has provided the reader with a welcomed balance between the 'need to know' information of the Old Testament and the 'want to know' information. . . . If you are a teacher and/or professor and are considering the use of An Introduction to the Old Testament as a textbook, I couldn't think of a better resource to engage your students and cultivate conversation in your classroom than this. It comes highly recommended."
John Kight, Sojourner Theology, November 12, 2015
"Among those writing on the Old Testament today, few can match and none surpass John Goldingay in his ability to write across the full spectrum-from the highest levels of scholarship to the most accessible presentation. This does not yet mention his uncanny ability to mix the two, bringing first-rate inquiry to lay audiences. And his pedagogical panache is unrivaled! In this remarkably clever, clear and comprehensive volume, Goldingay does it again, writing what very well may be the ideal first textbook for readers of the Old Testament. This is a wise, learned and immensely shrewd introduction. I will recommend it frequently and consult it often."
Brent A. Strawn, professor of Old Testament, Emory University
